New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-30

Ncwport has been much interested for some
weeks in n mystery the solution of which shows
il to have been peculiarly cold loOdcd crime.
BENJAMIN J. Burton was Il well-kn0wn colOrcd
citizen of Newport, and one who had acquired
a good deal of property, and was generally
looked upon as a sober substantial person. His
two daughters, one Of them married, ana her
husband, young colorcd man who was study
ing in medical college, lived with him, ana
while it WIS known that he desired Allan
Dorsey. his sOn-in-law, to earn his own living,
it was believed that the family lived together
in harmony. 4 few weeks ago his married
daughter Maria ran into Il ncighbors house ID
the morning, and announced that her father
had killed himself. He was found lying on the
floor of the kitchen. near the table upon which
stood hi, breakfast. and ne had apparently died
almost instantly Of two shot wounds in the
head, either fatal.
The theory of suicide was not doubted at first
though there l. reason 10 believe that If the
local authorities had been less careless and
Indifferent it would not have been accepted
The funeral WAS allowed to proceed. The in
quest was pcrluuctory, and the crime would
probably not have been discovered but for the
energy and persistence Of IN outsider, who gus
rectcd foul play from the first. Representations
were made which caused the body to be cX-
hnmcd, and q more intelligent examination
greatly strengthened the hypothesis that the
wound, could not have been sclt-infctcd
with the first idea of murder suspicion nee
cs,ary fell upon the Dorscys. and they were
arrested There was however, strong feeling
in favor of them. They were liberated on bail,
Al
leave Newport with 80 much of the dead mans
estate a. could be hastily realized, when new
discoveries led to their rcarrc,t. II was aSccr-
tanned that there had been serious quarrcls in
the Burton household, and that Burton had
ordered Dorsey and his wife to leave the house
only day or two before the tragedy.
This and other suspicious circumstances
weakened the popular confidence in the inno-
ccncc of the accused, but they might still have
escaped had not rcmorsc and the consciousness
Of guilty knowledge proved too much for the
younger daughter. She broke down completely
at last sent for "a detective and the coroner, and
madc fall confession. The stony she tells Is
startling in its exhibition OF deliberate murder
ous purpose coolly carried ont. She says that
Allan Dorsey told her that the old man had
driven him and Maria Jut, and he must BE-
killed. Then he said 1t would be- better To do it
in the daytime, because he could see To shoot
Then, on the fatal morning. he went down
stairs with Il revolver in his hand, calmly
observing that he WAS going to do il; and i'm
mcdiatcly the sound of two shots and the fall
Of q heavy body told that the murder was COM
mittcd. The unnatural daughters appear to
have behaved throughout IA ihdifcrcntly rs
though the question had been of killing Il
chicken. The younger one WIS not, however,
hardened enough to play out her pan and her
confession Will probably send her accompliccs
to the gallows. Allan Dorsey. charged withthc
actual murder, is young man of some cduca-
ton and intelligence, but it does not ~ yet APP
pear that he oycrpcrsuadcd his wife to consent
to the murder Of her father Both the sisters
seem to nave consented without making any
resistance