The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-07-28
THIS MURDER WILL NOT OUT
Washington Nathan Haunted 10 His
Death by a Terrible Suspicion.
0id-Time Killing of Wealthy New York Jew.
Crime Taxed About on TIVE Continents,
Recalled by the on and suspects Demise.

NEW York, July 27.-It is now twenty
two years since not only this city, but the
people of the entire United States, wher-
ever newspapers were read. were engaged
in following the details of a my sterious
murder, the unraveling of which baffied
the shrewdest detectives OF two continents
and only intensified the interest i'm the case.
Skillful vidocqs from Paris and Scotland
Yard sIcuths from London added their cum
ming to native delivers into the mysterious
with view TO discovering who had killed
Isaac Nathan, one of the wealtbiest and
most prominent Hebrews in New York.
But all IN vain. Now. just twenty-five
years after for the murder occurred in the
month of July. 1870, the mystery is only
deepened by the death of Washington
Nathan, the millionaire's scapeRrace son,
who breathed bis last in Boulogne. accord
ing to a cablegram from London this morn
ing 1t has always been confidently ex-
pected that young Nathan would some day
lift the veil from this impenetrable crime.
1t was expected because. Notwithstanding
he was allowed to 60 free, 1t was never for
gotten that he. aud he only. was ever I'M
der suspicion as having committed the cold
blooded deed. But he has died without q
confession, and ii would seem that he had
nothing TO confess and that, after all, some
one else, perhaps some other near relative
perpetrated the deed and left poor WASH
ington to shoulder the blame. The dis
patch to-day says:
10 his dying moment the murder of his
father prey ed upon his mind. During the
last week of his lite he told over and over
again, his own story of the death of his
father. In his rational. as well as his IRA
tional moments. he kept continually re:
fofl fnf l.uwT
The events of that awful night seemed TO
have never left his mind. He was q gay
young blood at the time OF the murder. but
he changed very much afterward- He lived
almost constantly outside of America. He
had plenty OF money at first and drank
freely. lie married @ relative of Mapleson.
the impresario. This is what he said of
the murder of his father in his dying mo-
ments:
STORY OF THE CRIME.
lit had been terrible stormy night,
memorably SO. evcn if it had not been for
the crime. which stamped it ON the public
mind. On returning home 1 went straight
TO my room and TO bed. The house had
been undergoing repairs. 1t is my theory
that the murderer may have bsan hidden
in the cellar. having entered the house
during the day while workmen were there.
A ceremony was to take place next day in
the synagogue. l had been instructed TO
awaken my father. SO that the old man,
who was Regular In attendance and devout,
might he present. 1t was O'Clock when
entered my fathers room. l found him
on the floor, murdered. and il was | who
gave the ALARM by going TO q window
and calling. l afterward summoned my
brother who lifted the body and placed
1t on the bed, thereby covering himself
with blood. No blood could ever he
found on any of my Clothes said the
m Il
hun. My poor father. my poor father.
Nothing was missing, except a few small
diamonds and several unimportant objects
OF jewelry. worth in all sbont o hnndred
Nathan leaves two brothers older than
himself and one younger. 1t was his dy-
ing wish to see New \ ork again. and his
body was placed in receiving vault
and Will be finally taken TO New York for
burial.
The world heard of this, one of the tragic
my steries of the century, the morning after
the crime. when Nathan's father was found
brutally murdered In his home OH Twenty
third street, with his head crushed In by
some blunt instrument. The greatest ex-
element resulted from the tragedy. The
best detectives were Employ Ell, and many
thousands of dollars spent in trying 10 Tx
the crime upon the murderer. whoever he
might be. All these efforts were unavail-
ing, and the murder is as great mystery
to-day as Il was then. Washington Ma
and belonged To very fast set. From the
fact that he admitted having come into
the house late on the night of the murder,
and that it was he who fist gave the
alarm, well as from other suspicious cir
cumstance, he was strongly suspected OF
the crime. 1t was known that he and his
father had frequently quarreled over mon
ey matters, and IL was believed that In one
of these quarrels, or as the result of one.
he had killed the old gentleman. and prob
ably robbed him of a large sum of money.
There was never sufficIe evidence against
him, however. to warrant his arrest and
trial and he was allowed Co go free.
The suspicion OF being his fathers muir
derer has ever since attached TO him, and
after life wretched. Years ago he went to
Europe, where he has since res ,ded almost
continuously, returning TO this country on
ly for a brief stay at various times TO look
after his business interests. Recently he
has lived much in London, practically in
seclusion for he was seldom seen In public.
Possessed of considerable wealth. he still
pursuits aud pleasures which other men or
means enjoyed. He became a prematurely
old man, with hair almost white, and
heavy lines on his face. Almost every
place he went he pointed out
Washington Nathan, tho man who was
supposed to have murdered his father,
and this notoriety became so distasteful TO
him that he kept himself secluded almost
all the time.
was on Twenty-thlrd street. near Broad
way. just opposite the present ladies' en-
trance TO the FIfth-avenue Hotel Since
then nobody would occupy 1t as resid-
ence and now IL Is use office for the
| Adams Express Company.