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Story
October 29, 1767
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
In 1767 Bergen County, NJ, coroner Johannes Demarest witnessed suspected murderer Harry touch Nicholas Tuers's corpse, causing blood to flow from the nose and leading to Harry's confession of axe murder and inserting a peg in the ear.
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OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
NEW YORK, October 1.
The following extraordinary attestation of the Coroner of Bergen county was communicated by a Gentleman of such credit as leaves not the least doubt of its being genuine.
On the 22d day of September, in the year of our Lord 1767, I Johannes Demarest, Coroner of the county of Bergen, and province of New Jersey, was present at a view of the body of one Nicholas Tuers, then lying dead, together with the jury, which I summoned to inquire of the death of the said Nicholas Tuers. At that time a Negro man named Harry, belonging to Hendrick Christians Zabriskie, was suspected of having murdered the said Tuers; but there was no proof of it, and the Negro denied it. I asked him if he was not afraid to touch Tuers: He said no, he had not hurt him, and immediately came up to the corpse then lying in the coffin; and then Staats Storm, one of the jurors, said I am not afraid of him, and stroked the dead man's face with his hand, which made no alteration in the dead person, and (as I did not put any faith in any of those trials) my back was turned towards the dead body, when the jury ordered the Negro to touch the dead man's face with his hand, and then I heard a cry in the room of the people saying, He is the man, and was desired to come to the dead body, and was told that the said Negro Harry had put his hand on Tuers's face, and that the blood immediately ran out at the nose of the dead man Tuers. I saw the blood on his face, and ordered the Negro to rub his hand again on Tuers's face. He did so, and immediately the blood again ran out of said Tuers's nose at both nostrils, near a common table spoonful at each nostril, as well as I could judge. Whereupon the people all charged him with being the murderer, but he denied it for a few minutes, and then confessed that he had murdered the said Nicholas Tuers, by first striking him on the head with an axe, and then driving a wooden peg in his ear, though afterwards he said he struck a second time while struggling; when that was done he awaked some of the family, and said Tuers was dying he believed.
JOHANNES DEMAREST, Coroner.
The following extraordinary attestation of the Coroner of Bergen county was communicated by a Gentleman of such credit as leaves not the least doubt of its being genuine.
On the 22d day of September, in the year of our Lord 1767, I Johannes Demarest, Coroner of the county of Bergen, and province of New Jersey, was present at a view of the body of one Nicholas Tuers, then lying dead, together with the jury, which I summoned to inquire of the death of the said Nicholas Tuers. At that time a Negro man named Harry, belonging to Hendrick Christians Zabriskie, was suspected of having murdered the said Tuers; but there was no proof of it, and the Negro denied it. I asked him if he was not afraid to touch Tuers: He said no, he had not hurt him, and immediately came up to the corpse then lying in the coffin; and then Staats Storm, one of the jurors, said I am not afraid of him, and stroked the dead man's face with his hand, which made no alteration in the dead person, and (as I did not put any faith in any of those trials) my back was turned towards the dead body, when the jury ordered the Negro to touch the dead man's face with his hand, and then I heard a cry in the room of the people saying, He is the man, and was desired to come to the dead body, and was told that the said Negro Harry had put his hand on Tuers's face, and that the blood immediately ran out at the nose of the dead man Tuers. I saw the blood on his face, and ordered the Negro to rub his hand again on Tuers's face. He did so, and immediately the blood again ran out of said Tuers's nose at both nostrils, near a common table spoonful at each nostril, as well as I could judge. Whereupon the people all charged him with being the murderer, but he denied it for a few minutes, and then confessed that he had murdered the said Nicholas Tuers, by first striking him on the head with an axe, and then driving a wooden peg in his ear, though afterwards he said he struck a second time while struggling; when that was done he awaked some of the family, and said Tuers was dying he believed.
JOHANNES DEMAREST, Coroner.
What sub-type of article is it?
Extraordinary Event
Crime Story
Supernatural
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Justice
Providence Divine
What keywords are associated?
Murder Confession
Trial By Ordeal
Bleeding Corpse
Axe Murder
Colonial Inquest
What entities or persons were involved?
Johannes Demarest
Nicholas Tuers
Harry
Hendrick Christians Zabriskie
Staats Storm
Where did it happen?
Bergen County, Province Of New Jersey
Story Details
Key Persons
Johannes Demarest
Nicholas Tuers
Harry
Hendrick Christians Zabriskie
Staats Storm
Location
Bergen County, Province Of New Jersey
Event Date
22d Day Of September, In The Year Of Our Lord 1767
Story Details
Suspected murderer Harry touches victim Nicholas Tuers's corpse during inquest, causing blood to flow from the nose, leading to his confession of striking Tuers with an axe and driving a peg in his ear.