Year: 1872

Crimes RetOld.


The murder OF Nathan, that mystery of horror
and darkness, which more than two years ago
thrilled the nerves OF humanity with a terror
dreadful than that inspired by any former deed in
the annals of crime, has recently been raised like
some ill-omened ghost from the shadows OF oblivion
in which it was almost lost to public view, and is
once more the subject Of tragica conectures among
all classes of people.


THE STORY OF THE BLOODY BUTCHERY
OF the wealthy Jewish banker is vividy imprinted
on almost every mind, and its impression can
scarcely be dssipated until at length the assassin
shall be brought to justice and its strange mystery
explained, II that may be. On the morning of
the Goth Of July, 1870 BENJAMIN Nathan was foully
murdered near his bed, being found derOoe and
cruelty battered the head and face until his
cradle features were scarcely recognizable to his
own sons At halfpast six O'Clock the cry of muir
der was raised at the door of his princely mansion
In Twenty-third street, and young Washington
Nathan rushed upon the sidewalk in his night
Dress frantic with terror. He had come home at
halfpast twelve, and gone to his couch to sleep. At
the hour OF the alarm he had arisen and gone to his
tather's room to awake him. when he entered upon
Q scene Of horror which no pen has yet been able
to picture The grayhaired banker lay stretched
upon the floor, between his library and
private drawing room, covered with clot-
ted gore from head to foot, but cold and stir,
with the rich carpet under him saturated with the
red torrent Of his lfe-blO0d, which had spattered
every piece Of furniture and every wall and door
Of the room. There were evidences Of most fear
ful struggle and it seemed that the first blow must
have been struck by the desperate murderer while
his victim was quietly sitting at his desk in the
library. The desk was covered with streaks and
miniature pools of blood, and on the floor beneath
the chair, which had been overturned in the terri
BILE conflict that ensued was a mass Of gore. Then
there were traces of blood and conflict from the
desk to the door of the drawing room, near
which the body was found, and here the
dreadful deed was finished; the murderer
then burst open the safe, took out papers and
valuables and escaped. All that he left behind
him that could throw any light upon the manner
In which the deed was done was heavy iron
"dOgn-the tool OF a ship carpenter-which was
found in the morning in the vestibule OF the man.
sion, covered with blood, hair and pieces OF flesh.
During


THAT NIGHT OF CRIME


not sound Of danger was heard by the inmates of
that fated house, and all seemed to repose in
peace and perfect quietude. The servant who
slept in the room next to that occupied by the
banker was ignorant OF the tragedy until
aroused by the cries OF the son OF his
master. The policeman who had passed the
house shortly after O'Clock, had then tried the
door and found 1t locked and secure. He mad done
the same at halfpast four and with the same re-
suit At six O'Clock, when Washington Nathan
came down stairs to give the alarm of MURDER the
door was open. The deed must have been done be-
tween the hours ofhalf-past four and halfpast six
in the morning when slumbers are heaviest and
m et
as death. In the adjoining house on Fifth avenue
Dr. Peckham and his wife, about the same hour,
heard through the thick walls a heavy sound re-
peated several times, and this Is supposed to have
been occasioned by the blows inflicted by the mur.
derer on his helpless victim.


IN THE FIRST EXCITEMENT


over this most horrible of tragedies q hundred
theories were propounded and discussed to throw
light upon its dark mystery. The police have un.
dOubtedly found convincing evidence OF two abso-
lutte facts-that 1t was committed by some one who
was well acquainted with the interior of the man.
sion and that either he or his assistant was not
professional burglar. The secrecy Of the whole
crime shows that at least one Of its mas
ter spirits must have possessed some expe-
rience In such ruthless and terrible deeds.
Was ad bV cree Of ons
to hsYe lain In Mr. Nathans stable for months
before the tragedy was enacted.





are enough for our purpose. The crime Is fresh in
the memory OF the reader, and requires no elabora-
tion OF narration.


FORESTER SUSPECTED.


Eight months after the tragedy, after the inquest
had closed and public suspense was uled oy the
growing conviction that the murderer would
never be found, the police declared that the clew
was at last found. The man who battered the life
out OF Benjamin Nathan was, In their opinion, the
notorious William Forester whose history is filed
Dy episodes OF almost every conceivable criminal
character. His SObriQitets are as numerous as the
dlnerent kinds OF crime In which he Is experienced
ana tne localities In which he at different times has
exercised his brilliant talents


WANTED-A MURDERER.


But murderer Is wanted; the man who killed
Nathan would prove gOdsend to the police If he
could be found. The public mind has been for
u long Time iull OF wonder that the real murderer
mas not peen procured ere this. The police have
at length tracked the notorious Forrester-the For
rester OF many crimes-to a covert He was heavily
chafned and dragged to New York. Here he is i'm
INJURED In the stontest cell I'm the metropolis and
fatal shadow. n may become a. reality of doom:
but the public ask now not so much whether he
will be hanged as


SIS he GUILrYpv


And they would rather have the inquiry answered
now than after he fs swung into eternity IL so il
should be. Their view OF the case is differently
shaded than that taken by those behind the curtain
who are shifting the scenes OF the play.


Presumptive evidence has always been considered
as worthy only OF the most cautious consideration
In matter Of trial. and yet In the records of crime
an immense proportion OF convictions and punish
ments Will be found to have resulted from the
weight given 1t by q jury OF intelligent men. Its
definition alone shows how solemn Is the RESPONSE
nicting the penalty OF DEATH Where the facts
proved are not the precise facts at issue,
and the jury are to come to con-
clusion on the facts at issue by an act