Sensational Stories from the New York Reformer

Sensational Stories from the New York Reformer, 1850- 18561

Richard Hungerford, compiler

The New York Reformer, (published in Watertown, Jefferson County, New York, is like all newspapers of any era, reported accounts of the unusual, macabre, tragic - in short, sensational stories of its day. Richard Hungerford has compiled a selection of extracts, the subjects of which had their origins sometimes in New York State, sometimes not. As illustrations of what 'made the news' in the decade of the 1850's, the following excerpts are presented. (Titles given here are our designations and are not found in the originals.) For more information, please see Deaths in the New York Reformer, 1850-1861.

"Rip Van Winkle" - Lost at Sea

Originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Nov 1855

Picked up and printed in the New York Reformer, 29 Nov 1855

We heard the particulars yesterday of one of those strange episodes in life in which the old adage of 'truth is stranger than fiction' was fully illustrated. About 6 years since, a lady names Mrs. Martha WOOD, accompanied by her son, his wife and a couple of children, arrived in this city from New Bedford, Massachusetts. She stated that she was a widow of some 24 years standing, her husband having been mate of a whaler, which had been lost at sea. The family have for the greater portion of the time, living on Liberty street. Mr. WOOD, the son, working at his trade, which is that of cooper.

Yesterday morning, a grey-bearded and toil-worn man called at the residence of the family, and, seeing Mr. WOOD, inquired for the widow. She being called to the room, while gazing intently at the stranger, whose eyes were fixed mournfully upon her, requested to know his business.

"Do you not know me, Martha?" said he, and at the sound of his voice, she gave vent to a hysterical cry, and fainted into the arms which were opened to receive her.

The tale is told: The ship in which he had made his last voyage from New Bedford, was cast away in the South Sea Islands. He was one of the few who escaped a watery grave. After enduring almost unheard-of privations, he succeeded, after thirty years absence, in reaching his native city. From a brother of his wife, he learned their present location. (He) arrived here to find her, whom he had left (a) young and blooming bride, far advanced in the evening of life, while the infant, upon whose lips when last he saw him, he had imprinted a father's kiss and (the child) who could scarcely lisp his name, was now a stalwart man and head of his own family.

Do You Know the Reason Why Your Ancestor Migrated to the West?

Appeared in the New York Reformer, 13 Dec 1855

One of General JACKSON's soldiers condemned for Murder---

An interesting murder trial took place in Burlington, IA in November last. The accused was a man named John J. JONES, 73 years of age. Jones was charged with murdering Horatio W. McCARDLE, a neighbor, some 15 years ago. Capital punishmend having been abolished in Iowa, the prisoner was sentenced to hard labor in the penitentiary during the remainder of his life.

Jones, through his attorney, when asked if he had anything to say, why sentence should not be pronounced, submitted the following statement:

"I am an old man fast tottering to the grave. The frosts of 73 winters - though they have not whitened my brow, have wrinkled my face and chilled my heart with many sorrows. Mine has been a chequered life. And now, when about to be separated from my fellows, I may give a truthful version of the past.

"I had a family and a home - a rude home, it is true, and a plain and humble family -- but they were my all. The deceased robbed me of the one, and invaded the sanctity of the other. Two small sons, a lovely daughter and a wife, a cherished wife. On returning to that home, the day of the fatal deed, I learned the certainty of the maddening truth and hastened to the field, my rifle still in hand.

"I know not why I went; I had no fixed design. He met me with a club -- I shot him. And though I claim not to have acted in defense, I do assert that there was mutual combat. You know the rest: I fled -- my family followed. But for fifteen years, I have lived at Lockland. I made no secret of the deed I had done."

Tornado in New York!

Originally appeared in the Franklin County (NY) Republican

Picked up by the New York Reformer, 10 Jul 1856

A Terrible Tornado -- The Village of Chateagay, in Ruins -- Over 100 Buildings Destroyed.

Between the hour of 9 and 10 o'clock Monday morning last, a fearful tornado passed over the towns of Constable, Burke and Chateagay in the county and extending into Clinton County, doing an incalculable amount of damage. It struck the North street of Burke near the Town House. The store of Keelar and Stewart was here unroofed as were also several dwelling houses and other buildings and passing a small hollow with little damage, it again struck with force about a half a mile further on and from this point on to Chateaugay, a distance of six miles, hardly one building escaped uninjured, and not a barn was left standing. For the whole distance, the road was thickly settled for a farm district. MITCHELL's store was destroyed; his goods scattered in every direction and a large amount entirely lost. Jeremiah THOMAS, in the employ of Mr. Mitchell, was killed at this place.

Little Girl Lost

Appeared in the New York Reformer, 9 July 1857

A Little Wanderer -- A Queer Case.

A lady keeping a confectionary story in the sixth avenue on Monday evening last called at the Ninth Ward Metropolitan Police Station and stated that a little girl had entered her place who appeared to be astray, and required attention. Officer COLFAX immediately repaired to the store and conducted the little wanderer to the Station House, where she stated her name to be Emma Louisa BALL; that she would be eight years old on the fourth of July next; that she had no parents but had a sister in Catskill, with whom she had been living until Sunday last, when her sister took her on board a steamboat for New York, paid her fare down, and told her that she could do no more for her, and that she, Emma, must go to the city and look out for her own living.....

On being interrogated about her sister, she replied that her sister was not married, but that a young man was in the habit of coming to see her very often; that her sister lived with an elderly woman, whose name was not learned. She can read very fluently, and can write well for a child of her age, and is said to be remarkably intelligent. She was taken charge of by Mr. Robert FREEMAN, of No. 4 Abingdon Place, who has taken quite an interest in the child and wished to adopt her as his own in case her story should proved to be true, as it is believed to be.

Grumpy Old Man (and Rich)

Originally appeared in the Boston Traveller, 21 Dec 1858

Picked up the New York Reformer, 13 Jan 1859

An Extraordinary Will -- Posthumous Unkindness of a Millionaire.

In another column, we give entire, from the copy offered for probate in the court for this county, the last will and testament of Augustus THORNDIKE, of this city, who died … a month or two since, leaving an estate, real and personal, of about half a million dollars.. It has before been briefly state that a daughter of deceased offended her father by marrying against his will, she being at the time 27 years of age. ... the father reached the place of marriage.. a few minutes after the ceremony had been performed.. . finding that he was too late, he left the house and eversince has evinced his hostility to this daughter, repulsing her from his bedside on the occasion of his last sickness.. It may be without impropriety added that the husband of the offending daughter is described by one of the executors named in the (hand-written) will as a person of most excellent character, who holds a high position in the community. They have several children.... Mr. Augustus Thorndike PERKINS, a grandson.., on certain conditions, receives a legacy of $10,000 and another $ 50,000 with the understanding that he should take the surname of THORNDIKE instead of PERKINS...