Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-08-07
THE STAMFORD sINCENDIARY.

Young Peabody, the MinIstcr's Son,
Again at tho Work Of llrstruction-
Another Chapter Oh = sad Story.
Hartford, Conn. Gully ~. correspondence Of tho
' - :. boston 1DuRnal.
Some weeks since q sad affair oc.
CURED in the county village of North
Stamford, which resulted in the: death
Of the aged pastor Of the Congregation
al Church, the arrest of bis son for
'inoendiarism,t aud the ruin;of the peace
of a.family. The Rev. Mr.. Peabody
had been the pastor of the church for
several years, and was universally es.
feemed as q good man and faithful
minister. His advancing years, how
ever, and the approach Of that period
when his faculties would begin to grow
dull led, his Practitioners think OF
dismissing the old gentleman, dsup-
planting him with = a'younger and abler
'min.s This fact worked sedly upon the
feelings of Mr.; Peabody, who. had a
family, and saw no means Of providing
for them ifAhs ahoutA losesh parish in
North, ,StamtoEd. j. His ssQp,; GbnFles, J.
pears to hsve b'een deeply affected by
the family trouhle, and filed with q
One night IL June the church va
discovered to be ON fire and was totally
destroyed. Circumstances pointing to
young Peabody as the incepdiary, the
strongest Of which was the production
Of several anonymous: letters, some in
Latin and others in English, worded in
the Ku- Klux style, and threatening all
sorts OF vengeance upon several of the
neighbors. The handwriting was
shown to be like that of young Pea
body's, and he was also the only youth
in town who could write the, Latin
language. He. WAS tried and bound
over, q friend giving bonds. The ut
most sympathy was expressed for the
unfortunate youth and his family. =,
Shortly after it was reported that
young Peabody had developed signs of
insanity, and he was sent to friends in
Topsfeld, Mass. His father, the min.
lister, died under his accumulated
troubles, and the ruin Of . once happy
family seemed complete. But there il
another startling chapter to the story.
On Wednesday evening last Peabody
reached, Stamford iby the 10 O'Clock
train, having escaped from T0psfeld.
He had come seeking revenge. First,
he fired the outbuiidings of Deacon
w. w. Davenport They were ali de.
stroyed, with all the entire crop Of hay
OF this season and other valuable prop
erty. Next, the barn of Alvan Weed,
. mile distant from the first fire, was
found ablaze, and was also completely
destroyed. Mr.. Weed noticed boy
in the barnyard trying to escape, and,
securing him, he recognized Charles
Peabody. The boy was the centre o1
attention, and some hard words were
used, but no violence was done to him.
He was bound, and the next morning
lodged in Jail. He had his preliminary
trial Thursday, on the charge of arson
and was recommitted to Jail, no ON.
giving bonds.
The following paper was found 0,
his person: ...
Revengel
Ny fathers death avenged ;'.>
BY his sen.
His vile murderers Ruinedi
Another " sad story" for the Advocate, with
= no Indian stones "'in it or ''Rakes."
Two come to North Stamford at last, ant
leave my best respects to that interesting peo
PIE, hoping TO have their loV and respect, ant
also hoping that they may think more OF N,
than ever before! Yours with respect, ..;:
G. II. J. PEABODY.
Another paper found upon Peabody
was letter from his mother, full ol
the warmest affection, protesting bel
belief in his innocence of guilt in the
first case of incendiarism, and entreat
ing him to look to Heaven for oonsola
tion.
1t is apparent the youth is insane,
and even if found guilty by the Supe-
rior Court, he will he sent to an asylum
rather than prison. : 49,. ----7 .-''