Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-06-26
The Worcester Murder.

The murder trial which has taken place
at Worcester Mass. is invested with pecu-
liar interest, on account of the dering,
quiet and cold-blooded manner in which it
was effected. The prisoners, Charles L.
and Silas James, formerly resided at West
Greenwich, r. l., where the plan was laid
by Silas James, known as 'The General, :"
and who is also professional gambler. The
prisoners were cousins, Charles being
twenty-one years of age, and the General
thirty-one, and blind of the left eye. The
victim of this foul murder, which was COM
mitted on the evening of the 28th of Feb
ruary, in Worcester Mass, was a man
named Joseph G. Clark, who followed the
profession of gambler in that city, and oc-
cupieda suite of rooms for the purpose on the
third story of Union Block, Main street
An illicit intimacy existed between Clark
and Young woman named Mrs. Eaton,
who used to frequent his rooms and spend
a considerable portion of her time there.
She had q key which would admit her
whenever she paid visit to Clark's quar-
tiers. On the evening of the murder she
called several times, but could not gain adj
mission, as the door was fastened on the
inside She heard noise which satisfied
her that Clark was In the house, and she
begged to be admitted, but could get no re-
Spouse She then stated in loud voice
that if he had private company she would
go away, and thereupon walked heavily
down stairs, but stole back quietly, and
proceeded to an upper floor from which
she could see any one who might leave the
rooms This occurred at 8 o'clock In the
evening. Her woman's jealousy was arous-
ed, and she resolved to ascertain If she had
any rival in c.. affections. In twenty
minutes she saw two men coming out
of the room with their coats wrapped
around their heads. They locked the door
after them but she opened it with her key,
went in and saw black spot on the floor,
near the faro table, but mono of the furni-
ture was disturbed. She tried the door
leading to the bedroom, but found it locked;
she smelled smoke, and could see the
Pickering of flames. She then went to the
hallway, and into the sleeping room by
another door, and found the body of Clark
ON the bed, which was a mattress, raised q
little from the floor, and all were enveloped
in smoke and flames. She Immediately
gave the alarm, and the pa rites residing in
the other portion of the building rushed in
and soon extinguished the fire. A subse-
quent examination by the police and Cor
oner disclosed the facts that there were
two spots, of about fifteen inches each In
diameter, of coagulated blood and brain
upon the floor of the main room. The head
of Clark was split open about four inches
on the top, a rope was knotted around his
neck and twisted tight with the poker, by
way of tourniquet. A kerosene lamp had
been broken over his head and spilled upon
his right shoulder and face, which were
badly burned. 1t was evident that he had
been murdered in the large room and
carried to the bed, which was set on fire
with the object of burning the house and
covering up the guilt of the criminals. 1t
was known that Clark had q considerable
sum of money on his person, which with
his watch and diamond pin, was gone His
heavy gold watch chain was allowed to re-
main, and 81, 400 in United States bonds in
the drawer of his faro table was
untouched. There was no evidence
of any struggle, as everything was in per-
feet order in the room. The description
given of the men correspondent with that
of the persons who were seen lettering
about the gambling resorts of Worcester
for some days previously. The police pro-
ceeded at once to the Western depot, and
found those men there. One ofthem made
his escape, and the other was arrested, and
on him was found tickets for both to New
York by the train which was about to leave
The party arrested was the person known
as ssThe General" whose bills Clark paid |
for the few days he was in Worcester
awaiting favorable opportunity to COM
NIT the the murder. On the following day, |
Charles T. James, the other murderer, was
captured in Providence. Nine hundred |
dollars, a watch, and diamond pin, Clark's
was found on his person. He ac-
knowledged the crime, and stated that they |
brought with them, concealed, small
broad axe, and that while the General"
Clark's attention, he stepped be-
hind and dealt him mortal blow upon the |
head The axe was thrown into the canal |
when they were on their way to the West
ern depot. @ f Esd