National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-06-27
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MURDERS OF MYSTERY.
SOME TRAGIC EVENTS THAT HAVE BAF-
FLED DETECTIVE SKILL.
Recollections of Old Time Tragedies
Revived by the Recent Ones In New
York-The NATHAN Mystery--How
"NIarie Roget" Was Killed.

The summer opens with new sensation,
one of those bloody mysteries which occa-
sionally darken metropolitan life A drug
gist's clerk, who slept in the store, is found
In the morning murdered in the most shock
ing manner, his throat being cut and his
head battered, the latter no doubt having
been done to stupefy him and prevent re-
sistance. The cash drawer Is robbed, and
this shows that plumber was the object, but
revenge is also supposed to have been at
least partial motive. Here Is work for
the detectives for the whole season, and no
doubt q liberal reward will be offered.
1t is an oldsaying that murder will out"
but the New York tragedies seem TO be an
exception. The criminal history of this
city indeed is marked by some of the most
impenetrable mysteries that ever escaped
penalty. One of the most remarkable was
the "Manhattan well MURDER" which oc-
Cured at the opening Of the present
century, when New York was little town
of 10000 inhabitants. The facts are as
follows: Levi Weeks had been for some
time engaged to a girl named Gulieima Sands.
One wintry evening she went out, having
told confidential friend that she and
Levi were to be married that night She
never returned, and Weeks, being ques-
toned, made general denial. He knew
nothing about the girl, and had not seen
her Oh the fatal night This statement,
however, obtained no credence, especially
as he had gone out that very night with q
sleigh, but never told whittier he went.
Ten days afterward some boys, while play
ing near well in the suburbs, saw some rem
nant of q womans dress and going still
nearer found the corpse of the missing girl in
the vel, death having been caused by drown
Ing The accepted theory was that Weeks
had met her by appointment with u
sleigh in order to drive to some clergyman,
but that instead of doing so he had driven
to the well and thrown her init being his
object TO get rid Of her. He was arrested
and indicted, and the importance of the
trial was increased by the fact that Hamil-
ton and Burr were both retained in the de-
Tense. The prosecution was weak and the
district attorney, Cadwallader D. Golden,
was utterly unfit for a case of such i'm
portnnce, being young man of but little
experience. Another peculiar feature In the
case was that 1t went TO the jury without
summing up on either side.
The Judge Chancellor Lansing) leaned
toward the prisoner, who was acquitted,
though the public believed him guilty
Another strange feature In this tragedy Is
the fate of those connected with It, OF the
counsel for the defense, one shot the other
within four years, and the Judge, whose UNI
fairness awoke general censure, disappeared
mysteriously and no trace of him was ever
found Some said he committed suicide
and that tho deed was hushed up
out OF consideration for the family, while
Others believe that he fell from the gang
plank Of the steamboat and was drowned
THE last seen Of him he took his valise and
started for the Albany boat. This was
therefore his most probable fate. Weeks
left the city Immediately after his aequittal
and his subsequent life is unknown. His
brother bought up the pamphlet report Of
The trial and hence the latter is very rare,
4 found copy, however, III the historical
society, and could only wish that Its detail
had been more copious
The next sensational murder was the
Robinson and Helen Jewett affair, aud the
acquittal OF the former leaves the tragedy
in mystery, but las In the Levi Weeks
case) the public considered the prisoner
guilty, The defense las in the Weeks case)
employed the highest available talent,
Willie the weakness Of District Attorney
phenix was evident throughout Both Of
these cases were marked by lack OF cross
examination, and Ogden Hoifman's elo-