Year: 1872




The facts concerning a most remarkable
homicide have just come tn light in Dover,
Del. In many respects. il resembles the
Parkman murder by DR. Webster. OF all
the devices that have baxn brought into
play by murderer~ during year that has
been crowded full of horrors, the one en-
ployed at Dover was the most remarkable
1t presents n curious field for psychological
speculation. The facts of the case aS they
have thus far been developed, are briefly
these Not long ago a fire. supposed to
have been caused by gas explosion, Oc-
CURED in Dover, Del In the ruins were
found the charred remains of human body
with the feet, hands and head severed. The
body was taken for that of Prof Isaac G..
W est, a man of considerable learning and a
college graduate, who was known To be ex-
perlmentlng with ga> at the time. y the
Professor nowhere ap peared, it was con
cluded by many that he had persisted IN
some mysterious manner, and that the re
mains found We're his Still. there was a
mystery that could not be solved. While
men were specializing yainly at the scene Of
the tragedy the mystery was working itself
out in the mind Of the principal actor His
crime pursued him everywhere and would
not give HIM rest. After its commission
there was no well considered act, no hope,
no peace At last he returned to the scene
of the mur1er and gave himself up. This
occurred on the 7th. He came strangely
muffled and mud-stained, but with an eyi-
dent determination To make a clean breast
of it, and thus if possible escape himself.
On his way to Dover he told his story 10 n
conductor who lei him pass for nothing, a
he was going to give himself up. W hen
questioned as t. the murder he said that he
l. ! L. Il. Il n,
Turner. but that it was in self-defense. He
said Turner, ha i obtained glimpse of his
pocketbo0k and its contents As he was
paying him for some work done, whereupon
he (Iurner) picked up a hammer and de-
manded the money or his life. Turner then
he SAYS, advanced upon him with the ham
mer uplifted, when he picked up n bar of
iron one or two feet in length and
struck him on the back Of the neck,
killing him instantly. This was done on
Monday The commission Of the murder,
West says, stupifed him with horror, and
his next tn ought was the disposition Of the
body without the knowledge of it coming
before the public He says that he there
fore began TO remove the body by piece
meal, cutting. off the hands, head and feet
with the intertion of burying them, hut the
ground was frozen 50 hard that he found



upon the plan to burn the building and the
body with it. he in the meantime disappear
ing, in the hope that the charred remains
would be taken for his own, and the whole
affair would be attributed to an explosion
of the gas which he was experimenting with
When questioned as to the singular manner
in which he had acted, and why he did not
AT once confess the deed which he had COM
mitted, that he might be honorably ex-
onerated, he replied that he was 50 confused
he knew not what to do. Upon arriving at
Dover he was duly locked up. Tie prisoner
Is respectfully connected, IS married and
about thirty years Of age. 1t will be a
puzzle to determine the exact guilt of the
man, even in the light of the horrible facts
he has admitted. The circumstances are
strongly against him. He does not appear
to be insane at present, but it is probable
that a plea of temporary insanity will save
him from any unpleasant consequences. 1t
is intimated that the murder was committed
in fit of passion and followed by the over
whelming remorse that prompted his burn
ing the body and flight, though the fact that
the Professor had an insurance on his life for
S25, 900, gives another motive for commit
ting the horrid deed.