The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-04-02
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The Murder and Robbery for Wni ch
They Suffered Death.

Shortly before o'clock Wednesday evening
Feb. 81, 1850, Herman umberger and his fam.
lily. living near Jennerton. Somerset county.
were sitting quietly around the stove In
low ceillnged room, tho little granddaughter
and the domestic talking and lau Ching in
whispers. the old ludy plying her knitting
needless while Farmer Umberger. In hts shirt
sleeves. was wrapped in financial caleula-
lions. There was knock at the door. The
old farmer called to his visitors to ,me in.
They lifted up the old fashioned latch and
entered. There were two of the visitors. The
tallest, who was afterwards identified as Da-
vid Nicely, had his head bound up In two
common red handkerchiefs, exposing only his
eyes and little Uf his checks. He gave as a
reason for this that he had been thrown
from a buggy and inj jured. The shorter man,
who was Afterwards daclagsd to bo Joseph
Nicely, had his face covered by mask or a
false gray beard and wig. The men were In
vited TO take seat by the stove and dry
themselves after their walk through the
storm.
Claimed to be ofiicers.
After while the smaller man said they
wero officers who had been instructed to
search for stolen jewelry, and read an al
lsged warrant. The farmer made no ohjec-
tion and the search began. The strangers
found out where there WIS n large amount of
money in the house some Sl6,09 to Sgl.O00l.
Finally the smaller man pulled n revolver,
pointed II at Umberger's head and fired. lie
fell dead. Mrs. Umbergcr rang The farm bell,
the girls ran screaming along the road, and a
crowd soon gathered, but tho murderera
escaped with their booty, which has never
since been traced.
Rewards aggregattng S2,00l were offered,
and on the Monday after the murder the
brothers were arrested at their homes They
were indicted by he grand jury on May ~,
fTd N 5htiis after the murder. AT the trial
ghe commonwealth produced poeketbook,
sAid to be one sent by David to his wife after
his arrest. and Identified II as one of tho
pocketbooks stolen from Farmer Umberger.
Articles of clothing belonging 70 the Nieelys
were identified by members OF the UmbeTger
family as having been worn the night OF
tho murder. and evidence was brought In to
show that the brothers were tracked In the
nnov TO the scene of the crime and back
home ngain. The jury In the case retired on
June T. and returnel verdict of guilty OF
murder Ia the frst degree The Judge SEN
fenced them TO be hanged. The plea for a
now trial and appeals TO the supreme court
were frnitiess, aud one of Governor Beavers
last official acts was to fix the execution for
April2 3 -
~ Their Two Escapes.
The condeiiInal men escaped from Jail
twice since ih iir conviction The Il at escape
was made In September, 1859. They. with "a
man In a neighboring cell. planned to get
out and secured from friends on the outside
tools and reYoivers. When occasion was
ripe they shot tho turnkey and fed for a
strip of woodland. Hundreds Of people
started III pursuit. David was found perched
mp among the folnge of high tree. A
couple of rifles were pointed at him. 1t was
suggested that he come down and he came.
Half IN hour Inter Joseph was discovered
under a thick pile OF brush. He was dragged
out and both prisoners were conducted blrk
70 the Jail from which they had escaped less
than two hours before. The turnkey recov-
cred, although his life was despaired of for
several days, and was a member of the death
watch which had charge OF the Nicelys until
the hour of execution.
II was over year before the Nicelys mnde
another attempt 70 escape. 1t was on the
evening OF November 20, ls91, when their jail
corridor was leftlinlocked. They climbed mp
10 the roof, thirty feet above the ground. Al
though they had rope, both fell and were
badly injured, but managed to get away.
Several posses were organized to scour the
mile away from the Jail. went to his barn to
feed his stock on this evening of the second
day aftcr the escape and heard n noise In his
hayloft. He investigated, and there found
David Nicely with leg and arm broken, and
suffering Intensely from his injuries. David
was we'll armed, but too weak and discour-
aged TO attempt resistance. He was taken
back TO Jail. The next evening Farmer Bar
clay found Joseph In his barn. The latter
had travelled a milo further than his brother
but the pain of his broken ankle hal proved
too much for him. He was taken back to
3ail. and from that time on both have been
yigilantiy guarded.