This page will eventually contain information about the history and people of
Hampton Gate...currently it is under construction.
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"Hampton Gate":A small settlement in Tabernacle on its western border near
the upper reaches of Batsto River. In 1849, J.Smith ran a hotel at this place.
The name is conjectural, possibly "a way leading to Hampton" or probably something
to do with control of the water flow on the creek as the stream flowed into Hampton
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There was a murder commited at the cranberry bogs at Hampton Gate in 1907, as detailed by the
New Jersey Mirror:
27 NOV 1907
Startling disclosures made by State Detective Parker, of Mount Holly, after information had been received by Prosecutor Atkinson on Wednesday last,
have proven beyond all question that Burlington county has another murder case to record, with the pine belt in the vicinity of Atsion as the scene of the
crime, and Guiseppe Merchurio, an Italian, the victim of a fellow countryman whose name has not been divulged. The fact thus established is the third murder
to be chronicled in Burlington county within a week, the crimes committed in Burlington on Thursday and Friday nights being the other two. The information
received by Prosecutor Atkinson on Wednesday last was to the effect that on October 29 Merchurio and his companion left the camp on the cranberry bogs of
Rider & Wilkinson, near Atsion, where they were employed as pickers, and started on a gunning trip. Soon after their departure in the direction of Hampton,
which is north of the bogs, a single gunshot was heard and in a very short time Merchurio's companion returned to the camp, at that time in a greatly excited
condition. After that the fellow lost no time in packing up his belongings, accepting $20 on his wages account of $23.46, and leaving for parts unknown, calling
back to his fellow countrymen that he intended returning to Italy. Immediately after receipt of this startling information Prosecutor Atkinson sent Detective
Parker to Hampton to make an investigation, and the result is that the facts as detailed have been confirmed, Merchurio's body has been found and all doubt
as to the cause of his death remofed. Detective Parker left searchers moving in all directions when he returned to Mount Holly on Saturday morning
and the outcome of his plan of action was the location of the body on Monday morning at a point about two and a half miles north of the cranberry house of Rider
& Wilkinson, which firm had employed both victim and murderer as cranberry pickers. A gunshot hole clear through Merchurio's neck which had severed the third
and fourth cervical vertebrae, presented unmistakable evidence of the crime, and the rifling of the victim's pockets, every one except those containing a revolver
and a stiletto having been turned out, showed the motive, as Merchurio was known to have carried $200 with him when he started on the gunning trip with the
companion who has proven to be his assailant. The successful searchers for the body were John Marshall and John Lattire. They discovered the remains in a
hole partly filled with water, indicating that the murderer had endeavored to conceal his crime. The gun with which Merchurio was shot was his own weapon,
as he carried the only one used on the gunning trip. This was found hanging on the bushes near the body. After the news of the finding of the body reached
Mount Holly Prosecutor Atkinson, Dr. Alexander Small, of Riverside; Coroner Seeds, of Pemberton, and Detective Parker left in an automobile for Atsion
, to which place the body was taken on Monday night to be viewed by the officials. An autopsy was made by Dr. Small and Dr. Haines, the latter a Medford
physician who was called into the case later. Coroner Seeds will hold an inquest at Baker's hotel, near Indian Mills, on Wednesday next
11 MAR 1908
Felice Ronca, royal consular agent at Trenton, conveyed information to Prosecutor Atkinson on Thursday of the arrest of Antonio Schiavo, in Italy, wanted for the
murder of Guiseppe Merchurio, at the cranberry bogs of Rider & Wilkinson, at Hampton Gate, near Atsion, on October 29, last. He also advised the State's
Attorney that as soon as all the testimony in the case has been taken and forwarded to the proper officials in Italy the prisoner will be tried there, and executed
if found guilty, just as though the crime had been committed in that country. Prosecutor Atkinson is not yet sure that this form of trial proceedings will be
satisfactory to him, and before taking any action toward forwarding testimony he will consult higher authorities to remove all doubt in his mind as to his rights in the
matter. The crime for which Schiavo has been arrested occurred while he and Merchurio were out together gunning. The victim always carried at least $200 with
him, and robbery was the motive for the crime. There was every evidence of this fact when the body was found on November 24, the secret pockets in
Merchurio's clothing having been cut open and their contents removed. Schiavo was traced from the pines to Philadelphia, and there it was learned that
he had sailed on November 2, on the steamship, Romo, for his home country. Communications was had with Italian officials and as a result of instructions
given they were able to arrest the murderer at the Province of Salerno, on January 22.
This page was last updated on Sep 23, 2006