Year: 1873

ala, may De properly regarded as one or the most
nendish and brutal within the entire catalogue OF
crime. SO accustomed has society grown to the
numerous deeds wrought by the pistol and knife
chat they fail to disturb the current or popular
Thought, save for moment; and so ordinary are
the occasions upon which one man wreaks his ven.
geance upon another that it Is only when the
crime Is attended by the most unusual and exag-
gerated crcumst tances that 1t appeals to the ndig-
nation OF the public, as it should and brings
down upon the head OF the murderer
the full power, extent and execution OF
the law. About the Linden tragedy are
grouped the most horrible and tragic incidents
that h0rrOrity has ever beheld. Search the annals
OF crime from beginning to end and you would
select this as one OF the most terribly inhuman
murders ever wrought No knife, pistol, no
stranguating grasp played part in this bloody
deed. The bold and daring villain did not effect
his purpose in the night, but in open daylight,
when the birds were twittering in the branches,
when the cattle were grazing III the field, when
the sun stood midway in the heavens-a humanity
was alive, active and awake. Such was the busy
hour in which the murderer did his fendish deed.
The victims were two in number and they bore
the relation OF husband and wife. They were
known from one end OF the county to the other as


THE M'BRIDEs.


They were very old and they were also very
capricious. Their eccentricities, their personal
Isolation from society, their universal dstrust Of
all who approached them from the world without,
placed them before the public as peculiar people
and were the means of surrounding them with
many ridiculous rumors. The name of the woman
was Isabella, the name of the man was John.
Their abode stood on the road between Newberry
and Linden. 1t was built of logs. About it grew
untrimmed trees and tail rank weeds. The



last stages Of irrecoverable dilapidation. For
years had the couple lived here lone and solitary
maintaining an existence upon the coarsest food,
dressing in the homelest fashion and appearing to
the external world only in the briefest moments
and on the rarest occasion. OF course the country
folks circulated all sorts OF stories about them. 1t
was known tnat by means OF inheritance and
ehrough the agency of continued prosperity and
good luck the McBrides in their dreary
cabin stood as sentinels guarding immense
boards OF wealth. 1t was said that they
possessed thousands in bank notes and thousands
more In gold Each year seemed but to add new
funds to the purported treasure until, last the
stories which were told seemed crazy and fabulous
As was limited above, they


-.oi Inuor soo1rTy


80 their humanity seemed an imnans. a,., -.
which the scholar used ev1lJ - .0.- -
stand at the head of the class. From the few
Journals whicn occasionally found their way to the
old log cabin they read OF deialcations, burglarles
and failures until with them every financial lnst-
tuition for the protection OF public FUNDS was
regarded as wholly unworthy OF trust
and never at any time did they let a single dollar
90 from underneath the guardianship OF their own
ewes. They lived alone, their sole companions be-
ing a number of powerful watchdogs. They dis.
trusted everything human and when any one for
any purpose, approached their dwelling, he was
watched, followed and guarded UNTIL to rid him.
self of the impression which his advent had Gre
ated, he was glad, at the earliest moment to get
away. Money was god to the McBrdes The
man watched while the woman slept; the woman
rested while the man stood as guardian, but the
two never ventured to repose at the same mo-
ment. A slender flame flickered at the window at
ali hours of the night and the hoarse grow and
cry OF the watch hound hurried the traveller fast
and faster over the public highway. Disguised
parties had more than once crept up with intent
90 STEAL but had ever departed, chased by the dogs
with their purpose unlulfled.


THE DISCOVERY OF THE MURDERS


On the afternoon OF July %, 1878, a gentleman
named Abram Newcomer passed the cabin, and
something that he saw caused him to enter the yard
and examine the premises. He found the old lady
lying dead near the cellar door, her head resting
on pile OF stones and her gray hair saturated with
blood, which oozed from supposed pistol wound
Just back OF the right eye. Horror-strcken at the
sight OF the bloody corpse, and realizing 5hat a
summoned others, and upon further lnvesti-
cation the old man was found IN one OF
rooms in an insensibe state, with seven deep
Rashes cut In his head. Upon searching the pre-
misses money was found everywhere in bags, in
f, der the boards OF the floor, amounting in all to
81, 400. The old man died three Gays after he was
found, and he and his wife were buried together.
For long time the murder defed the efforts OF the
police, but certain party, named Nelson Z. Wade,
( from passing certain gold and silver coins, was
4 suspected OF the crime and by a cunning scheme
was arrested in disreputable house in this city.
He subsequently confessed his CRIME as foliows:-


CONFESSION OF THE MURDERER.


am American born, and have relatives living
Z near here. was born out on the Blooming Grove
Eoad. beyond the poor house. The afternoon on
tow is' path from the city; went to NC
Brides house. and calculated that it was
about the time they had done their milking Last
winter, when l was at Glossers, near by, Mrs.
CLOSER told me OF the trunk up stairs, and while
was there last winter made 10 my business to find
out how much money these old folks had. On
reaching the house on Tuesday afternoon ! was
/ met in the yard by one OF the dogs which barked
at me. soon made up with him and walked II, into
the house, when Mcbride wanted 10 know What
wanted there. told him


WANTED DRINK OF MILK,


when he told me to 90 to the cellar where the Ole
lady was She asked me II had money to pay ioi
the milk. From the cellar returned to ask the
old man for some bread, but found ne mad Doltee





IN and the old man struck at me. then Knocked
MIN down with my fist. The dog then made AT me
ana knocked him down. l then struck the OLD
man with the stick three times, when he cried
"Murder" then hit him another rap with TN
club then went to the cellar and struck the ole
woman; but, as have told you several times,
did not shoot her, as had nc pistol, but bough
pne at Irouts Yesterday: whenI came out OF tn
cellar after killing the old woman the old man wa
np OH his hands and feet, and


THE DOG WAS LICKING THE BLOOD


,pr his face. then hit him again. then procure,
an axe, went up stairs and broke open a chest an,
found the trunk | had heard Mrs. CLOSER tai
about. IL was too heavy, and made two trip
chat night, carrying away the money. The club


small lack knife. II they will look i'm tn
sorn deld they win see where the grass !
trampled down. That is wncre | locke
over The money got between 100000 and $4,000
Twill not tell where It Is. When come TO die
will tell some poor man where ~ Is; but no rich ma
shall have IL. There are two bags buried in tn
city, two above and two below ! have had eft
names In my lifetime, but Nelson Il. Wade is m
right name. Were TO do this over again woul
exchange oil the silver for paper money. That