The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-11-21
THIS MURDERER ESCAPED.
OH Gun Derrick.

The above notice. faded and discolored
by time, appears at the head of the edi-
torial page of the old Oil City Register of
December %, 1864, preceded by large
headlines. The amount of the reward
offered naturally eXcites interest in the
mind of one glancing at it, though un-
familiar with the details of the occur
renee. To the older residents, whose
memory is refreshed by even such brief
reference, is recalled the recollection of a
crime that will ever stand as among the
most atrocious in the early annals of Oil
City. The recital Of this murder and of
the incidents that followed are of lively
interest to Oil City readers, even after
the lapse of nearly a quarter of a cen
tury.
The circumstances connected with the
crime were of such a commonplace ma
ture as to admit of no romantic nor Pc
culiarly thrilling preface. 1t was sim
ply foul murder committed for the pur-
pose of robbery. The victim, plain
farmer, aged about 80 years, was decoyed
on a dark stormy night to q lonely spot,
struck down by bludgeon, or similar
weapon, shot through the head, his
throat cut, his person rihed, pockets
turned inside out, his boots and stock
ings taken of, and the dead body left in
muddy pool on public thoroughfare
The place where the dead body was
found was about 200 yards above the old
Oil Creek bridge on the road leading to
McClintockville, the same now being oc-
cupied by the track Of the Lake Shore
and Michigan Southern Railroad, and vas
but a short distance above the entrance
to the present tunnel
A better conception of the state of af-
fairs prevailing throughout the then oil
country can be had from a brief relation
of the leading features. In 1864 several
bank failures that occurred destroyed to
large extent the public confidence. In
consequence, bv common consent, all
business transactions were placed on a
strictly cash basis. Checks and drafts
were not accepted rs legal tender. Pay
ments for oil lands and oil were made in
greenbacks, and in some instances, not
withstanding the heavy premium that
ruled in gold. This necessitated on the
part of those engaged in the oil business
the carrying about of large sums of
money.
The daily business over quite an eX-
tent of thinly settled country amounting
to hundreds of thousands of dollars, will
give some idea of the amount of wealth
that the early oil men carried in their
pockets. At the offices of the farms
where oil was sold the money was kept
in large safes until opportunity offered
TO transfer it to safer places. At the
Office of the Maple Shade wells on the
Hyde q Egbert farm, adjoining Petro-
leum Center, the writer once saw large
safe so full of packages of greenbacks
that the door of it could scarcely be
closed. The bookkeeper, O. l.. Davis,
informed him that he had handled this
class of moneyto such an extent that the
odor of it created a nausea. 1t can be
readily assumed that this state Of affairs
In the oil country, with possible eXagger-
alton, was not long in reaching the ears
of the alert thieves and thugs all over
the country. AS a consequence, they
focked to the oil country in large num-
bers, to reap n share of what to them
gave promise of bonanza of spoil.
During 1864 highway robberies became
frequent, and there were rumors, also, of
occasional murders, but these last, if cor
rect, were so well concealed as to escape
detection. Dives multiplied in the oil
towns, providing this class with places of
refuge, and the public mind that had for
some time been apprehensive from the
fact that personal safety was lily secured,
eliminated in prompt action for the
abatement of this disquieting cause when
this murder occurred.
According to the chronicle OF that date
Tuesday, December 20, 1864, was an un-
usually mild day for the season. A driz-
cling rain prevailed throughout the day
which ended in a heavy rain and wind
storm at night. accompanied by light
ming and thunder. In the early hours OF
Wednesday morning it became colder,
and when the day dawned snow covered
the ground to the depth of few inches.
ohm McFate, the murdered man, was a
farmer, and resided near New Castle, in
this State One of his brothers here had
sold farm for considerable sum O
short time previous to this date, and was
to have received the money on the day
preceding the murder. John McFate
was drinking heavily during Tuesday
and in a number of places took occasion
to boast of the amount of money he had
received and then had on his person.
This is supposed to have attracted the
attention of his murderers, and led to his
sad fate. From the best evidence had
then, the murder occurred Mt about II
o'clock on that night. BY what meanl
he was decoyed to the place where his
body was found is not known to any one
other than the perpetrators of the fou
deed. An early traveller on wednesday
morning found the dead body lying in
mud hole in the road, as above described
and Fastening back to town, gave the
first intelligence of the discovery.
A crowd of excited people soon gath
cred around the body of the murdered
man. 1t was decided to bring the body
to the town, and the remains were taker
up and conveyed to the hotel of ID
Green. Later ia the forenoon an in
quest was held and verdict returned
in accordance with the facts above
stated.
The body presented a ghastly appear
ance. The head was bruised as If by
having been struck with some blunt in
strument; two or more bullet holes were
visible in the forehead, and the cash il
the throat had severed the head so thai
il was only attached to the trunk by the
skin. He was clad in ordinary working
clothes, these being drenched with hi
blood and the mud, while his gray hail
was matted with the blood that had be
come CONCEALED by the cold Men who
gazed on it became almost frenzied and
had the murderers been taken then thei
shrift would have been brief.
AT the inquest Hamilton McClintoch
testified that he had arrived at Oil City
on Tuesday from New York where hi
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