Murder at Hampton Gate, 1907
New Jersey Mirror 27 Nov 1907
Startling disclosures made by State Detective Parker, of Mount Holly, after information had been received by Prosecutor Atkinson on Wednesday last, have proven beyond all question that Burlington county has another murder case to record, with the pine belt in the vicinity of Atsion as the scene of the crime, and Guiseppe Merchurio, an Italian, the victim of a fellow countryman whose name has not been divulged. The fact thus established is the third murder to be chronicled in Burlington county within a week, the crimes committed in Burlington on Thursday and Friday nights being the other two.
The information received by Prosecutor Atkinson on Wednesday last was to the effect that on October 29 Merchurio and his companion left the camp on the cranberry bogs of Rider & Wilkinson, near Atsion, where they were employed as pickers, and started on a gunning trip. Soon after their departure in the direction of Hampton, which is north of the bogs, a single gunshot was heard and in a very short time Merchurio's companion returned to the camp, at that time in a greatly excited condition. After that the fellow lost no time in packing up his belongings, accepting $20 on his wages account of $23.46, and leaving for parts unknown, calling back to his fellow countrymen that he intended returning to Italy. Immediately after receipt of this startling information Prosecutor Atkinson sent Detective Parker to Hampton to make an investigation, and the result is that the facts as detailed have been confirmed, Merchurio's body has been found and all doubt as to the cause of his death remofed. Detective Parker left searchers moving in all directions when he returned to Mount Holly on Saturday morning and the outcome of his plan of action was the location of the body on Monday morning at a point about two and a half miles north of the cranberry house of Rider & Wilkinson, which firm had employed both victim and murderer as cranberry pickers.
A gunshot hole clear through Merchurio's neck which had severed the third and fourth cervical vertebrae, presented unmistakable evidence of the crime, and the rifling of the victim's pockets, every one except those containing a revolver and a stiletto having been turned out, showed the motive, as Merchurio was known to have carried $200 with him when he started on the gunning trip with the companion who has proven to be his assailant. The successful searchers for the body were John Marshall and John Lattire. They discovered the remains in a hole partly filled with water, indicating that the murderer had endeavored to conceal his crime.
The gun with which Merchurio was shot was his own weapon, as he carried the only one used on the gunning trip. This was found hanging on the bushes near the body. After the news of the finding of the body reached Mount Holly Prosecutor Atkinson, Dr. Alexander Small, of Riverside; Coroner Seeds, of Pemberton, and Detective Parker left in an automobile for Atsion , to which place the body was taken on Monday night to be viewed by the officials. An autopsy was made by Dr. Small and Dr. Haines, the latter a Medford physician who was called into the case later. Coroner Seeds will hold an inquest at Baker's hotel, near Indian Mills, on Wednesday next
Startling disclosures made by State Detective Parker, of Mount Holly, after information had been received by Prosecutor Atkinson on Wednesday last, have proven beyond all question that Burlington county has another murder case to record, with the pine belt in the vicinity of Atsion as the scene of the crime, and Guiseppe Merchurio, an Italian, the victim of a fellow countryman whose name has not been divulged. The fact thus established is the third murder to be chronicled in Burlington county within a week, the crimes committed in Burlington on Thursday and Friday nights being the other two.
The information received by Prosecutor Atkinson on Wednesday last was to the effect that on October 29 Merchurio and his companion left the camp on the cranberry bogs of Rider & Wilkinson, near Atsion, where they were employed as pickers, and started on a gunning trip. Soon after their departure in the direction of Hampton, which is north of the bogs, a single gunshot was heard and in a very short time Merchurio's companion returned to the camp, at that time in a greatly excited condition. After that the fellow lost no time in packing up his belongings, accepting $20 on his wages account of $23.46, and leaving for parts unknown, calling back to his fellow countrymen that he intended returning to Italy. Immediately after receipt of this startling information Prosecutor Atkinson sent Detective Parker to Hampton to make an investigation, and the result is that the facts as detailed have been confirmed, Merchurio's body has been found and all doubt as to the cause of his death remofed. Detective Parker left searchers moving in all directions when he returned to Mount Holly on Saturday morning and the outcome of his plan of action was the location of the body on Monday morning at a point about two and a half miles north of the cranberry house of Rider & Wilkinson, which firm had employed both victim and murderer as cranberry pickers.
A gunshot hole clear through Merchurio's neck which had severed the third and fourth cervical vertebrae, presented unmistakable evidence of the crime, and the rifling of the victim's pockets, every one except those containing a revolver and a stiletto having been turned out, showed the motive, as Merchurio was known to have carried $200 with him when he started on the gunning trip with the companion who has proven to be his assailant. The successful searchers for the body were John Marshall and John Lattire. They discovered the remains in a hole partly filled with water, indicating that the murderer had endeavored to conceal his crime.
The gun with which Merchurio was shot was his own weapon, as he carried the only one used on the gunning trip. This was found hanging on the bushes near the body. After the news of the finding of the body reached Mount Holly Prosecutor Atkinson, Dr. Alexander Small, of Riverside; Coroner Seeds, of Pemberton, and Detective Parker left in an automobile for Atsion , to which place the body was taken on Monday night to be viewed by the officials. An autopsy was made by Dr. Small and Dr. Haines, the latter a Medford physician who was called into the case later. Coroner Seeds will hold an inquest at Baker's hotel, near Indian Mills, on Wednesday next
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