The Republican journal., 1871-06-01
Letter From Boston.
Correspondence of the Journal.
BOSTON, May 80, 1871.
A SAD TRAGEDY ENDED,

and one that the citizens of Boston have
felt much interest in, although the affair
did not entirely happen in this city.
Several years ago Mr.. Thomas Earl, a
member of the Legislature of 1870, and
brother to the present Mayor of Worccs-
ter, was granted divorce from his wife,
on the charge of desertion, by the Supreme
Court of Massachusetts. There were four
children, and they have remained under
Mr.. Earle's care until recently. Mrs.
Earle applied to the court for custody of
the children, and was granted the charge
OF the two youngest, girl of thirteen, and
boy year younger. Mr.. Earle was not
content to abide by the decree of the court,
but upon the principle that might makes
right he came to this city from Worcester,
some four weeks ago, where he has been
residing, and procuring the assistance of
friend, a Mr. Clifford of Charlstown,
they proceeded to Salem, where Mrs.
Earle was residing with the children.
Sending for Mr.. Ives, the counsel Of Mrs.
f., he asked that an interview with his
children might be granted him, for the
purpose of finding out and supplying their
necessities. His request was granted,
and Mr. Ives went for the children. Mr..
Earle's plans had been perfected before
hand He had made visit to Salem the
| night before, and obtained a clandestine
interview with his daughter. and arranged
to carry her, and the brother away. The
| girl was anxious to assist her father, for
| the love between the father and children
was very strong, and they wished to he
again united Mr. Ives started with the
children for his office, where the interview
was to take place Mr.. Earle had SEEM
| ingly grown impatient OF delay, started
| out and met them in the street; taking a
hand of each of the children, he walked
along with. Mr.. Ives, until a carriage in
which Mr. Clifford was seated, drove up
| to them and stopped. Mr.. Clifford spring
| inc out Of the carriage seized a hand of
the boy, and attempted to get into the
carriage with him. Mr.. Ives, holding on
to the boy and calling for help, frustrated
| his design. Mr. Earle had succeeded in
| getting in with the daughter, and finding
il impossible to get both his children,
drove off with the girl in the direction of
Boston. Mr.. Ives returned the boy to
his mother, and procuring warrant for
the arrest of Mr.. Earle, he came to this
city, and laid the case before the Chief of
Police, who detailed two officers to assist
in the search. They visited several livery
stables about town, and finding no clue,
went over to Charlestown, and i'll one of
the stables found the man who had driven
the party from Salem. He told the
officers that he had left them at Nh
/ Gifford's house The officers then went
/ to the house designated, and had but Just
arrived in the vicinity when close carriage
droveup TO the house,a gentleman alighted
and told the driver to drive up the street
and back The visitor was then admitted
to the house The carriage soon rcti;:n-
| ed, and Mr.. Earle with his daughter and
two men came out of the house and en-
tered the carriage, with the intention of
taking the cars for Worcester. The
officers. thinking the proceedings had bet
ter be stayed here, sprang for the carriage,
and a serious disturbance was the result.
The father, not inclined to relinquish his
| daughter, made Il desperate attempt to
beat oft the officers, and succeeded in
| dealing several severe blows with a billy
| he carried. The door of the carriage
was finally closed, and the officers sprang
on the box and drove rapidly to the police
station. Here the scene beggars descrip
ton. The daughter chung to her father,
and begged piteously to remain with him,
and the father clinging frantically to her,
refused to be separated. But the officers
must do their duty. Others higher in
authority than they had decreed that they
must be parted, no matter if hearts break
in the parting. Mr.. Earle was at last
torn from his daughter, the officers having
to use much force to accomplish it. The
daughter was returned to the mother, and
Mr. Earle to a cell, Il raving, desperate
man, to await his return to Salem, where
he was to be tried on charge of kidnapping
his own children He was carried to Salem
but he was not to be tried by the court.
A higher power had interiered. Reason
had been overthrowm and the loving
father was raving maniac. From Salem
he was carried to the Worcester Insane
Hospital, where he has since been coniin-
ed, until last week, when death ended his
suffering. He seemed to be conscious
during his last hours, and called for his
children, His two oldest were with him,
but Notwithstanding that death had claim
ed him for his own. his two youngest
We're not permitted to be there in his last
moments Let us hope that this is the end
of heart-rending tragedy.
FIRES
were very prevalent here the past week.
Two of the fires were quite severe, de-
stroying considerable property. Wednes-
day evening fire broke out in the rear of
the Merrimac stables. The flames spread
very rapidly and soon communicated with
an adjoining carpenters shop, which with
its contents, was soon destroyed. The
Merrimac stables next caught, and not
outstanding the arduous efforts made by
the firemen, the building was soon one
mass of flames. There We're between
l75 and POO horses in the stables at the
time, and were nearly all saved. Several
of the horses were burned, the fire spread
ing 80 RAPIDLY they could not be saved. 1t
was pitiful to hear the cries of the suffer
ing animals, and not be able to release
them from their torture. The total loss Is
about S2j, 000 on which there is partial
insurance.
Another fire nearly destroyed the old