The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-15
MISS BRUCE DIED BRAVELY.
sHor ar THE MAN WHO MURDERED
NHER AND HER CoMPANI0Ns


sector or the Fort or New York and .
t;sustn OF Hear Admiral Braine- The
Murderer Not DiscovereasssPieions.
NEW SMYRNA. Fla. Dec. 14-Miss Adellne
Hamilton Bruce. who. with Mrs Hatch and
two children. wes murdered In the residence
Of Frank ]. Pnckwood near here. was tho last
surviving child OF the late Hamilton Bruce.
formerly deputy collector Of the port Of New
York. She was also cousin OF Rear Admiral
Braine. and her uncle Is the Rev. Mr.. Wander
wort OF Now York city. The murders were
probably committed early on Saturday morn
ing. No clue to the mystery has been obtained
The scene OF tho crimo is pretty spot seven
miles below Smyrna and half way between that
place aud Oak Hill. The house stands on
she'll mound thirty feet above Hillsbor-
ough Rivor and only twenty yards away.
and commands. hne view OF two graceful
sweeps Of that stream. On the mound are two
kouses both one story. One house Of two
Tho other house. Of similar appearance and
twenty steps away. is where tho deed was
committed. Tho houses are surrounded by
ccdars, Nc trees. oaks, palmettos, and palms.
West Of them Is q thick forest with fiat pine
land beyond Not an article Of value in the
house was disturbed.
On Friday F. J. Packwood left his sister-in-
law. Miss Bruce. and his little son In charge Of
tho house. and went to Maitland. Miss Bruce
sent for Mrs. Hatch. friend. who lived a mile
away and who came over with her little son to
spend the night Irwin Jenkins. negro living
a mile south. had been in the habit OF calling
at tho house on Saturdays on his way
TO New Smyrna to see II he could do
any pyramids for the Packwood family.
At 8 o'clock on that morning he went to tho
house. knocked at the door. and received no
rerly. Then he saw that window opening on
the front pinzza and facing the east had been
broken. The cattle were in the yard. the gates
wore open. and heavy piece Of scantiing lay
near tho house. Jenkins fastened to the house
OF L. J. Hewitt. the nearest neighbor. O mile
away. and to the house OF J. g. Crouch. another
neighbor. Messrs. Hewitt. Crouch. and man
named John PelI and jenkins then went to the
Lakewood house and looked In the window.
Mrs. Hatch lay near the window. A pistol
ball wound disagured her left eye and her face
WAS blackeued with powder. It was evident
that when the murderer entered she was near
the window. Her little son had sought refuge
in the bcdclothes on u lounge at the other end
Of the room. He was dragged from there. shot
over the left eye. and his throat cut in three
places. Miss Bruce apparently had secured an
old pistol and fred at the intruder. The ball
lodged In the window frame. Miss Bruce then
rushed to the closet and secured double
hsrrellcdahotGun. She levellsd Il at the man as
lis approached. but the hammers snapped on
shais that had been exploded MANI! days be-
sna fns Ssl nepew n asssase
sss e rua ss sse sn G p.e sS Sess sss
sane the %. %urdsr s,n evidently tcrs It from
4ss slss crushed sse skull a1 fhen
hSWsta =. he hsr in tRs thsost n u...s
s:s,Iss si$. ss$ s:'ss e ess
mans shSs: + was the istt. fSot e 3 NJ 9
inside, Indicating that the man was bow
as sf sSs.ss n
aexco,ner brought . shotgun. The Sheriff
@ s. s sssa RSas Ts%
"1s sss@ Rses sssa The crime wa.
ss sEs ns Sas 9 ahas
TIE country. All the vi, victims were dressed.
done. ndieatns tia. lie %u n Gse had d been
s.,mmitted curly on Saturday morning. Ma:
n sss b sns o EGa
rranssd the fitchea Sat s.R' q yeast
ins.' Il continued to rise Til nearly s O'clock
On satHrday a:ternoon. ham; half cooked.
Is A., Ssilsa FSe5y.lins besOfsnod household
An tn SO things indicate that the murders
were G mmttted on Saturday morning near
thp for hsre Is MSere tss
bread knife belonged. Miss Bruce probably
Ss 5s Ind to the hr hase and
SiiIsa y; sh
f. sasrsons WHICH S Viii reyesed
Hss s', 'i sss I siSsi ss
Brhco's hard. The people Of New Smyrna
s sn as s,Gns ssspess
MT believed that he had any part In the crime
a-nss At IS o ss p ts noe E fatal
ie tS ss f. this sR
5 f sssy T Ss war @sF4sEsa sas
tho river saw tI,s smoke from the ruins fntho
creek near the house the mother lay half
ns nsr h
her arms. Mr. Packwood says that he will
Hamilton Bruce. the father Of Adeline Hamil-
WIZ se YsrE N E
e. e. became. after time deputy collector.
fntornationay :" Insurance s 'C omreny. In Tie
later yoars of his life he organized an insur-
sD az yth e t s y 81 Ssh hs
Sb91t thirteen years ago. leaving his wife snd
SSGSg si1s.: Hs5iS. EIsisS: Kate De ,daS. Snd
Borner Of this city at the time Of her death.