The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-05
Ephrain II. Avery.

are cherished aad reyered.
Ephraim II. Avery.
over thirty years ago Ephraim X. Avery was
Methodist minister living In Fall River, Mass. 40
bore ali excellent character, was widely esteemed.
not only BIZ the members OF his own congregation,
but by the townspeople at large, and was looked
upon as q truly humble and devout Christian. With
The members OF his church he was very popular.
Az preacher he was talented and eloquent, In
social life he was agreeable and entertaining. His
influence with the Mehodists Of Fall River was
great as indeed is the influence OF all ministers OF
religion in country places. Their confidence In him
was unbounded; with many he was not only
spritua adviser ana instructor, but TO these oces
was added that OF social mentor.
Among the members OF Avery's church was q
Young girl named Susan Maria Cornell. In social
rank abe hardly the equal OF the preachers In
personal appearance she was no beauty, though IL
was SAID that she was progressing enough TO win
the love OF another. Mr.. Avery seemed to take q
strong interest In this girl He was frequently In
/ her company frequent thai, had he not been Q
minister it rs likely the gossps OF his town would
have associated tue OF the two those OF per-
sons either engaged to be married or engaged in
! Immoral intercourse.
| But tue relations or '.pastor and peopIen were
such that the Intimacy gave arise to no scandal.
that All was not right, the uttsrance waa
considered so outrageous Islander 10 carry its
crisis arose that people discovered in the frequent
meetings OF the two evidences or guilt. Then every
every attention TO the girl as proof OF immortality,
every word uttered as that OF the seducer.
How long Susan Cornell and Ephraim Avery were
on intimate terms we cannot now say. IL mlghS
have been three or four years; It might have been
DAY this intimacy ceased, Tor on that day the dead
body OF the girl was discovered by the side OF hay
stack in an open held some distance from the main
mnYdpr
at glance; that the girl had bated desperately for
ner life was also evident The struggle between her
garments were rent, and upon her person were
marks OF violence which told an eloquent though
combination OF circumstances pointed to Eph-
rain Avery az the murderer. IL would require too
collected to convict him. In the first place. his reia
lions with the girl were OF so intimate character
was last seen with ner; the investigation Of the
Coroner proved that she had been betrayed by
sna snH Ssa sr o 1s The
OF concesling her crime. she might have impor-
tuned him to marry her and thus save her from dts
grace. There Is telling.
Mr.. Avery, on being arrested, declared Ms inno-
cence OF the charge brought against him. When
tried there was no lack OF witnesses to testify to
their suspicious. Strong as the circumstantal EVIL
dence was-and Il was strength was insufficient to
convict. Probably three fonrtns Of the jurymen
believed him guilty, but they compelled
TO return verdict OF aoqulttal because OF the in
conclusveness OF the testimony. Had he been tried
in scotland the verdict would have been mot
proYenn In the Ecclesiastical Court there was the
same result with the addition that the ministers
composing 1t acquitted him, fully convinced OF his
Tie excitement which this case occasioned has
never been surpassed IN the United States. Not
even the celebrated Burde murder so profoundly
anecteo the people. From one end OF the republic
TO the other the theme or conversation was orweeks
tine tragedy at Fall River. In this city the excite
ment attained to such a height that Thomas flynn,
duciuS q drama describing the murder For this
purpose ne leased the Richmond HIN theatre, which
located at the corner Of Charlton and Varick
streets, and performed to crowded houses. Months
alter the trial the feeling against Avery was intense,
ana u Is related that travelling snowman named
Barnum. who afterwards became notorious, mar
rowiy escaped riding on ran In Annapolis, his
wouid-be lynchers mistaking him for the minister.
Acquitted by the law. Avery was nevertheless held
o crimtne! by a large majority OF the people. He
resumed hs occupation as a preacher only to fnd
that he had gained most unenyiable notoriety.
People locked TO bis church. not to hear him preach,
but to get glimpse Of the man who had been on
social relations became almost unbearabie. HIS
warmes friends in the past abandoned him. Except
on sunday. he lived almost solitary and alone, an
object OF suspicion. II guilty OF the murder he was
punished far more effectively than II he HAD been
were passed in msrtyrdom From the hour Of his
arrest the sphere or his usefulness had been con-
tracted TO the very narrowest limits. For some
other places hoping for restoration OF that conf
dence which had once been rsposed In nlm. itnever
was restored and az length he retired from the mtn
istry, never more to preach the WORD OF God 70 hs
fellow beings.
NJ avery moved 70 r...sae,u, vni3, snenI m aus
twenty years he pursued the occupation OF farmer.
Going among strangers. who know but little or
nothing OF his past, he made friends and many. On
the 23d OF last month at the age OF seventy years.
he passed away from earth 10 tho regret OF those
who knew MIN. The startling march OF events had
almost obltsrsted from tho minds Of men the great
tragedy which suddenly lifted him up 70 an unwet
come notorlsty, and which blasted his after life.
deed can we say II he married In Ohio.
Az for the unfortunate Susan Cornell, her fate 10
wrapped In On fmpenetrable mystery. From the
day when her body, discgured BY gnhstly woundA
was found hanging to the stack Of hay to the pres-
ent hour the truth regarding her murder has never
been revealed. IL - not Impossible that another
than Avery took her life. But II he WAS tho muir
derer he planned and executed the deed skilfuily
and preserved his secret we'll.
Whether guilty or l6hocent be ls now In the pres
ence OF bis Maker TO receive either punisnmsns for
his crime rewards for the unmerltsd obloquy THAI