Murders in Springfield
Illinois State Chronicle (Decatur, Illinois) May 22 1856
George Anderson, a well-known and highly respectable citizen of Springfield, was found dead in the back yard attached to his house, on Thursday night of last week, about 11 o’clock. The Register of the 17th inst., says: “On examination it was found that the back part of his skull had been beaten in by some blunt instrument – a hammer, colt, or something of the sort. The body was nearly cold when found. A coroner’s inquest was held, and it was ascertained that his family missed him from the house and on looking for him found him as stated. Verdict – death by the hands of some person or persons unknown.
Theodore Anderson, his nephew, who came to this city about two months ago, was arrested for the deed on suspicion. He denies any knowledge of the act. Touching the ground of suspicion, there are numberless reports which do not agree with one another. As delicate domestic affairs are mingled up with this lamentable tragedy, we shall forbear to give further particulars until legal investigation has been had.
The accused is a stranger here, and we are glad to see that our citizens evince a disposition to give him a fair trial. Mr. George Anderson, the deceased was not known to have had an enemy in the world – on the contrary he numbered as many friends as any among us.”
The wife of the deceased was also arrested but the examination, which was still in progress up to yesterday had failed to elicit evidence sufficient to convict the parties, though we learn that the citizens of that city have no doubts as to their guilt.

Another Murder
Mr. B. F. Dychus, a plasterer, and formerly a resident of this city, was killed the first of this week, by a man named Johnson. The facts of the case as near as we can learn are these: the parties were quarreling, when Johnson struck Dychus, with a billet of wood, causing immediate death.
[Submitted by N. Piper]

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