The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-06

cEncUNsTASTIAL EVIDENCE IN MARYLAND
HOMICIDE CASE.

term OF court, called for the exclusive trial
OF one case, viii betried here, commencing
tomorrow. The case in question is that
OF William J. Arrsnt for the murder
OF Nicholas Yolcker, All old farmer
In Elk Neck, on the night OF Monday,
September 9th. The crime OF which
Arrant Is accused Is peculiar for remark
able chain OF circumstantial evidence which
bids fair TO make il one oi the most note
worthy In the annals o. recent homicides.
IL has created marked sensation through
all this region, not 20 much for the extreme
and horrible brutality az the deed Us for
the remarkable circumstances surrounding
It, all OF which point TO Arrznt rs the
slayer.
The murdered man owned a farm in Elk
Neck, near Hart's meeting house, about
twelve miles from here. lie was seventy
three years OF age, and had no family. The
farmhouse stood about a mile back from
the river. Ii was partly occupied by Ar
rant, who iarmed Yolckcr's place, aud part
~ by old man Volcker himself. For years
Nolcker has been hard man 10 get along
with, and he has invariably qusrrellcd with
his tenants. His experience with Ar
rant, who is a rough, hesdStrong TEL
low, although man In good stand
ing in the community, was no eXcep-
ton to the rule. ArTant came on the
place TO work il on "sharcs" last March.
He bad not been there many weeks before
the two had dispute, which ended with
Arrantseverely beating the old man. Nolck-
or had his assailant arrested, md he was
held to answer TO the charge at the term OF
court which was about 10 open when the
murder was discovered. In the latter part
Of August AiTaut was again arrested and
fined $50 and costs for Wiiul trcspass, in
allowing his cattle TO damage Volcker's
crops. These and other matters show how
bitter the feeling must have feen between
the two men, and it was matter Of general
talk throughout the neighborhOod. On
the morning OF Wednesday, September L,
some boys who were engaged in looking
for a missing boat along the Elk river
near NOlckcr's place, noticed q pair o.
human feet protruding above tie water
some distance from the shore. Help was
procured, and an investigation resulted IN
the discovery OF old man Nolckcr's body
anchored below the surface Of the wafer.
His head was mashed in like an cgg-shel,
and wrapped four times around his neck
was a heavy Iog-chain, to which was
attached the anchor OF the missing boat.
NOlcller had been missing since Ionday
evening, but no one thought his absence
strange. The lost boat was found adrlit
the same dav. Many blood stains were
/ found about it.
No evidence has been found OF the kill
/ ing Of the dead man. Not q soul can be
/ found who knows thing about the brutal
crime. Suspicion, however, which pointed
/ TO Arrant az soon as the body was found,
| has been greatly strengthened by evidence
cleaned soon htcrWard by the authorities.
/ Arrant was away from home at the time The
/ CHASTITY discovery was made, having gone
TO The market in Wilmington, Del, With
peaches early Tuesday morning. I'm eN-
animation around the house resulted III &c
finding Of a heavy club near the stock
ward, with blood and TUT Of gray lair,
which was similar TO that OF old man
Vclckcr, upon Il. On the fence surround
ing the ward were more bloody marks. III
the wood-pile was found an axe with blood
stains upon It. II was evident that inc
= murdered man had been stricken down al
the stock-yard with club, and that the
bloody work had been completed with the
axe. Leading from The place where the
tragedy had evidently occurred ont across
the fields. through 4 swamp, and directly
toward the river, trail made by th'
dragging OF some heavy body was dis
covered. Along this trail were foot
prints. and the hOo'-mrks Of a horst
were at certain points plainly visible
indicating that the dragging had been
done by horse directed by n shoelcS'
driver. Here and there along the coUrSC
were traces Of blood, and at one point
where the land was rugged, 4 tuft Of hair
corresponding with that found near the
stock-yard and with that Of the dead man
had been torn of 10y the sharp stones
This trail continued almost to the shore
and WIS headed for point nearly opposite
whore the body was found in the river
Arrant was arrested OH his return from th'
Wilmington market. lie made a stou
denial OF The crime, TO which h'
still adheres. lie had on n new shirt
4 search in his wagon revealed tn
shirt he had worn on Monday night whor
last nt home snugly concealed undel
some produce he had been compelled e
hiring back with him. The shirt had nu
mcrouS blood-stains upon it, and Arran
saws he changed 1t because il got torn II
Wilmington. John Hall, who knows AT
rant and was in market with him In WI
W.
on 0arnent. Hall went up 10 Alrant, &c
cording to his story, and, pointing TO th
blood ON his slirt, asked him whose hea'
he had been breaking this time. " NJ
ones in particular" answered Arrant, I'm
easily. Soon after this the accused MAI
. bonebt new shirt and hid the other ON
in his wagon, where it was Subscqucntl
foupd. Arrant claims that the blood
stains came on the shirt while killing
sheen. They are ROW being examined D.
, microscopic. -,
The hare footprints correspond exact
with the feet OF the accused man. III
tbermoYc. Arrant'S feet were torn by bran
blcs when he was examined Mtcf Dem
locked up. The same examination ais
? showed his shoulders to be worn ana sore
rs if he had dragged something by a rop
over his shoulder, and kept nj II so pei
sistentlv that the rope cat into the ilesl
II i certain that the body had to be drag
, oed one hundred yards or so by han
, before the river was reached. \
, This tends TO make out a bad cas-
! NJ circuinstantial evidence against Al
: rant. The fact that NOlcker was las
, sccn on Monday evening, and that NJ
, rant started Tor market early next morning
leads TO the theory that the murder wa
, committed on Tuesday morning. ArTar
, took some OF Volcker's peaches 10 MARIE
, and the supposition is that as he was aDot
! TO start away Volcker quarrcllcd with I'M
! about this, and the result was light, who
ended i'm the murder.
, TIE Toy PISTOL IN BALTINORE.-Ma
La.robe. Of Baltimore, has signed an ora
, nance absolutely prohibiting the sale OF TO
, nistols i'm that city. The large number