The Murder of John Hockey, 1860
New Jersey Mirror 16 Aug 1860:
A cold-blooded Murder was committed at Delta Grove -- on the Rancocas, between Bridgeborough and the Rail-road Bridge, some 10 miles from Mount Holly--on Monday afternoon. The murderer was brought to this town, on Tuesday morning, and lodged in jail. It appears that a party calling themselves "Hottentots," adherents of the South Penn Hose Company, and others, of Philadelphia, went on an excursion to Delta Grove, on Monday morning. The party comprised persons of both sexes, to the number of two hundred and upwards. Rows were frequent during the day. One man was stabbed in the morning. Five or six of the adherents of the Hibernia Hose, accompanied the party.
A man named Keyser, connected with the United States Hose Company, was observed to be very quarrelsome. He early became intoxicated, and made numerous efforts to create a disturbance. Notwithstanding all this, however, no serious affray took place until about six o'clock in the evening. About that time, and while the party were engaged in packing up and preparing to embark on board the boat, Keyser seized one of the party and stuck him. A violent controversy followed, which was participated in by a number of men, when it is alleged, Keyser, pulled out a dirk-knife, rushed upon John Hockey, and with a single blow, stabbed him through the breast to the heart.
Hockey continued on his feet, throwing stones and clubs for a short time, ignorant of the fact that he had been stabbed, until the blood was noticed on his clothing by his companions. He disregarded their admonitions, however, and went on fighting for about ten minutes, when he fell dead.
Keyser, who had maintained his ground previous to the fatal termination, now turned towards the Rancocas and plunged in. He swam a few hundred feet from shore. A number of the "Hottentots," however, determining upon revenge for their murdered companion, pursued Keyser. He made desperate efforts to drown himself, but was overtaken, and badly beaten by the inebriated crowd. He was finally captured by a man named Burke, and brought safely to the shore. Another account that we have received says that Keyser, the murderer, was not one of the excursionists, but he visited the ground, with a number of companions, in a skiff. After joining the excursion party, he exhibited a pistol and knife, when the deceased took a handful of gravel stones and threatened to throw them at him, whereupon the accused immediately advanced to him and stabbed him, as above stated. While the riot was progressing, Keyser is said to have stabbed six other men.
Edward Tague, one of the "Hottentots," was cut over the eye, and William Cush, received a painful flesh-wound in the thigh. It is rumored that Keyser went to the picnic, fully armed. He produced a revolver during the combat, and snapped it several times at the heads of his assailants. All the parties who figured in the affair, are either members or adherents of the Hibernia, William Penn and United States Hose Companies, of Philadelphia. Keyser took with him five of his comrades.
After Keyser's arrest he made his escape, through the aid of some of his comrades. He was, however, pursued, and re-taken near the Beverly Railroad Station, about two miles distant from the scene of the murder. Keyser, when he saw the officers after him, started at a rapid pace, but he was soon overtaken. He had on clothing different from that he wore during the day, and when the officers first saw him, they did not recognize him--but seeing him run, they concluded it must be Keyser, and swiffly pursuing him, soon overtook him.
The dead body of Hockey was taken to Philadelphia, the same evening; and handed over to his friends, who live near Columbia Avenue. Edward Keyser, the murderer, was taken before Isaac P. Fenimore, Esq., of Beverly, who, after the necessary examination, committed him to prison. He was guarded at Delanco, during the night, and in the morning, brought to Mount Holly. Burke, the most important witness--who saw the murder committed--was also brought here. Keyser had no boots on, when he reached here, and Burke was without his hat, having lost it in the creek, while endeavoring to secure the murderer.
KEYSER'S ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR.
Keyser says that being 21 years old, on Monday, he thought he would take a little recreation, and hearing of a party at Delta Grove, he hired a skiff, and in company with his boss's two sons, rowed up there. From the time that he landed, until night, some of the party were "picking at him," which caused him a good deal of disturbance. Fearing he would get into serious difficulty, he went down to where he left his boat, for th purpose of going off, but found it was low tide, and the boat was "high and dry," some distance from the water.
It was at this time, while endeavoring to pull his boat to the water's edge, that he was attacked by several of the gang. He says that he defended himself as well as he could, but that if he killed the man, he does not know it. He pretends there was no fight or trouble in the water, but that finding himself too weak to swim far, he came back of his own accord, to the shore, and left the place, disguised by some friends, who urged him to leave, and that he was overtaken by a man, on the road from Delanco to Beverly, who told him he wanted him to go back. His face is much scratched and bruised, giving him every appearance of very rough usage. He says he has a wife, and a child seven months old. He is a sail-maker, and served his apprenticeship with a man named Neale. THE MURDERED MAN. Hockey, the murdered man, is said to have been much esteemed by his friends and companions. He had been addicted to drinking for several years, and was frequently an inmate of the Seventeenth-ward Station-house. He was a man whose only vice was a source of evil to himself alone. He was 32 years of age, and a day-laborer--being engaged at hod-carrying, brick-making, &c. THE MURDERER. Keyser was just 21 years old, on the day of the murder. The anniversary of his majority, was signally marked. He is said to have boasted during the morning, that he murdered a man a year ago, but escaped the law through the influence of his friends.--For the truth of this, however, we cannot vouch. In person, Keyser is low of stature, but stout and burly. His complexion is remarkably dark. He has a dull expression of countenance. His general appearance is that of a "bruiser," and the whole aspect of the man, forbidding.
