Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-04-17
MURDER OF CELIA BUSH
A TALE orr CRIME FROM M4PSHP
HOPE.
The FindiOg OF Hsr Body in q Thick
ct Near Her Neglected and tumble.
Down Home - Something About
Her Mercenary Husband.

ct Near Her Neglected and rumbl
Down Home = Something Abor
Her Mercenary Husband.
BALTIMORE, April IA special froi
Federalsburg, Caroline county, MarJ
land, dated to-day, says: The body
Mrs. Celia Bush, an aged white woman
was found in thioket near her resident
yesterday afternoon. Her skull wa
horribly crushed and her throat cut frol
ear to ear. So far the murderer has nc
been apprehended.
A fredericksburg, Nd, special to the Bait
more Day gives some additional particular
regarding Celia Bush. Williamsburg
a small village on the line OF the Delawar
~ Dorchester railroad, about IL miles du
west from Seaford.
Celia Murphy, but she WAS better known b
her maiden name, Bush. She had bee
separated from her husband, and was be
lieved to have accumulated considerabl
money as the result of her industry am
economy. On Thursday she was missing, an,
a search OF her premises revealed the fac
that her house had been robbed and sh
could nowhere be found. Search was insti
tuted by the neighbors, and in the Afternoon
she was found in Il thicket near her residence
Her skull WAS horribly crushed and he
throat WAS cut from ear to car. No clew tC
the murderer has been discovered. Stat
Attorney Henry is making thorough inves
| tigatlon OF the occurrence,
| The murdered woman was born upon the
place, and fell heir to the property on th'
death of her father and mother. The farm
is moderate one IN point of acres, but it ha
a weird and forsaken appearance beinl
hedged in by an almost impenetrable thicke
of gum trees, pines and briars. The msil
| house il OF frame with the old style bricl
chimneys, built upon the outside, and many
OF the blanks leayiug their fastenings through
the wear and tear of time, until in som,
| places the interior disorder and neglect ar,
plainly discernible from the exterior. The
other buildings are small, dilapidated barr
and stable for two or three horses and severa
| COWS. The place borders on what i.
known as the Woodpecker road, neal
| Williamsburg, in Dorchester, and the
old woman, who has been the
only occupant for many years, with
the exception of the brief interval of mar
riage, has always been spoken of by the
| children OF the neighborhood as a sort OF
witch or gypsy, of whom they were afraid
| She was never known to employ help of any
| kind, everything being done by herself She
| used to stack her own fodder, cut her own
wheat with scythe, make her own cider,
| dlstill her own apple and peach brandy, and
| do all other farm work, and it is a wonder
| how this creature at the age of 65 or 10, was
enabled to live through such succession OF
hardships. She has been seen behind plow,
| the rain pouring down and she barefooted,
| and still she did not seem to mind it as much
| as one would with an umbrella over his head.
About i've years ago, when she WAS GER
| tainly over GO years Of age, an lrishman
| named Murphy came into the neighborhood
IN unIs unhn uV.I Il l...i,,a
suaded from the old wcman's known in.
dnstry and miserly habits that she had
| money stored away, soon went to see and
finally married her. They lived together only
few months, however, when he left and went
to parts unknown. She was altogether toe
sharp for him she wanted him to work as
she did, which he declined to do, and then
the old creature made it rather warm for
him. Before leaving he was heard to say
~ have tried all kinds of wood but have
found her to be the thorniest Bush L ever got
hold Of" Murphy was never seen in Dor
chester after he left, and no one believes for
a moment that he had anything to do with
the crime.
ADDITIONAL PABTIcULARs-wHo MURPHY WAS
SOME MONEY OVERLOOKED.
Special Correspondence oi Gazstte ~nd Journl.
WILLIAMSBURG, DORCHESTER COUNTY, MD,
April ll.-Alrs. Bush Is known to have been
hauling wood to her house on Monday aud it
is highly probable that she was murdered on
Monday afternoon. One of the neighbors
yesterday happening by the. house, found her
horse hitched to the cart near the dwelling,
where he had paved deep hold In the earth
so that the shafts rested upon the ground and
the horse when released from the cart was 30
weak that he could scarcely stand from want
OF food This neiglbor found the house open
and chest broken into Seeing no signs of
Mrs. Bush he raised the alarm; search was
instituted and the body found.
A stout pine stick was found near the
scene. The body had been dragged about 80
yards from the place where the murder had
been committed and thrown into thicker
growth of timber.
Deceased was about 66 years of age Some
time ago, perhaps 20 or more years, she
married perpatetic scho ilnlaster, an Irish
man named Murphy. whose temper and dis
position, perhaps none too sweet, were rem
dered violent by her refusal to give him entire
possession of the property and by frequent
indulgence in alcoholics. Disagreements
resulted and the parties separated and were
divorced, Murphy shortly after marrying a
Widow Fluharty, in Caroline county, and the
former wife resuming her spinster name OF
Bush.
Though living strictly alone she had often
expressed fears that Murphy would kill her.
1t is supposed that she had considerable
money, AZ she lived very penuriously and
saved all she could get. An examination
made by several Of the neighbors yesterday
disclosed the fact that the broken open chest
contained over $50 thst had not been found
by the murderer.
Murphy Is reported to make his homo at
| Delmar, but he has been seen i'll this neigh.
| borhood on several occasions during the past
week. He is reported to be selling books.
| The community is deeply moved. Taking
| into consideration all the circumstances, they
point to murder and robbery most deliberate
in broad daylight, and in populous neigh
| borhood. Tne deceased was one OF two
daughters OF Spencer Bush. The father and
sister are dead, and 1t il not known that
Later particulars from the scene of the
murder OF Mrs. Celia Bush tend to ex
onerate Cornelius Murphy, the formt
husband OF the murdered woman, from
suspicion. State Attorney Henry and
several others visited Williamsburg Oh
Saturday and, on reaching the edge o.
the clearing which surrounds the house
they we're met by DR.. C. W. Jefferson OF
fredericksburg, who stated that sufficient
evidence had been secured TO show thai
Murphy, the school teacher and former
husband of Miss Bush, who WAS aus
| pected at first, could not have been any,
where near the acene of the murder
on any one of the days in question.
Murphy had been seen a. distant point:
by various reputable persons every dag
since Miss Bush was last seen alive
which was about IL O'Clock on Monday
week. ALI the ciroumstsnces.had seemed
to point TO Murphy as the utility party
When, however, his movements siuct
Sunday week were accounted for, as stated
by Dr. Jefferson, the theory that he wal
the murderer bsoame no longer tenabl,
and was abandoned. Mr.. Henry at enc,
telegraphed TO Seaiord aud Laurel, Del
couutermanding the order for Murphy
arrest, and started out to hunt for a new
olew to the probable solution of the mys
terry.
Through colored people in the neigh
borhood, sufficient evidence was OBJ
tanned to warrant the arrest o
known more commonly az Bug, and
Samuel McGlotten, who had been presen
when Miss 3ush's body was found OF
Thursday, and had aotel suspiciously
Both Of them, it was said, were bRdl,
frightened, and Cephss shivered as /
from Geld. Both the men and a ooloret
woman, Elizabeth Jenkins, who was de
tanned as witness, were lodged 10 Cam
bridge jail Saturday night.
Part OF the evidence against these mel
was the discovery of foot tracks leadinI
from the locality of the murder in tb
direction of their homes. Mrs. Jepkiu
testified that Cephas was not at his hom
Monday afternoon week, that in the even
| inr- ha Ia nd n amt of hlnnd or, hin mani