Connecticut western news., 1874-01-30
A Strange Murder.
The story OH the Son who Killed his
 r. 1.H Mother for MOmev.E SN

THO otofy OK the Son who Killed hAS r Mother for Money. <
 The terrible tragedy enacted in Jer- sey City has created the utmost excite
 ment throughout that section of the
 country. Crowds of curiosity-seekers gathered about the house, and many endeayored to gain admittanee, but the
 afflicted family had no desire to gratify
 morbid curiosity, hence none but
 relatives and immediate, friends of the
 family were admitted. The house is n
 capacious yet unpretentious two-story
 building, located on Oarteret avenue,
 two blocks south of the Newark and
 New York Railroad cut, and is sur rounded by half an acre of ground.
 The family consisted of Mary E. Free
 man, the murdered woman, Joseph N.
 Freeman, her elder son and murderer, Alman Freeman, his brother, who is Q well-known physician in Jersey City,
 and two daughters. About three years
 ago the elder daughter looked with
 favor upon the attentions of & young
 man named Turner Fronk, but the
 girls family were strenuously opposed
 to the match on account of the young
 mans poverty. The pair were clandes-
 timely married, however; whereat the
 Freeman family were very much en-
 ragged, and forbade them the, house.
 Fronk had no occupation, and no means
 of support, so that in short time the
 newly-wedded couple were reduced to extreme destitution, and they decided
 to separate, the bride returning to her parents house on condition that she should never see or communicate with
 her husband again. About year ago &L~ -c the murdered woman, died, bequeath. |. order that his son-in- law might not de- rive any benefit from it. Of late Mrs. Freeman gradually became reconciled to her married daughter. and the others feared that the growing influence of the latter would have the effect of ingratia- ting her husband into her mothers good graces. It does not transpire that they had any reasonable grounds for such fear. Thus matters stood at the time of the enactment of the tragedy. , s-
 After making the demand on his mother. for $2,00O, Freeman drew the pistol from his pocket and threatened to shoot himself. < His. mother and younger sister started to leave the room, while Mrs. Fronk remained seat ed in her chair. Just as his mother reached the door Freeman pointed the pistol at her, and, taking deliberate aim, fired. The ball passed through her back, and penetrated her heart, the murdered woman falling dead over the threshold. --- v
 Then followed the murderer's nasty exit from the house, his frantic but un- successful search for a physician, and his prompt arrest. The prisoner was brought before Police Justice, and declined to make any statement further than he intended to shoot himself, and the shooting of his mother was acci- dental. -f Eet &4a,t-
 Coroner Mahan, of Jersey City, began his inquest over the remains of Mrs. Mary D. Freeman. The prisoner was present with Norman l.. Rowe, his counsel. ! '
 Mrs. Turner Fronk, the married daughter of the deceased, was the first witness called to the stand. She was dressed in mourning and cried bitterly while giving her testimony. Her brother, who sat by his counsel, and al- most directly opposite the witness, sat with his eyes bent upon the floor, and all the while that his sister was upon the stand he never raised his face to hers. She was the only one of the fam lily who remained in the room after the prisoner had threatened to shoot him. self, and narrated the circumstances at- tending the shooting, as already given. She sad, In addition, that her brother was not of an atfectionate disposition, though he had never, within her knowl- | edge, threatened to take life other than | hls own. Ihe witness always believed | her brothers mind was unsettled. The l lady concluded her testimonyby saying that she saw her brother draw the pistol 1 from his pocket and discharge it at his mother from & distance of about three | feet. Mrs. Freeman expired without speaking. . ..E ~
 Myra Freeman testified that she, with her two sisters, was sitting in the room in which the tragedy happened, when her brother asked her mother for $2, 600. The mother refused to give it to him. He said that he would shoot himself. fearing that he might do him. self some harm, ran from the room. She lid not want to see him shoot himself. 1 She had got half way down the stairs when she heard the pistol-shot. She that her brother had shot him. self. Her brother was of an excitable He never lived happily with the family.
 The jury returned verdict that de. | ceased had cometo her death by pistol shot fired by her son, Jos. N. Freeman. He was committed for trial. '
 A Tenants Obligation to Repair.
 !