Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-07-02
A Sad Story.

which destroyed the Congressional Church in
North Stamford, aud the arrest and trial OF the
ministers son, charged with the crime, are
fresh in recollection. Another chapter OF pain
full interest is to be added to the record. The
aged minister died, at the residence of B. Day
onport, ESQ.,, on Friday juno 2oi about 8
O. clock o. NJ. Mental anguish Yas undoubted
" the direct cause of his death.
Rev. Josiah Peabody was born in Topshcld,
Mass, in the year 1907, and was consequently
sixty-six years Of age at the time OF his death.
He spent fifteen years of his life as missionary
to Turkey. In consequence OF lN-heatn ne
was obliged to return home. After remaining
about five years in Kentucky, be was called to
the pastorate of church in Windsor, Conn.,.
and from there, in the spring of,lS6S. removed
with his family consisting OF wife, two daugh-
tiers, and son, to North Stamford. Toward the
close of last year considerable dissatisfaction be-
gan to be expressed among various leading mem
| bers of the church at North Stamford. There
| was no charge against the personal character OF
| the parson. Butt was believed-and We have
no doubt conscientipusly -that a younger and
more vigorous preacher was desirable under
the circumstances. A committee waited upon
Mr.. Peabody to inform him OF the decision OF
| the society,". :,
|
teaching school on Long Island, and the son, q
youth of about sixteen years, remained at home,
| where he was kept generally closely confined
TO his studies, and mingled but little with the
boys of the neighborhood. He appeared to be
| a studious aud somewhat reserved youth, and
| though never popular with the majority Of the
residents of the DeighbOrhood, no one then
dreamed that he would be capable of commit
| ting the crime atterward laid to his charge
We may mention in this connection what is al
| legged to be characteristic incident. Tho par
sonagc at present contains about hundred
weight Of stone on which various limitations of
Indian heroglypics arc drawn with chalk:
| These stones, it is said were recently presented
| BY the boy to his father as Indian relics dug up
| in the swamp. Of course, it is quito. iiupossi
| bic that they could be genuine
At clock q. H., May 10, fire broke out
| in the church and before daylight the building
was mass of ruins The bog, Charles A.
Peabody was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Now
man, aud trial occupying two days was had
before Justice Adams, OF Stamford. The } U.s.
tce decided to hold the prisoner for trial before
the Superior Court in bonds Of 5000, which
| we're promptly volunteered by NJ. +. Merritt
esq. The evidence against the prisoner was
purely circumstantial, and in the opinion of a
the Immediate vicinity Of the burned church,
failed to establish the charge
Thus the matter renamed until Friday last.
Meanwhile, as we arc informed, the church in
I.itchteld county which had recently given a
call to Mr. Peabody, resclnded their action IN
consequence of the developments OF the trial.
This was the last drop III the bitter cup which
an inscrutable Providence committed to the
the good old man lips.
Scarcely had his fathers body become cold in
death when the unhappy son was seized with
extraordinary excitement. Armiug himself with
rake, he proceeded to the house Of ". w.
Davenport, deacon Of the church, broke in
the windows, and entering the house, began to
smash and destroy the crockery and furniture,
and even made an attack on MIR. Davenport.
He appeared to labor under the hallucination
that the church members had been the cause OF
his father death land vowed vengeance against
them accordingly. He was soon secured, and ex-
hibited SO many evidences of insanity that 1t
was thought best to make application tor his
admission to the asylum at Nlddletown. lie
remained in charge Of Mr.. A. Is. Davenport
who has proved friend 10 need to the family
during Saturday and Sunday, and Is to be for
Warded to the Asylum as soon is arrangements
can be made. ...,
INCIDENTS. In this iron age, when those
tender sentiments of disinterested love, which
cast such a soft radiance over many dark scenes
of the past, arc ridiculud by a selfish and cal
culating generation, it is refreshing to meet
with such romantic Instance OF dlslnterested
attachment as contained in the following story.
The scene is Chicago, and her name is Katie
Lund, aged sixteen, and his name is William
A. Eldridge, age not given. >- a
Truly did Mr. Shakespeare say:
"For aught that ever | could read,
Could ever hear by tale or history.
The course of true love never did run
smooth.
The stern parents Of Katie did not smile
upon William suit the old man said she was
too young to leave the parents, nest. Katie
rebelled, and finally the old gentleman touching
ly illustrated the parental care be talked about
by turning her out into the street one morning
about one clock, barefooted and poorly clad
A lucky chance her William led that way: ne
cared for her necessities and married her the
next morning. One might have thought that
q couple so securely tied would now ind rest
and happiness, but perversc fate ruled other
wise, and they were compelled to suffer the
sings and arrows Of outrageous fortune to an
extraordinary degree Katie wanted bed
going there, took it away. The stern parent
had her arrested for larceny. Her husband bail,
her out, and as she wanted her clothes, sent an
officer to her fathers house to get them out.
The stern parent refused admittance, to the
officer, and he smashed in the door. The Zero.
cious old couple then fell upon him, routed
him with great damage, so that he rctreatcd
in demoralized condition. The stern parent
then had his son-in-law arrested on a charge OF
perjury, he having sworn the girl was old
enough to be her own mistress Last scene
Of all that ends this strange, evcntfui history
is the arrest of the cruel parents for resisting
the officer How much farther fortune will
carry her malicious persecution of the distress,
cd couple, it exceeds even the, prophetic fore
sight of newspaper man to determine. = bit
tinaorc 1nacrtcnm.
NATURE AND MATuEMATlCIANs.- Professor
Tyndall, in his lecture in New York last winter,
alluded to what he called the imperfectloDs OF