Year: 1879




The community Of Passaic City, N. j.. startled
yesterday morning by the discovery of one OF the
most atrocious murders ever committed in the
State. An old farmer was cruelty butchered in his
barn the dead of night. and circumstances point
to his own son as the probable murderer. The
young man was arrested on that charge. but broke
away from his captors, and an exciting chase
through the streets of Passaic ended in his recap
and incarceration in the County Jail at Pater-
son. Subsequent Investigations show that there are
also grave suspicious which may lead to q charge OF
matricide against the prisoner.


John Nieuman q farmer. sixty-three years OF
age owning small farm within the limits of the
city of Passaic. He owned the house and buildings
on the property clear of all encumbrances and was
supposed to be well to do. His son. Roman Nieu-
man lived on the old homestead with his wife. and
between the three they attended to the business OF
farming and disposing of the produce. Yesterday
morning Roman he afterward stated, arose as
his wont and proceeded to the barn TO harness
up the horses to the wagon. preparatory to taxing
q load of produce to the market. when ne
, opened the barn door horrible sight met his gaze
On the threshold lay the corpse OF his grayheaded
father. Several gashes in the head of the deceased
told the story but plainly that he had been fouy



vegetables and produce, but part of the curtains
were torn down and the fragments showed the i'm
print of bloody fingers. The wagon wheels were
marked in the same CHASTITY manner. Great pools of
blood were found in different places the
aoor OF the barn, and the farming utensils
scattered about in confusion. To the
left stood the horses quietly in their stalls. the
only witnesses to the terrible tragedy which had
been enacted during the night. Near Of the
stalls stood an adze, the blade Of which partly
covered with gore. Its points and edge were, how
covered with dried earth. and evidently it had
not been the instrument of the murder. ladder
which had always been stationed at the entrance Of
the naylott had been thrown down, and appeared to
have been subsequently carefully taken and laid
against the wheels Of the wagon. Against it lay the
desperate struggle had taken place aud that the
old man had only yielded to the superior force OF his
assailant.


AFTER THE DISCOVERY


Roman at once told his wife OF what he had seen,
and then informed the neighbors. Coroner Warren
was telegraphed tor to Paterson, and arrived
and instituted an invest- alton into the circumstan-
ces attending the murder. The body OF the muir
ment, where his injuries were examined. On the top
OF his head deep wound. penetrating through
the walls OF the skull evidently made by the blunt
part OF hatchet some other blunt instrument
Besides this there four other wounds, each
about an inch half In length and also
the skull. These were scattered the head, and
any of them, in the opinion of he Coroner, who is
a physician, would have pro iuced death. In the
meantime Roman was telling the story OF the And
ing OF the body over and over again, aud each time
1t is alleged with variations. One story says
that the old man heard to arise in the night an
go To the barn by Cordelia Nieuman, the wife of
Roman and that she called Romans attention his
absence in the morning. and that it was when
searching tor his iather that the discovered the
murder.


Suspicion soon fastened on the son and public ex-
citeme--t, already aroused by several recent muir
ders in which the perpetrators were never brought
to justice. soon reached boiling point. Talk Of
mol n NaS rntin in and prl .nf
demanded the prompt arrest of Roman. He was ac-
cordingly placed in charge OF Constable Conkling.
and the police proceeded to hunt up evidence.
People asked how could severe u struggle have
taken place in the barn. situated feet from the
house. without arousing it's inmates? Besides, dog
whose viciousness had become proverbial Passaic
was chained to the barn door, and some asserted
passed him unmolested. The dog. IL was said had
frequently shown evidences of his watchfulness and
bad temper. and 1t was asked why should he have
remained silent and seen his master murdered? Per-
sons then recalled frequent differences which they
said took place between the father and sou. 1t
stated that the latter abused the former and would
not even allow him at times to sleep in the house,
but made him leave his own property and seek sum-
Der in the barn. Popular sentiment soon adjudeed
Roman guilty of parrlcide and it then that
alleged mysterious circumstances attending the death
of his mother the wife of the murdered man were
recalled. She died last April. according to the story
of Roman. dropping suddenly dead from the chair
she was sitting on. No inquest was held as no oul
play was suspected, and the matter would have been
forgotten but for the tragic end of the elder Nieu-
man. Two weeks before the death OF the mother OF





her share of an inheritance. and fifteen days after
her death her son was married to his present wife,
Tie body OF Mrs Nieuman will now be exhumed. to
IL even at this late day any traces of foul play
arc TO be found. Roman was sent to the county Jail
At Paterson.


BREAK FoR LIBERTY.


He was accordingly given in charge to Constable
Conkiing. who started for the depot with him.
When within u block OF that place the prisoner at
once dared across the street aud with all possi
bic speed to escape his captors. lively chase ensued
but koman soon dstanced his pursuers. He was
making for the woods the Howe property st u
lively rate, when his pursuers were joined by
Charles simpson. young noted for his
swittness OF foot Roman out of BREATH and Simp
son soon caught up to him. Before simpson reached
HIM MI. Hughes. the Erie station agent at Fassaic
stood in the way of th- fugitive, but was dashed
aside. Simpson soon after caught Roman, but the
latter broke away from him and another chase en-
sued, ending in his rccapture by Simpson. He was
then handcuffed and taken to the Jail at Paterson,
making several desperate attempts at escape while
jail. II took several men to hold him.


The police took possession OF the premises, and will
institute strict search to-day. DIR. Herrck, of Pas
sale viii make post -morem examination of the
mains to-day The supposed motive of the suspected
crime that the elder Neumau owing to the frequent
nifhcues with his son. had advertised his property
for sale and expressed his intention to leave tho
country.


OPENING INQUEST.


Coroner Warner swore in jury in the afternoon,
and the daughter-in-law or the murdered man esti-
hed that during the night she heard some strange
noises in the barn and heard Mr.. Lyman get up and
thought nothing of the matter until she
went to call the old to breakfast
es yes'erdaiy aoia morning. Ssr She coud not fna him.
heard in the barn the night before. Her husband
went out to the barn and when he returned he told
her that his father had been killed. Homah LYMAN
the son OF the murdered man, was placed ON tho
stand and he testified to the effect as his wife
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE ON THE "L."