The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-04-20

BRUTAL MURDER.
Captain Biddlecum Found
With Horrible Cash In
His Head.
MURDERER HAS ESCAPED
Police Believe Discharged
Helper Did the Deed
Tuesday.

Captain William Biddlecum, of the coal
barge Ivy, which is tied at the foot OF
Hudson street, was found dead in his
bunk yesterday afternoon at six o'clock
| There was a deep, ugly looking cut ex-
ltending across his forehead and there was
every indication that the man was muir
dered. Who committed the crime is yet
unknown to the police. A young man who
was employed on the boat and discharged
last Friday is under suspicion. The man
has disappeared and the police have as
yet been unable to locate him.
The Ivy, with cargo of coal, arrived
in this city from Perth Amboy last Friday
and docked at the Lehigh Valley Com
pany's pier at the foot of Hudson street.
Captain William Biddlecum was in
| charge, and with him employed as help
er was young man about twenty years
old, with smooth face and blonde com
plexion. The cargo was discharged and
as there was no more use for the helper,
Captain Biddlecum discharged him.
The man hung about the pier and SEEM
ed to be downcast The 4Old Cap, as
the dead man was familiarly known
about the docks, went to New York Sun
day. The discharged helper was seen
about the boat. All day Monday the Cap
tain was seen about the piers. He retired
Monday night and was not again seen
alive.
| Christie Rickle who collects tolls for
the Lehigh Valley Company from boat
owners who use the company's piers,
passed the Ivy yesterday afternoon. He
noticed that everything about the boat
was very quiet and he went aboard All
| the doors and windows of the cabin were
closed but not locked Mr.. Rickle opened
a door and walked into the cabin
He grew sick as he beheld the terrible
| spectacle Before him. In bunk lay the
| body of Captain Biddlecum. Every muscle
was rigid and an expression of terrible
| agony on the face, with the eyes wide
| open and staring, made a sickening sight.
! Across the forehead was a horrible cut
| that seemed to have been made with an
| AK The hair was matted and clotted
with dry blood. The skull was crushed
and sunken The head lay in a clot of
blood that stuck hair and bed clothing
together. Under the bunk on the floor
was pool of blood
There was no sign of a struggle. Every
thing was orderly and an investigation
L
been struck quickly and decisively. A
| short distance from the trunk in a corner
of the cabin was found two edged ak.
| Mr.. Rickle hurried from the horrible
scene and notified Chief of Police Murphy.
| A number of officers under command of
Inspector Archibald went to the boat and
| investigated. They decided that the
| crime was committed by some one who
I
! and manner of living. The police believe
that the murderer entered through a win
dow and was seen by the captain, who was
struck down before he could make an out
| cry. 1t is thought tilat two blows were
struck. The first on the side of the head
probably with club. Then the assailant
brought the ak into use.
/ A search of the dead mans effects re-
/ vealed number of letters received from
relatives. These letters lead to the be-
! lief that the man was resident of Pheo-
nix, Oswego county, N. Y.
| County Physician Converse was notified.
| When he arrived he examined the body
| and gave it as his opinion that the man
/ had been dead at least forty-eight hours.
This would make the time of the crime
4 Tuesday night and give the murderer
! forty-eight hours start of the authors
| ties
/ In their search for motive for the
crime the police discovered that Captain
Biddlecum did not believe in banks and
| that he was in the habit of carrying large
! sums of money about with him, and also
of having money concealed in the cabin.
4 A thorough search failed to bring any
money to sight yesterday. Robbery is
thought to have been the primary object
| Of the murderer's visit
The 'Old Cap was eighty years old,
and he had been known about the docks
4 for a great many years. He was very
popular and we'll liked. He was not a
| drinking man and was regular in his
! habits.
The body was taken to Speer's Morgue
and the relatives were notified.
This is the first murder of this character
in many years in this city. In 20 years
no murderer having committed such a
crime has escaped from the local police
Despite the start the criminal has had
the authorities are confident they will ap-
prehend him.