The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-01
Horrible Murder in WestAeld.

nOIIlDlt "SssASAes
The Springfield Republican Of Friday
morning, contains the subjOined full par'ic-
ulars of a most brutal murder committed in
west6eld y III a short time since.
Albert Stubs the perpetntor OF this dread
ful crime. is "a native Of Switzerland, q CT.
gar maker by trade, an intelligent, sober,
prOEessedly religious man, member OF The
Baptist cSurch and apparently fond Of his
wife ard children. whom he has now 80 oru-
tally butchered. lie was about 50 years old.
has lived in westfeld many years. was well
known and respected and had constant work
and good wages in Reneil's cigar factory
lie married his vile six years ago In Suiheld
Ct. Her father, Charles Mott, now lives IN
Southwick. adjoined Wetheld. and Is
poor, laboring man. Tho children by the
union were two, one about i've, and the
other two We n vi age.
This iur6lly, apparently happy and uni
ted and prosperous, occupied one-hnlt ot
double house. within six rods Ot the vill'gr
green. On Tuesday morning, Dec. 10Th.
S,uu6s WIS seen % leave home, and has not
hrn heard from since. Neither his wife
nor children had Leen seen by any OF the
of the neiyhhors since that hour, and yet,
AS the family was frequently absent Tor sew
crd DAYS together, the fact seems To have
excited no ESPECIAL attention. On Wednes-
dIy morning. however persons who occupied
;hc other half Of the ho, ~, became curious
il not alarmed ut the continued silence IN
the adjoining apartments and procuring
ladder and lantern, gained access to the
window Of the b, d-roOm, and looked in
Shocked at the dis, oyery Of the body OF the
oldest child. covered with blood, in the bed,
they, joined by another neighbor, broke in
the front door and entered the rooms.
The family occupied the basement and the
first floor above. Access TO this room was
had by means of q stairway and piazza, and
n donr opened directly into the sitting room.
Upon bursting this open the body OF the I'M
fortunate woman was discovered lying on
tine door. partially under table above
which the mirror hung Her throat was
horribly cut and deep slash acros, on"
hand, together with the appearance OF the
b1y gave evidence ola desperate-if briei
and noiScless-struggle. Upon her bosom
| yan empty razor close. and the rlzor u
Eli, covered with thick clot OF blood, lay
beneath her A bread knife, also smeared
with blood. lay upon the table, and u l.
supposed that she seized this to defend her
salf, but was almost Immediately overcome.
Around upon the aoOr lay the shirt and pan.
falcons OF the murderer, literally marked
with he evidences OF his crime In the bed
room, adjoining. Lay the two children, the
eldest in the crib. the youngest on IN" bed,
with their threats cut. The head OF the
Youngest was nearly OF, and the throat oil
the elder lad hrcn 50 thOrOu ,hly glshed as
to bear two distinct cuts upon the spinal
column. In the room below. the table wa
.pr,ad for brc,kiast.a and the coffee Was IN the
collto pot untouched, lciying'no doubt that
il was lust at the breakfast hour that the
murders were committed.
This treble murder was quite apparently
committed Inst Tuesday morning, before
breakfast :and after It's perpe,ritiOn, Stodhs
changed lis clothes, und I'D irnm The scrne
OF hi, guilt. whore no orc knnHS,
The Wit. wi.s stricken down int. while
before the glass, and ~ Suddenly and COM
rl,trly did the rlzUr do it, work, q at the
victim could make no cutlery. Then the
children, umdrv--cd, and perhaps asleep IN
their brls, were DISPATCHED with the knitc
that lny upon the u,'lc and no yuiec, bat
thcstill small voice of CONSCIENCE within the
breast of the husband and mthcr-and We
wo,,ld lain nope for the sake Of humanity.
that this was silrnccd or delhrOnci 10y mad
ncss-was raised in depreciation or lament
OF the horror.
Stouls has been heard to express desire
10 go To New York, hindcrcd only by not
knowing what to de- with his family and
ills /. the only suggestion of n motive Tor
the crime. IL is thought he may have now
gone TO that city-and there he could hard
IN escape detection and arrest; bat with
DAYS time Tor fight; II he has extended It
flither-tu Europe, or the remote parts ni
our cuunlry-he will probably succeed IN
escaping earthly justice altogether.
"A, is short, thick set man, OF good
manner, AMI more than ordinary mtelli'
gcnco for a foreigner.
,hsrc Is evidence, ON every hand, OF Stubs
kindness To his lamily. lie earned SIS
week Il his trade, provided we'll Tor his
household, and was noticed frequently to
hlr, "A horse and carriage, and drive them
ont lor pleasure. =,
StouS was attacked with the infections OF
NIilcrism m 1858 or 81, and Tor u long
time Yielded to its sway. In all other Tc'
sr,cts than his inntici.m on tins point, he
was generally considered sane.