A cold-blooded Murder was committed at Delta Grove -- on the Rancocas, between Bridgeborough and the Rail-road Bridge, some 10 miles from Mount Holly--on Monday afternoon. The murderer was brought to this town, on Tuesday morning, and lodged in jail. It appears that a party calling themselves "Hottentots," adherents of the South Penn Hose Company, and others, of Philadelphia, went on an excursion to Delta Grove, on Monday morning. The party comprised persons of both sexes, to the number of two hundred and upwards. Rows were frequent during the day. One man was stabbed in the morning. Five or six of the adherents of the Hibernia Hose, accompanied the party.
A man named Keyser, connected with the United States Hose Company, was observed to be very quarrelsome. He early became intoxicated, and made numerous efforts to create a disturbance. Notwithstanding all this, however, no serious affray took place until about six o'clock in the evening. About that time, and while the party were engaged in packing up and preparing to embark on board the boat, Keyser seized one of the party and stuck him. A violent controversy followed, which was participated in by a number of men, when it is alleged, Keyser, pulled out a dirk-knife, rushed upon John Hockey, and with a single blow, stabbed him through the breast to the heart.
Hockey continued on his feet, throwing stones and clubs for a short time, ignorant of the fact that he had been stabbed, until the blood was noticed on his clothing by his companions. He disregarded their admonitions, however, and went on fighting for about ten minutes, when he fell dead.
Keyser, who had maintained his ground previous to the fatal termination, now turned towards the Rancocas and plunged in. He swam a few hundred feet from shore. A number of the "Hottentots," however, determining upon revenge for their murdered companion, pursued Keyser. He made desperate efforts to drown himself, but was overtaken, and badly beaten by the inebriated crowd. He was finally captured by a man named Burke, and brought safely to the shore. Another account that we have received says that Keyser, the murderer, was not one of the excursionists, but he visited the ground, with a number of companions, in a skiff. After joining the excursion party, he exhibited a pistol and knife, when the deceased took a handful of gravel stones and threatened to throw them at him, whereupon the accused immediately advanced to him and stabbed him, as above stated. While the riot was progressing, Keyser is said to have stabbed six other men.
Edward Tague, one of the "Hottentots," was cut over the eye, and William Cush, received a painful flesh-wound in the thigh. It is rumored that Keyser went to the picnic, fully armed. He produced a revolver during the combat, and snapped it several times at the heads of his assailants. All the parties who figured in the affair, are either members or adherents of the Hibernia, William Penn and United States Hose Companies, of Philadelphia. Keyser took with him five of his comrades.
After Keyser's arrest he made his escape, through the aid of some of his comrades. He was, however, pursued, and re-taken near the Beverly Railroad Station, about two miles distant from the scene of the murder. Keyser, when he saw the officers after him, started at a rapid pace, but he was soon overtaken. He had on clothing different from that he wore during the day, and when the officers first saw him, they did not recognize him--but seeing him run, they concluded it must be Keyser, and swiffly pursuing him, soon overtook him.
The dead body of Hockey was taken to Philadelphia, the same evening; and handed over to his friends, who live near Columbia Avenue. Edward Keyser, the murderer, was taken before Isaac P. Fenimore, Esq., of Beverly, who, after the necessary examination, committed him to prison. He was guarded at Delanco, during the night, and in the morning, brought to Mount Holly. Burke, the most important witness--who saw the murder committed--was also brought here. Keyser had no boots on, when he reached here, and Burke was without his hat, having lost it in the creek, while endeavoring to secure the murderer.
KEYSER'S ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR.
Keyser says that being 21 years old, on Monday, he thought he would take a little recreation, and hearing of a party at Delta Grove, he hired a skiff, and in company with his boss's two sons, rowed up there. From the time that he landed, until night, some of the party were "picking at him," which caused him a good deal of disturbance. Fearing he would get into serious difficulty, he went down to where he left his boat, for th purpose of going off, but found it was low tide, and the boat was "high and dry," some distance from the water.
It was at this time, while endeavoring to pull his boat to the water's edge, that he was attacked by several of the gang. He says that he defended himself as well as he could, but that if he killed the man, he does not know it. He pretends there was no fight or trouble in the water, but that finding himself too weak to swim far, he came back of his own accord, to the shore, and left the place, disguised by some friends, who urged him to leave, and that he was overtaken by a man, on the road from Delanco to Beverly, who told him he wanted him to go back. His face is much scratched and bruised, giving him every appearance of very rough usage. He says he has a wife, and a child seven months old. He is a sail-maker, and served his apprenticeship with a man named Neale. THE MURDERED MAN. Hockey, the murdered man, is said to have been much esteemed by his friends and companions. He had been addicted to drinking for several years, and was frequently an inmate of the Seventeenth-ward Station-house. He was a man whose only vice was a source of evil to himself alone. He was 32 years of age, and a day-laborer--being engaged at hod-carrying, brick-making, &c. THE MURDERER. Keyser was just 21 years old, on the day of the murder. The anniversary of his majority, was signally marked. He is said to have boasted during the morning, that he murdered a man a year ago, but escaped the law through the influence of his friends.--For the truth of this, however, we cannot vouch. In person, Keyser is low of stature, but stout and burly. His complexion is remarkably dark. He has a dull expression of countenance. His general appearance is that of a "bruiser," and the whole aspect of the man, forbidding.
Comments
Post a Comment