Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-01-07

THE PARRrcIDE AT DRAcuT.-The result Of
the coroners inquest held on Tuesday, in the
case of the murder Of Joshua Heath, at Dracut
on Saturday last, was, that "the said Joshua
Heath came to his death by the wlful act of his
son, the said Francis E. Heath, the daughter,
Miriam Y. Heath, being accessory before and af-
ter the act
The editor Of the Boston Traveller has the fol.
lowing account of an interview with the prison.
ers, on Tuesday afternoon, whom he found ap-
parently the most ignorant and degraded of the
whole thirtysix inmates of the Jail;
Prank Heath is q years old, and says he was
born in Salem, N. II. He is feet 8 4 inches
in height, and rather slender. He has a full,
dark beard, and though wearing a foolish look
is not very singular in appearance, till his hat
whichihe wears most of the time, is removed
Then his aspect is decidedly ludicrous, fl ON to-
tai deficiency of hair, which he says was lost by
the salt rheum, and from the inferior shape of his
head, which is phrenOlogically, of a very unintel-
leetual form. He had on the vest which he took
from the body Of his father. and also one of his
father RS coats.
He showed no disposition to evade questions,
but gave quick answers in an unconcerned man.
neT.
He says that he has always been abused by his
father, who was good man when sober, but who
had been, since his earliest recollection, badly
addicted to drunkenness He cannot read or
write, and says his Ignorance is owing &c his faith
ers cruelty, who would never give him any
schooling, but kept him at home to abuse him.
Ills mother died when he an infant, and he
says an elder brother, whom he can just recol-
lect, left home because OF his fathers cruelty.
He has worked on stone work. and at farming
occasionally, but says his father took all his earn
ings for liquor.
His story is that he and his father were at
work on Saturday afternoon, trimming some al
ders by the road side, and that his father got an.
CRY with him, and, being very much in drink,
threatened to split his head open with the axe.
He then went home, and was followed by his faith
er, who commenced abusing his sister. They soon
sat down to supper, when his father threw
butcher knife at him because he took up a piece
OF meat He then went out doors and his father
followed with loaded gun, and threatened to
shoot him If he didn't go in He went in, and
soon after his sister gave his father the poison.
Gus tea; he was afraid he would come to, and so
shot him. His story Of subsequent occurrences
corresponds with that before given. He says the
gun was loaded with five long slugs, and that he
loaded it fol hawk week before, but he admits
that he and his sister had been for some time
planning how to get rid Of their father. He
seemed slightly affected while describing the
deed. and said he was sorry that he had commit.
ted IT, de said he never drank any intoxicating
liquors IN his life. lie was evidently not of strong
mind but showed some shrewdness, and some of
his answers were evidently framed for the occa-
sion.
Miriam York Heath, the daughter Of the muir.
dered man. is almost idotc in appearance, and
has defect of speech which renders her CONVEX
sation almost uninteligble at times She is %
years old, has slight form, and her hair grows
nearly to her eyes. She is the mother of an il
Legitimate child, three months old, whose father
she says is VIM. Thomas, mUlatto barber, for
merly OF Lowell She says she went to school "a
little, once and thinks she can remember some
OF her letters. She also states that her father
was little in drink, and her brother very drunk !;
that Der father did not throw knife at her BROTH
er; that her brother bought the poisonous stra-
monium seeds, made the tea, and administered it
himselfi that she told her father what he was
drinking, though he was too much intoxicated to
notice II, and that her brother threw knife at
her and threatened TO kill her for doing ii. She
says that she told the story of contrary import
before out Of fear Of her brother, who she states
loaded the gun expressly for the purpose OF kill.
ing his father, and that the murder had been
long planned by him He had some time before
asked his father what would poison man quick
est, aud being told apple Of Peru seeds, had told
her that he was going to procure some, SOW them
by the house, and when he had raised enough,
he would entce in rich travellers and poison them
90 as to get their property"