American Telegraph

From the Baltimore Sun of this morning

HORRIBLE MURDER OF A BOY FIVE YEARS OF AGE--Arrest of accused parties.--In the afternoon papers of yesterday, an advertisement appeared from Jacob C. Rumpf, of Hampstead Hill, desiring information of his son, John Rumpf, a boy less than six years of age, who had been missed from his residence on Thursday night.

A melancholy sequel has presented itself to this advertisement, the circumstances of which we will endeavor to state.

The boy left home about noon on Thursday, and his parents supposed him to be at school. Evening came, and he did not appear--night followed, and he was still absent; and then apprehension became aroused, and the word was passed he was missing. Bells were rung, and parties started in search, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Yesterday forenoon the search was again pursued, but without success, until one o'clock, when his lifeless body was discovered.

At that hour Mr. James Bankard passed a slaughter-house belonging to his brother, Mr. Jacob Bankard, located on the Hill, and remarked that the door was unloosed. The slaughter-house had not been in use for some two months. He went in, and the first object that met his view was the lifeless remains of the lost boy. He was lying on the boarding, face downwards, resting on his right arm. The body was near a window leading from the "close pen" of the slaughter-house, and the appearance was that it had been thrown into the place through the window. There were traces of fresh blood from the "close pen" door, and a bar of one of the doors also had evidences of fresh drops of blood. There were, too, appearances outside of the cattle-yard, as if a body had been dragged along to the window, there also being traces of blood, &c.

As soon as the body was found, Dr. N. Dashiel, the physician of the family, was sent for, and he was present with the jury of inquest, which had been summoned by Coroner Conway, who was also immediately called to the scene.

The examination of the doctor resulted in discovering, that above the right temple there was one wound, in the left frontal bone there was another wound, and a third wound was on the back of the head. These wounds were evidently the effects of blows from a blunt instrument, not cutting much, nor breaking the skull, but causing a great extravasation of blood. The physician was of opinion that the wounds were inflicted some place distant from the spot where the body was found, as there was no appearance of bleeding on the spot. There were, too, appearances by which a surgeon would be governed to indicate that there must have been considerable bleeding at the place where the injury was inflicted. The right arm was greatly bruised, as if injured in the effort to protect his head: and both hands were much swollen on the knuckles, together with a considerable bruise on the back. Near the body was found a half brick, bloody, with some hair upon it; also a part of a broom-handle with blood on it. Every thing connected with the appearance of the body indicated that a murder most foul had been committed, and the next inquiry was as to the murderers.

The first witness examined was a boy named Woelper, who stated that he met the deceased late in the evening in Ann street. Together they went to Broadway, and thence towards Washington College. Here they saw some boys--witness ran away and stones were thrown after him. He got home about six o'clock. The deceased did not run back with him. Thinks William Irons was one of the boys throwing the stones.

Mrs. Wilkinson and her daughter testified to seeing Irons about the vicinity, and acting in a suspicious manner. They knew nothing about the deceased.

Charles Downs testified that he came from work after six o'clock, for his supper. He was met by Irons, who invited him to go to the grave-yard (Christ church) to take a walk. He said he had been to Herring Run. He afterwards said that the remark of his being at the Run was only a joke.

The jury gave a verdict, after some five hours' investigation, that the deceased came to his death by blows inflicted by some persons unknown.

As connected with this occurrence, we may add the representation of a colored girl, though her statement is no testimony. She lives in the immediate vicinity, and she says that about six o'clock she saw two boys knock down a little boy, and two larger ones drag him off. She did not know any of the parties.

After the evidence being received, warrants were issued, and officers Coath and Taylor arrested Benjamin F. Hopkins, about nineteen years of age, and William Irons, about sixteen years of age, as parties suspected of being engaged in the murder. Justice Warrington, before whom they were brought, committed them to jail for a further hearing.