Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-09

deep. The pendulum is fourteen feet long, and
the pendulum ball weighs $40 pounds. The
weights weigh over 1000 pounds each. The
works are to be set in the lower story OF build
ing, while the hands and dial are placed in a
high tower. The gas that eliminates the dial
will be turned on and off by the motion of the
clock.
AN OLD MAN FOUND MURDERED IN HIS
HOUSE IN AcToN. - Aaron Wood, a man
eighty years Old, was found dead in his house
in Acton Friday evening, under circumstances
which leave no doubt that he was brutally muir
dered The singular circumstances attending
the affair, the manner in which the murdered
man had lived, and the fact that he was so well
known for miles around have united to make
the tragedy one of unusual horror, and to ex-
cite the quiet community in which he lived TO
an extent which nothing else has done for
years. For many years the murdered man had
lived about four miles from South Acton village,
IN what was once an old shop or mill, only
about ten feet from the birmingham and
Lowell track, and about one quarter of mile
from the proposed junction with it of the
Nashua, Acton and Boston railroad in the d.
rection OF the Acton depot. There are no
houses in the immediate vicinity and the lone
illness Of the spot made the murder possible
without discovery at so early an hour in the eve
ming.
lhe victim of the murder was native of Ac-
ton, and was born near the place where he was
murdered. For MANY years he had lived all
alone the life Of n recuSe in the old shop, which
was one of the loneliest spots Imaginable before
the birmingham road was run through the
locality. He was the owner of the old establish
ment in which he dwelt, and Of some land lying
in its immediate vicinity. A part OF this he cul-
tlVated 10 raise vegetables and other food for his
and wood puOutrh each
another part to buy his groceries. Added to
THIS he had an annuity hon the estate OF his
brother in Westboro but it is not believed that
he had anywhere near enough to more than sup
port him in the plaineSt possible way Sill in
one way and another people had agreed TO call
him miser, and fabulous stories were told of
| his having large sums of money hidden away
| in the old hut. He appears TO have been an i'll
| offensive, harmless old man, so that the motive
Of the murder must have been robbery.
The murder was discovered more quickly than
| it would otherwise have been but for the fact
| that the deceased was in the habit of getting his
bread from a neighbor. He had engaged to
| come Friday for a small quantity, which the
| nelghbor was to bake for him, but did not make
| his appearance long after the time when he
should have come. Not really sHSpecting that
| anything was wrong, and still having feeling
Of uneasiness about the old man, the neighbor
went 10 the old hut about eight O'Clock Friday
| evening, and found the door broken in and
tuIONu uUWH, ana the OOuy oil Mr. W OOd lying
within, upon his back, with his hat and wig
thrown off, and his head literally covered with
| blood.
The gentleman returned to Acton and rrocur-
| cd the asSiStanceo of constables, who went down
| and took possession of the house.
| When found tie body was still warm, show
ing that the murder could not have been long
| committed. Indeed it is probable that it was
| done about dark on Friday evening. The MUIR
| dered man was seen at work on his land at
| times during Friday. Up to an early hour Fri
day morning no one had been arrested, nor had
| suspicion fallen upon any one. A gang of la
| borers had been at work on the new Nashua
| Acton and Boston railroad, not a great distance
| from where the old gentleman lived, and it is
| possible that it may have been one of them
| The motive for the deed was undoubtedly to
| get possession of the boarded treasure which
was supposed to have been hidden in the old
| hut. Nothing was probably obtained, however,
| and the perpeurator Of the horrible decd got
nothing to repay him for his crime. The peo-
| pie of the surrounding country have been
thrilled with horror at the murder, and it seems
| impossible that the murderer should escape
| The body has been taken in charge by a coro-
| ner, who began an inquest Saturday. The select
men Of the Town have offered a reward, and
have teleoraphed to Boston for officers to as
sist in ferrefing out the murder.