The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-16


An orphan boy, by the name OF John Emerson,
aged fifteen years, who came from Richmond, Va,
and has sister at Great Falls N. H.. and another
at Haverhil, Mass, has been living in Gambia for
the last two or three years, and latterly with Mr..
Jesse r. Fitz, on the north road, about three miles
from Gambia depot and two miles from Gambia vii
lage. Stopping with Mr.. Fitz, on q visit,
is his nephew, boy OF about nftecA years
OF age, who is son OF Mr.. Newton
Fitz OF Lowell. His name is Wilfred Fitz, and he
has been at Gambia about two months. MIR. Charles
Rowe, farmer living three quarters OF mile from
Mr.. Fitz, was drawn on the jury at Exeter, and
left for that duty last night leaving his wife, two
little children, and his aged mother, Mrs. Sarah
Rowe, seventy-six years old, at home, and had Sc
cured the services OF the lad John Emerson to stay
at his home during his absence to see to the
horses and take care Of the cattle.
A TERRIBLE OCCURRENCE
At the usual hour last night the inmates OF the
house all retired TO bed, when at twelve O'Clock the
old lady. who slept in an adjoining room up stairs
to the lad John Emerson, heard q noise in his room
and called out, Johnny johnny" Receiving no
answer she got up went into his room in the dark
and felt in the bed, and was almost horror
blood Moving thcrefrom and into the bed.
No noise had awakened Mrs. Rowe, who
was sleeping down stairs, and they found that
an axe. Mrs. Rowe ran for the neighbers, the first
OF whom to arrive was MIR. Jesse Fitz, when to his
boy had been mutilared his own axe covered with
blood. Tie boy was ase covered with blood, his
face horribly cut, and the bedcothing, as well as
the floor, despatched.
TIE POOR BOY PEACEFULLY MuTILATED.
Dr. f. $. Berry, one Of the physicians Of the town,
was sent for at once, but living ten miles distant
considerable delay was occasioned, and when he
came he found John Emerson very much exhausted
from the loss or blood, but having his senses. He
terrible
ner OF the mouth into 1t and back to the neck
under the ear; another cash, extending from just
long, penetrating into tine mouth and separating
the jaw, and cutting out piece thereof and push
Ing out several teeth and with frtghtful cash
across the bridge OF the nose from eye to eye.
On the right hand the thumb and two fingers
were cut of entirely and lay in the bed. There is
and one on the wrist. He had lest great deal Of
blood and DR.. Berry thinks he cannot live. The
boy heretofore mentioned as Wilired Fitz is sus-
pected OF having committed this dreadful crime,
and was to-day sent to Lowell, in charge OF Mr..
George Richardson, to his father. Whoever CON-
mitted the crime took an old chair from the barn,
placed it to the parlor window and got in there,
passed through into the hall. up stairs and to the
went out of the house in the same way On the
sill OF the window is the print Of blood.
It is staieSS t tna she Boy %
ana has frequently gotten up in his sleep, and that
one night last week he was found in the attic Of
Mr. FITS large broadaxe by His Isl SIDE lie dd not
seem to know how ne came there, but an investi.
cation showed that he had got out Of Q second
story window at Mr.. Fitz's, gone to the tool.
to his neighbours house, where he was found. Other
singular occurrences like these have also taken
place. These boys had been intimate, but the Fitz
boy had, to no ones knowledge, been inside OF
Rowe's house, where the act was committed, but
was in the yard two or three days ago; and, what
is most remarkable and singular, II he is the crimi
nal, whether awake or asleep, he passed three
other houses and over lonely road IN going from
Fitz's house to ROwe's.
THE SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY
Your correspondent visited the injured boy, and.
by placing his ear close to his mouth and watching
his movements, ascertalned from him that he knew
nothing about how it happened. He and Wilfred
had had "some spats," but had made 1t up:
'had one two or three days bei0re.n Notwith-
standing there is great excitement at Gambia, the
town authorities seem TO be negligent In ascer-
tanning who the. guilty party is There is .
theory that the boy Fitz Is not the
guilty person. So far as can learn the boy Ftz
found all right, at his home, in bed, this morn
ing and has not referred to this affair." nor has any
one mentioned 1t to him. At the depot this morn
ing he appeared cheerful and unconcerned but
the general impression is that he did it in a
s0mnambullstic state. II so IL is the most remark
able thing on record. Should the wounds prove
fatal, Coroner Whittier. OIL Portsmouth, will be
called upon to investigate the matter.