Year: 1870

| der is solved at last, and the fearful sequel
of the tragedy is no less horrible than the
tragedy itself. At about half past four
o'clock Tuesday afternoon, rumor be-
came prevalent that Alexander had COM
mitted suicide by blowing his brains out
i In the south room of the house, lying
upon the floor, was the body of Alexan-
I der. 1t presented most sickening sight,
the whole upper portion of his head be-
ing blown completely off, The immedi-
ate cause of the suicide was the certainty
of detection. From the first there have
been unexplainable facts connected with
the case pointing suspiciously to Alexan-
der as the guilty party, but his good char
acter and standing were strong elements
in his favor, and his guilt was not gene
rally believed. The detectives and some
of the coroner's jury, however, came to
the conclusion two or three days ago that
he was guilty. On Saturday Detective
Hurlbut swore out warrant, but it was
deemed best to delay its execution. Tues
day forenoon Captain Squire and Detec-
tive Hurlbut held a consultation with
District Attorney Banker, who finally
consented to the arrest of Alexander.
Accordingly the two officers named start
ed for the Vanderheyden farm Monday
afternoon, where they arrived at four
o'clock. They drove under the shed, and
had just alighted when they were startled
| %ha Of Tfonathar nth
two or three persons who CHANGED to be
present they entered the house, when they
discovered that Alexander had thwarted
them by taking his own life.


Previous to the suicide, and during the
day, Alexander displayed no particular
nervousness, and gave no indication that
he intended taking his own life. During
the afternoon Jonathan w Freeman and
his daughter called on Mr.. and Mrs.
Alexander, and spent some time in
friendly conversation with them. They
conversed freely with Alexander about
the murder, expressing a hope that the
affair would soon be cleared up, and that
the suspicious resting upon him would
be speedily dispelled. Alexander seemed
entirely self-possessed and cheerful Mr..
T. and daughter took their departure a
few minutes before the arrival of the
officers, leaving Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander
10 the room together. Alexander sat at
the window, and seeing the officers drive
up, apparently OWNED the object of their
visit. He rose hastily and ran into the
bedroom, which opens from the room
where he had been sitting, and there ac-
mplished the fatal deed. Seizing a shot
gun (the same with which he fired from
the window on the night of the murder of
Vanderheyden), he placed the muzzle to
his forehead and pulled the trigger, hav-
ing removed his boot for the purpose.
The gun was heavily charged with powder
and shot, and the discharge shattered the
upper part of his head completely. His
brains were scattered over the ceiling of
the room, and the whole scene was a most
horrible one. Squire and Hurlbut went
into the bedroom, and conveyed the body
of Alexander out into the main room.
Mrs. Alexander, her nerves already un-
strung by the late murder of her father,
gave piercing scream and then tainted.
She subsequently retired 20, room up
stairs, and refused to see anybody.


Upon the person of Alexander was
found a full confession, in which he
states that he is the sole and only person
concerned in the murder of Vanderhey-
den. 1t is somewhat incoherent, but
gives tolerably connected account of the
murder. 1t was probably written some
days ago, in anticipation of his arrest for
the crime. 1t was enclosed in a brown
envelope, and was not addressed. He
states explicitly that no person save him
self is implicated in the murder. The
following is a ger5atina copy of


ALExANDER's CONFESSION:


81 have committed this terrible crime,
and don't known how ever come to do
it. I intended to do it a long time ago,
but | fought against it. But something
kept telling me to do it, and [ could not
keep 1t out of my mind. [ tried hard
enough to keep from it, but it was not
possible 1t seems as if the Lord told me
to do it. 1t seems as if it was to be. So
intended to do it. About four weeks
ago I poisoned the dog, and the next
morning got up early and went out and
found him dead. I took him and put
him under the wagon house where you
will find him now, behind barrel. The
reason | did not do it that night was be-
cause the darkey went out that night be-
fore supper.


We fed the horses. I pumped pail of
water and left it standing by the door,
and I also had the pump handle standing
in vacant stall. I picked it up and
struck him. 1 tried to keep from it, but
it seemed impossible. I could not keep it
out of my mind. Then I struck myself
myself on the arm with spoke out of
heavy wagon wheel, and cut myself with
my knife, which threw down the privy.
1 broke off the watch chain and left it on
the floor. The powder took out of the
house, and the gags l made about year
ago. The drill / got at Southwick's store
about year ago. / was there about a
year ago on some business, and saw it
laying there, and 1 picked it up, and had
it ever. since. There aint anybody on
this earth that knows anything about this
affair but myself. There has been suspi-
cion on several different persons, but they
are all innocent. I have understood that
there was good deal of talk, because my
brother took my boots to get another pair
by, and lost both pair by leaving them in
the wagon under shed in Troy, and
somebody stole them. The reason got
4 him to get one of the boots is because my
old ones were rough and broken badly,
and my wife did not want me to wear her
fathers fine boots, because I would get
them out of shape. She said she wanted
to see them just as her father used to wear
them. 3 4sa


My brother, and all the rest of the ac-
cused are as innocent as child. am
the only one on this earth that knows
anything Of the affair and it don't seem
to me as Iif had done wrong, for nobody
in the world tried harder to keep from it
L &Eopn Il - r 49,