eavy blow on the left temple, which
had fractured the skull, but not broken the skin. The body was cold, and
appeared to have been lifeless many hours.

On examining the apartments of the house, it did not appear that any
valuable articles had been taken, or the house ransacked for them; there
was a _rouleau_ of doubloons in an iron chest in his chamber, and costly
plate in other apartments, none of which was missing.

The perpetration of such an atrocious crime, in the most populous and
central part of the town and in the most compactly built street, and
under circumstances indicating the utmost coolness, deliberation, and
audacity, deeply agitated and aroused the whole community; ingenuity was
baffled in attempting even to conjecture a _motive_ for the deed; and
all the citizens were led to fear that the same fate might await them in
the defenceless and helpless hours of slumber. For several days, persons
passing through the streets might hear the continual sound of the
hammer, while carpenters and smiths were fixing bolts to doors and
fastenings to windows. Many, for defence, furnished themselves with
cutlasses, fire-arms, and watch-dogs. Large rewards for the detection of
the author or authors of the murder were offered by the heirs of the
deceased, by the selectmen of the town, and by the Governor of the
State. The citizens held a public meeting, and appointed a Committee of
Vigilance, of twenty-seven members, to make all possible exertions to
ferret out the offenders.

While the public mind was thus excited and anxious, it was announced
that a bold attempt at highway robbery was made in Wenham, by three
footpads, on Joseph J. Knapp, Jr. and John Francis Knapp, on the evening
of the 27th of April, while they were returning in a chaise from Salem
to their residence in Wenham. They appeared before the investigating
committee, and testified that, after nine o'clock, near the Wenham Pond,
they discovered three men approaching. One came near, seized the bridle,
and stopped the horse, while the other two came, one on each side, and
seized a trunk in the bottom of the chaise. Frank Knapp drew a sword
from his cane and made a thrust at one, and Joseph with the but-end of
his whip gave the other a heavy blow across the face. This bold
resistance made them fall back. Joseph sprung from the chaise to assail
the robbers. One of them then gave a shrill whistle, when they fled,
and, leaping over the wall, were soon lost in the