The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-17
Franklin B. Evans Convicted Of the
Murder Of Georgiana Lowering.
his APPROACHING EXECUTION
Piety, Hypocrisy and Hardihood of
the Villain.
An EcStatic Vision Of Future Bliss and Poeti.
cal Contribution to the Anselical Chorus.

CONCORD, N. H., Feb, II. 1874.
On Tuesday next Franklin B. Evans is to be
hanged in the State Prison, in this city, for the
murder OF his grand niece, Georgiana Lowering, at
Northwood, Rockingham county, on the Gath OF
October. 1872 She was little girl not quite four
teen years old, OF prepossessng manners, much
liked and petted by her acquaintances She lived
with her mother, about two miles rom North
wood Centre. In the family OF Mr. Sylvester Day
and wife, her grandparents. Her father. soldier
In the Eighth New Hampshire Volunteers died
during the war, and the wife and daughter had
lived there about two years, depending principally
on pension for their support. Evans, her grand
uncle was born November IL, 1911, in the adjoin-
ing town OF STAFFORD, and was in the habit Of WIS.,
Ting the family He Is five feet eight and quarter
inches in height of cadaverous aspect gray hair
and eyes. rather slight form. ana, until he was
brought to the state Prison year ago, wore
full beard and mustache OF iron gray. The ex-
preston OF his countenance indicates
Low CUNNING, WITH ENTIRE ABSENCE OF COURAGE
and his whole appearance betokens man devoid
OF conscience part fool and part knave. with de-
cded predOmnance OF the latter. He had always
led rowing and miserable lie, residing at diner
ent times IN this city (Concord), Manchester and
other places. At Manchester he pretended to read
and afterwards practised more or less among ig-
norant people. He also set up ior
AN ADVENT PREACHER, WITH BAD REPUTATION.
and again as ped.er Of fish and notions He is
said 10 have been married three times, his first
wife dying and the other two leaving him. He had
a son aud daughter by the first wife, who are still
living. At the time OF the murder Evans lived
with Mr. Day, being the only brother OF his wife,
and worked on his farm during the summer OF
1872 His relations to the family were leateable
and he was not regarded as dangerous
The murder was one OF the most foul in the an
nails OF crime 1t appeared from the testimony
that on the morning Of October a. 1872, Evans
went away. ostensibiy to work, requesting the
little girl, George Lowering, to 90 down into the
woods to look after some partridge snares he had
set. Not returning. long and protracted search
was made for her. An apron and piece OF comb,
worn by the girl, with hair adherng to it, were
found on the day she was missed at place where
THE LEAVES AND GROUND HAD BEEN DISTURBED AS
IF In STRUGGLE
Evans had been seen going toward this spot,
and measures we're taken by the Selectmen to have
him arrested. Previously, however one OF them,
MIR. George D. Sherburne, conversed with Evans,
who asked If he could be released providing the
girl could be found alive. He said that and
George had met a man named Webster,
VINO had carried her to Kingston in q
top carriage. On the Friday following the missing
Of the girl MIR. Sherburne went to the woods in the
night where he saw Evans with Sheriff Henry
Drew and several others. There he also saw the
body OF the deceased wnen it was discovered on
this occasion; described It's mutilation ana the
circumstances OF Evans gong and finding under
q rock, some distance from the body, certain
missing port ions. Other witnesses cOrrobOrated
this testimony.
harin fosff cd fhot n ted Eva
October 20, 1872, took hm4home and tried several
days to get him TO confess where the body was
The Sheriff described the arrest the search OF
Evans person. finding obscene books and bottle
OF rum in his pockets. He also related several
conversations he mad with him, the result OF which
was their going to the woods together and finding
the body OF the girl. The second Friday night after
the murder Drew sat down and talked with Evans.
during the conversation he asked him, 'ls the girl
cold in deatn2" Evans replied,
"sHE IS, AND MR.. DREW I HAVE DONE WRONG"
In his cross-exam nation Sheriff Drew said
that day two alter Evans' arrest he mani
tested desire to tell methng, and frequently
repeated the desire; said, Frank, tell me any
thing you want to, but don't you tell me that you
Killed Georgle-keep that 10 yourseli;" on Friday
night, alter he had mad the second examination,
had some conversation with him In relation to
where the girl was; we went over the first con-
versation we had. and | asked him what effect
that nad upon him; he said 1t went like dagger
to his heart; asked him II he lied when he told me
where he mad crossed the road he said he he'd;
said, 81 don't want you TO make confession to
me- and he said he would tell me the tru tn II
would not ask him II lie had murdered her;
asked him then IL he girl. was cold in death.
and he said, 'She IS, ana have done wrOng;"
he then told me that he would show me
where the body was, and we left my house at I've
minutes past eleven O'Clock that night. In con-
tinuaton OF his testimony witness said in relation
to subsequent conversation with Evans:-l SAID
body Is w he said VIII you NV viii see that am
not harmed by the Selectmen or anybody else :"
told him that no one should harm him as long as
ha mi chi " ar Ia eah ny
way and l following; he went up through the
woods and 1 alter aim; we went into the swamp
for hall an hour; he said lie was lost and must go
back to the fence went to the latter place, and
from there ne led me TO the fallen tree. where the
the finding OF the body, as has been duly de-
scrbed heretoore) After assistance had come
and the body mao been removed swans yielded to
my request 10 show the way to the missing Dor
lions OF the body; on the Way asked him what he
had cut the parts out with, and ne said, with
shoe knife which found up stars" we then went
and found the missing portions; subsequently
asked Evans where he killed Georgie; he said,
her there, did your he SAID, Eyes, did )" said
"Dd you cut those parts out alter she was dead;"
the where the body was found and the rock
referred TO- reminding him that it was about sixty
rods; ne said, ~ carried her on my shoulder"
Afterwards, at another interview, l asked him II
he set those snares birds; ne said, II set them
for the girl. and catched her. didn't f' he also
told me that he made up the story OF Mr.. Webster;
! afterwards brought up the subject Of the shoe
knife, and asked nim II he did 1t with that he
drew out pocket kniie and said,
THAT IS THE KNIFE;o
took 1t and found II as sharp as razor knife
produced and sworn tO.l
on cross-examination Sheriff Drew said that
Evans had told him that, II he Drew would leave
the windows open and let him go of to Canada
he would give him $l2 in money and his gold
watch. He also asked, while in the woods, search
ing LOT the body, that Drew would shoot him
through the body.
EDen j. Parshley, one OF the men who remained
outside the woods to await the alarm OF Mr. Drew
testified ASKED Evans how he could do "such a
wicked deed thisn He SAID, al don't know;
the evil one must have got the upper hand OF me.v
several persons testified TO the finding OF the
body and piece OF the poor girls comb
Mrs. JUDITH A. Chase, OF kensington, was at the
house Of sheriff Drew, at Strafford, when Evans
was there under arrest; on sunday night after the
body was found; he SAID he Killed her by the