The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-11-19
A WIFE ROASTED ALIVE.
FEARFUL TRAGEDY AT LYNN, MASS.
a Husband Charged with Throwing Kerosene
Over His Wife and Then Setting Her On
Fire-The Body Found by Neighbors in
the Burning House with the Flesh
Dropping Or Piecemeal

Dropping Or Piecemeal.
BOSTON, Nov. IL, 1871.
ono OF the most brutal ana inhuman tragedies
wnich ever Mortified any community was enacted
In Lynn last night and Is to-day the leading topic
OF conversation in that city. The actors were a
man named Jonn G. Clinton, about forty three years
OF age, a barber by trade, and his wife, who was
made the victim of treatment that could only be
expected from nend, she having been shockingly
beaten and then
LITERALLY ROASTED TO DEATH.
Ine scene oil the affair was on Howard street, In
one OF the small wooden houses which are set back
from the street, and accessible b means OF narrow
aleyways from the street. The parties lived In the
rear ol NO. 80 ohe family consisting OF clinton, his
wife and four boys, ranging in age from three to
seventeen years. About half past eight o'clock last
evening two women, named Margaret Brown and
Charlotte Moody, who lived almost directly IN front
OF Cnntons house, had their attention called to the
latter by the sound OF heavy blows screaming and
grooming which proceeded from it. AS the sounds
increased the Two women went out and
listened beneath the WINDOWS, but the
sounds suddenly ceased and all was quiet.
They then returned to their houses, but
In about fifteen minutes were again disturbed by
the same NOISES which they again sought to trace
out as before but the sounds ceased as they had
previously done.
After This everything remained quiet until about
ten minutes past nine O'CLOCK when the same
women discovered that the house on fire inside
An alarm was at once raised, and three men, named
David Lee, Frelinghuysen Moody and Fred Walton
rushed into the house with buckets. On en-
tering they found that there was fire
on table In the front room, also
in an entry way which led up stairs, and pile In
a
APPEARED TO BE A BUNDLE OF CLOTHING
was also burning. On examining the latter 1t was
found to be the body OF Mrs. Clinton, horribly
bruised and burned in most sickening manner.
The clothing was almost entirely burned from the
body, which was scorched ana roasted. The flames
were put out with some difficulty. One report
is that while the men were endeavOr-
ing to eXtinguish the fire the Door victim
threw up one of her arms ana breatned per-
ceptibly, but another, and probably the correct,
story Is that life had left the body when 1t dis.
covered. About three feet from the head or The vic
tim lay the fragments OF Kerosene lamp, which
had been borrowed from nelghbor on that night,
and traces OF the Oil also seen ON different
parts OF the moor. City Marshal Barrett and two
officers went AT once to the place. Clinton was
STANDING OVER THE BODY OF HIS WIFE,
doing nothing, but appearing considerably affected.
He was arrested, taken to the station house and
locked up One OF the sons named Frank, q lad
ten years OF age, who was first to enter
the house says that he had been attending an even
ing school that night and had returned home just
as the fire was discovered He went into the house
ana saw his mother burning on the noor Recol
lecting that his little brother probably upstairs
abed he rushed up and met his father coming
down. He found his brother, took him down STAIRS
ana into neignboring house. AS soon as the flames
had been extingulshed Coroner J. G. Pinkham
called in, and he ord cred the body OF the woman to
be carried TO the police station, which was ilnmc-
diately done.
the Coroner then summoned jury, VINO viewed
The body ana then adjourned.
APPEARANCE OF THE BODY.
The corpse presented a sickenlng sight. There
were marks of violence on the head consisting OF
two or three cuts. looking though they had been
made with some dull instrument. On the breast
were also wounds which appeared to have been
caused by something beside the flames. The features
were rem Tered unrecogniZable and the hair was
burned close to the head, leaving the skull and
horribly crlsped and black, the flesh dropping from
the hands, arms and body. rendering 1t sight
which could not be oeheld without a snudder at the
awful aroclty of the crime and the backness Of the
soul that could execute it.
THE HUSBAND AND PRISONERS STORY.
The husband and prisoner has said very little, but
tod brief story. 1t is that he was in oed up
stairs about nine o'clock all being quiet when his
little boy came rushing up and told him the house
was on fire. lie went down ana found his wife
lying on the floor in the condition III which she was
found by the three men.
The belief that the man is guilty IS almost unver.
sal. One theory OF the affair Is that he had some
difficulty with his wife, during which he threw the
Kerosene lamp at her, striking her on the breast
ana lnGcting the wounds referred to; that the OIL
scattered over her clothing and the
FLAMES WERE INHALED BY THE VICTIM
Other people firmly believe that the monster
killed her by blows and then actually set fire to the
body, leaving 1t to burn. His previous character
has been rather bad. He has been known In Lynn
for upwards OF twenty years. though not constantly
a resident, and during that time-for the past two
or three years-he has carried on the business OF
barber at the Railroad House Market street, and
has been known as a man much given to drinking
and OF an exceedingly bad temper There has fire.
queniy been trouble between him and his wife,
parity caused by the fact that the latter was pos
sessed OF some property which he could not have the
control OF. The officers have been frequently called
into his house TO quell disturbances and Clinton
has been before the Ponce Court on one or TWO
occasions lately. Coroner Pinkham is to make q
full investigation Of the affair.