Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-05-28
Another Horrible AFFAIR a, Boston.


A crime of the most fiendish character,
and Of unparalleled brutality, was attempt
ed at Boston last Sunday, under most ex-
traordinary circumstances. The victim
was an innocent little girl, five years of age,
named Mabel Young, who resides with her
widowed mother at South Chester park.
Sunday afternoon she attended Sunday
school with her aunt, a Miss Hobbs, at the
Rev. DR.. Pentecusrs church, at the corner
of Warren avenue aud Canon street. At the
close OF the service aboIt four o'clock, she
was about leaving the church, in company
with her aunt, aud had proceeded As far az
the outer steps, when the aunt stopped to
converse for a moment with some friend
whom she saw among the crowd AT that
time leaving the church. Amer short
conversation she turned around to speak
to the child in order to take her home with
her, when to her surprise she discovered
that the little one had disappeared. Think
ing that she would return soon, her aunt
re-engaged in conversation, but soon after
began TO inquire of the bystanders II they
had seen the child in or about the church.
Receiving in every case a negative reply,
she gave up the search, thinking the child
might have gone out unnoliced, and was
starting for home, when she, together with
other passers by, was startled by a pro-
longed aud agonized cry which appeared
to proceed from some part Of the church.
The gentlemen who were passing by ran
quickly into the edifice to SEQ what was the
matter. Amer rushing inside the church
they could no longer hear the cutlery aud
therefore returned to the sidewalk. when
they discovered that the scream came FROM
the belfIy at the corner. Re entering thew
met Thomas W. Piper, the chuich sexton,
of whom they demanded the keys to the
door leading TO the belry. He stated that
had no keys 10 tina: door, aud had had none
since last winter. On learning this they
mounted the stairs 10 the gallery, where
they met with an obstacle in the shape Of
the firmly locked door leading 10 the room
below the belfry. Bursting the door, as the
screams from above continued to pierce
their ears, they rushed up another flight Of
stairs and finding nobody there, they
climbed the ladder. aud pushing open the
extremely heavy trap door, which was un-
ioNhOht N oIcNAhtlt W az itNtdlttl "
their gaze. Before them WAS the little girl,
lying close to the trap, on her face. which
was covered with blood. From time to
time, she uttered shrek as though in ~
full agony. Two of the men took her up
carefully and, carrying her down the lad
der and staircase, they conveyed her first
to the nearest drug store and af1erward
took her home TO her mother. Upon an
examination Of the room beneath the belfry,
pool of blood was discovered on the floor
near the window. In other parts Of the
| little room. spots of blood were found
which had the appearance of being spat-
tered by heavy blows. Near the pool of
blood, concealed by a piece ofboIrd, an ordi-
nary cricket bat, about three feet in length
was found with stains of blood upon it
near the end. This bat, as subsequent in
vestigation proved was one used by the
boys OF the Sunday school while out on
picncs, and had been kept in the vestry.
where ii was known to have been at noon,
| Sunday.
The arrest by Chief Savage of the sexton
| of the church, Thomas Piper. followed
shortly after the discovery oil the affair.
There is evidence sufficient to induce the
belief that it will test the capacity OF
the highest legal talent TO bring him ont
clear. He denied that he had the key to the
door that led to the berry. Two keys on
his bunch, found on his person, unlock ed
the door. He stated that he was not in the
habit Of going there aud had no occasion
for key. He has offered recently to sup
ply party with squads from the belfry.
There are other circumstances which
strengthen the suspicion of his guilt.
That child Of such tender age should
tempt tue evil passions Of any one wearing
the form of manhood seems Incredible, hut
upon no other theory can the presence of
the child in that belfry be accounted for.
The wicked intent, however, which led to
this horrid but not greater crime was not
contaminated. The child fingered in an
unconscious state until Monday evening.
| when she died.