Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-10-11
ExeautiOn Of Yh0mas Sassy at East Cambridge

Execution Of Thomas Classy at East Cambridge
The extreme penalty of the law was execu
ted on the 29th ult., at East Cambridge, Mass.
| upon Thomas Casey, convicted of the murie
Of Mrs. AngeEna Taylor, wife of Ourva Taylor
in South Natick, on the 18th of September
1852. The following are the particular of hi
| crime =
The MURpER.-On the morning OF the f7tl
| of September, 1852, Mr.. Isaac Hail. nea
neighbor to Mr.. Taylor, received a visit, a
breakfast time, from little boy and girl, chill
dren OF Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor, who told hin
S.that father and mother were both kifledl''-
| Mr.. Hall eTleavoretl to persuade them TO 20
back, telling them that their parents were
asleep But they could not be induced to gc
back to their home, and exhibited such sign.
of terror, that nIIde Mr.. Hall fear that all was
| not right, and he immediately went to the
| house, where he witnessed a scene of blood
| that almost paraiyzed him with horror.
| Mr.. Taylor and his wife occupied a small
| wooden house in South Natick, where he car
| ried on the shoe making business, having his
| shop in the rear part OF his house. They were
! very industrious and excellent citizens and
much esteemed in the town. At the time of
their death (for they were both murdered )
Mf. L. was about 80 years of age, and his wife
one or TIVE years younger. In his business it
had been his custom to employ one or two ap-
prentrceS or workmen to assist him in the
rougher kinds OF work, and in pegging boots
employed was Thomas Casey, d young Irish
man, scarcely then twenty years of age.
When Mr. Hall went in at the back door of
the house, he found Mr.. Taylor lying dead up
on the floor of the shop in front of his BENCH
and weltering in pools of blood. Deep Gashes
were upon the back part of his head, evidently
made with an axe Which stood by with clots Of
blood and hair npen it. Mr. Taylor was per-
fectly cold and dead, and every thing indiea-
ted that he had been murdered the evening
before while he Was at work on his seat in COM
pany with Casey, and after his wife had retired
to rest, and an unfinished shoe, which had un-
doubtedly fallen from his hands when the MUIR
derous blow was struck, lay between his feet.
Mr.. Hall then proceeded into the bedroom,
where he found that the bed was uuoccuiped
although, it was tumbled. He passed ON into
the front room, and beheld another sight more
horrible than the first. Mrs. Taylor was kneel-
ing or cruching beside chair, alive, but dy-
ing, and bleeding from a large cash. inflicted
by axe, on the left side of her head. Her
infant was alive All uninjured, although laying
in pool of its mothers blood upon the floor.
There had evidently been struggle between
the unfortunate woman and the inhuman wretch.
I he man was killed at one fell crashing blow,
sending the blade of the axe deep into the skull.
3 ut the woman undoubtedly had become al
armed at either the dull, leaden sound of the
blow, or perhaps the murdered man had utter
ed some sound of anguish as he was thus sud-
denly and savageiy thrust from the full vigor
of life and health, and in an instant sent before
his Maker. If this hypothesis is incorrect, we
will take the more probable one that she heard
the nlurderer's hand upon the latch of the bed
room door, and his footsteP on the threshold
the moment before he rushed i'll with the up
lifted axe to stain his hands still deeper with
innocent blood. Like the true mother, she
seized her child and rJlshes wildly away to
save their lives. But it was in vain. In flying
through the front room, with her babe in her
arms, the pursuing william runs quickly behind
her and strikes blow that does not kin. Her
infant falls from her arms and mortal strug-
gle for life cnsues but lasts briefly, for what is
a serieling, feeble woman, in the athletic
hands of such a wolfish murderer as was Casey.
4 struggle there was, as was attested by the
bloody panels and walls, the disordered state
of the furniture, the position of the body, and
the tenacity with which she clung to life.
When Mr.. Hall first saw Mrs. Taylor, she
was on her knees, with her head bowed forward
into small rocking chair. He went up to he.
and asked her sswhat is the mltter!'' She |
opened her right eye, for the left one had been
closed by the wound, and essayed to speak, but |
could not He then gave the alarm that doub- |
lie murder had been done, and the eighborS and |
citizens floeked to see the dreadful spectacle.
Suspicion at once pointed at Thomas Casey |
who had been in the house but few weeks |
and search was made for him. His bed, III |
ance of his clothing in the room Indicated /
hurry and fight Mr.. Taylor, when at work,
wore leather apron; Casey was provided with
an apron made of ticking. This fact strength
ened the belief that they were at work, side
by side ON the fatal evening, while the one
was all Innocence and confidence, and the
1ther was coolly premeditating most brutal /!
ana wanton murder. 4 shirt which was found /
IN the woods after his arrest, and which had
marks like blood uponzit, was admitted by the
prisoner to be his own garment. When Casey I
was taken by Alexander Clark, he was found |
walking hurriedly towards the birmingham
depot, and again seen about a mile and a half +
from the depot on the Holistop road. When
asked his destination, he answered he was go
ing to Worcester to see brother. He was
told that he was going in the wrong orloppo- I
site direction Mr.. Clark questioned him far
.her, and his answers were vague and unmean- T
ng Mr. Clark then told Casey to getinto his |.
nfyyal and he would take him towards the
dav where he wished to go This was the
of hisewing the murder. Casey at the time
yban he st, wore neither vest or cravat.- j
eryS he was ken to the scene of his butch
Who remarked fhato the house by Mr.: Clark
Casey answered witfffhe scene was dreadful !''
goins up stairs into hishlegmatic sYes!'' On I
to take of. his coat, which room, ne was told
ance when his shirt sleevedid with reluct-
'V.'o' up anu appearaho