The Newtown bee., 1879-09-03
"OOdbury.
NUMBER EIGHTY-FoUR.

A most brutal murder was committed in this town some time during the night of Thursday, August 18th. On Friday morning about six o'clock e. m., tho body of James Maher, youth of nineteen years of age, was found dead in lot be- longing to Mrs. Douglass, a few rods east of the residence of Hon. Thomas Bull. IL had evidently lain where it was found some six or eight hours. as there was but slight warmth in any part of the body. and the larger portion of the body was quite rigid. The murder had evidently been committed in tho highway, and then the body had been dragged from the north side of the highway across it, through the fence and some six rods into the lot ad- joining, where it was left in full view of the passers by There were evidences of d severe struggle in the highway, for some four or five rods to the ditch, where evidently the final strug- gle was had, and death occurred, doubt less, almost instantaneously at last The dirt in the road was greatly disturbed, and the coarse grass in the ditch was beaten down as though horse has rolled in it. The murderer had evidently placed the body in the position he did, on pur- pose, that it might be early discovered. He had placed the head up hill, placed one arm under the body, the other over the heart, ono leg being drawn out straight, and the other slightly curved, the face turning to one side, as though quietly sleeping. Then he had retraeed his steps to the road, and carried tho hat to the body, placing it at it's side. If ! the murderer had simply Gesired conceal ment he could have rolled the body in- to q shallow brook not rod distant, that was covered with tall coarse grass, where it might have lain for days, until decom- position had notified the senses of the existence of the corpse. A jury of in- quest was called, and the body viewed. There were no external indications of
 violence except some slight scratches across the face and forhead, and a black ened appearance of the throat and face, as if there had been stangulation. or ap- 
 called, and made full post mortem eI- animation. On removing the scalp and skin of the throat the cause of death was at once apparent. There had been severe strangulation as if the throat had
 been strongly grasped, and there were | four or five confused wounds on the top and back side of the head. which crushed through to the skull, scratching 1t in several places. asd producing severe consussion on the substance of the bIain.
 The blows were so severe. that there is no doubt, that the first one did the cruel work, Still blow followed blow, and. after all it seems, that when all was over. the murderer had some hope his work had not been fatal, and so he placed the body in the lot, in an easy position. await ing discovery at dawn .a The jury of in quest immediately proceeded to take evidence, and continued its labors through Friday and Saturday, when not having completed them, it adjourned to Monday morning ate a. m. The jury does not disclose the evidence taken by it; bu5 the community strongly suspect two or three persons of being implicated ! in the crime. Disclosures would not
 further the ends of justice.
 NAMELEsS.