The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-08-30
COLD HOODED MURDER.
Killingworth's Shocking Tragedy-Nt
 Clue Yet to the Assassin.


 Killingworth, Conn.,. Aug. 2S.-A cold blooded murder was committed last night in the little hamlet of Rockland, in the northeastern limits of the town. The victim was Burton L. Hotchkiss, a young married farmer, who was almost instantly killed as he was lying on a sofa at his home by an unknown person who fired charge of shot at him through an open window. The charge completely riddled his breast and DOT tion also entered the neck, severing the jugular vein.
 At the time of the shooting Hotchkiss was playing an accordeon and four year-old daughter was standing in front of him. His wife was sitting at the opposite side of the room and was just about putting their youngest child to bed.
 The murderer placed the gun on the sill of the open pantry window directly in range of Hotchkiss and fired. The concussion extinguished the lamp in the room and when Mrs. Hotchkiss had sufficiently recovered to procure anoth- CT light she found her husband had ex- pired He uttered but single groan, and died almost instantly.
 As soon as possible she ran to the house of Herman Hoffman, which was over an eighth of mile distant, and brother and sister of the murdered man, who live in the vicinity, were likewise notified.
 Owing to the inaccessibility of the place it was impossible for Coroner Da- wis and Chief of Police Ingliss of Mid dletown to arrive here until late this morning, and Medical Examiner G. Per ry Reynolds of Clinton did not arrive until late this afternoon.
 Coroner Davis returned to Middle town tonight having spent the entire day Investigating the murder.
 Medical Examiner Reynolds perform ed an autopsy on the body of the mur- dered man this afternoon. He found forty-six gunshot wounds in the breast and three in the neck. Two pieces of gun wadding were found imbedded in the neck and one on the floor. The jugular vein and carotid artery were severed, the latter injuries being the direct cause of death.
 During the afternoon suspicion was directed toward young man named Herman Sachs, who had worked for Hotchkiss, but who had been discharg- ed recently because there was no more ypn Ppr h iyo a oh ho1 a mile from the scene of the tragedy. Coroner Davis followed up this clew, and learned from the mother and sis ter and that he was in the house at 8 o'clock Friday night and remained there until morning. The coroner found a double barrel shotgun with both bar rels loaded, at Sachs home, but the inside of both barrels of the weapon were badly rusted, showing that the gun had not been discharged recently. After talking with Sachs and his moth CT and sister the coroner came to the conclusion that the young man was in- nocent of any connection with the mur- der and abandoned that clue.
 Coroner Davis learned from the mur- dered mans wife this afternoon that as Hotchkiss fell after being shot, his head struck the screen door, throwing it open. Mrs. Hotchkiss ran to the door and saw man peering into the room. AS she reached the door sec ond man appeared, coming from the other side of the house. As soon as he joined his companion, who was first seen by Mrs. Hotchkiss, both men ran a Not l,a ing short in stature but is unable to give any further description of them.
 Before leaving for Middletown Coro- ner Davis said that he would lay what facts he had ascertained before State Attorney Murdock and Sheriff Brown.
 Sheriff Brown and State Attorney Murdock have spent the greater part of Sunday Investigating the brutal and cold blooded murder
 Mrs. Hotchkiss, the wife of the mur- dered man, to-day was not certain that she saw two men running away from the house just after the shot that killed her husband was fired, and was inclin- ed to think that there was only one. She stated to Sheriff Brown, to-day, that owing to family feud her hus- band and man named George Goodale of South Farms, a suburb of Middle town, had some trouble about two years ago, in which Goodale was worsted, and that Goodale at that time told her that he would shoot her hus- band some day.
 Sheriff Brown followed up this clue and learned that Goodale spent Friday in Durham and arrived at his home in South Farms at 6 o'clock in the eve ming and was only away ten minutes after that during the evening.
 peculiar circumstance recalled in connection with this clue Is the fact that about two years ago Goodale was alleged to have shot a man named Kelly at South Farms, in much the same manner that Hotchkiss met his death, using a shotgun and shooting through window. Kelly was not se- riously injured and when the case was heard in the superior court, Goodale was discharged for lack of evidence to convict him. Sheriff Brown attaches little importance to these facts and does not believe that Goodale is in any way connected with the murder, but stated that he would further investi- gate Goodale's whereabouts on the night of the murder. State Attorney Murdock said this afternoon that there is absolutely no real clue to work on. He thinks it is evident that the mur- derer was familiar with the premises and ifod ,,ptti1 Mrc Hntnhlricc