The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-11-20
EXECUTION AT LENNOX, MASS.
Confession of the Culprft-.He Admits
His Guilt of Rape, and the Murder
of His Victim and Her Two Children
..DescriptiOn Of the Hanging. &c.

His Guilt of Rape, and the Murder
of His Victim and Her Two Children
description of the Hanging, &c.
Correspondence of the New York Herald
LENNox, Mass, Nov. 6, 1863.-The first
execution which has occurred in Berkshire
county since 1926, took place at the Jail
in this village to-day, at half-past ten
O'Clock, when James Calender, mulatto,
was hanged for the murder of Mrs. Emily
/. Jones, respectable lady of the neigh
boring town of Otis. The murder was
shocking one, the evidence showing that
the crime of rape was committed on Mrs
Jones person before she was killed, and
that her two little children were murdered
at the same time. The prisoner has con-
fessed his guilt of all these crimes, and
accuses his father, Thomas Calender, of
plotting the outrage, and participating in
it; but as there was no corroborative
evidence, no bill was found against the
father by the grand jury. He is, however,
now under arrest, and it is not improbable
that his guilt or innocence may be soon
proved conclusively.
The following is brief account of the
murder:
On Sunday, September Z, 1862, Mrs.
Emily Jones, and her two little children,
named George and Sarah, went out into a
pasture adjoining their house for berries.
The head of the family, Mr.. George A.
Jones, had previously gone to church. On
returning home he did not find his wife or
children there, and, after waiting sometime
for them, commenced search. Failing
to discover them, some of the neighbors
joined and the search was continued until
night without success. The next day
(Monday), a more thorough search was
instituted by Mr.. Jones and his neighbors,
and about two O'Clock in the afternoon of
that day the body of Mrs. Jones was dis
covered in a lot adjoining the burying
place. 1t had been horribly mutilated,
and an examination by surgeons revealed
the fact that brutal outrage had been
committed on her person. The bodies of
the two children were soon afterwards
found, with their heads crushed in.
Several parties were arrested, and sus-
picion generally pointed to some negro
neighbors. Four parties were examined
and discharged. Calender was finally ar
rested, and while in Jail accused his own
father of the crime, but the latter was dis
charged before trial, owing to the incom-
pleteness of the evidence.
James finally made confession to the
Rev. Mr.. Hall, a clergyman, who had at
tended him, and which was substantially
as follows:-
started from Gulf Bridge at ten O'Clock
A. M, September z, 1862; went along the
highway to the lane leading to Mr.. Clark's
house; went by Grants barn, thence to
the river, then to Warmers pasture, then
l went to coal cabin, where I found
father sitting on log; went there to meet
him according to previous arrangement; !;
was going to Beldens hill to steal a sheep,
as we we're out of meat; while there we
saw Mrs. Jones; father said, "Now is q
good time to have revenge; you know
how she served you about milking cows"
went up to the woman and took hold of
her arm. Father killed the children by
throwing stones at them. I then threw
the womans clothes over her head, and
while doing 80 she scratched my face (ac-
counting for scar on my face.) Father
then violated her person, and afterwards
myself, each holding her in turn. Father
held her clothes over her head while tool
stone and threw it on her head. We
then hid the bodies at first together, but