Daily Kennebec journal., 1875-03-27
THE EAST BOSTON MURDER.

~SN'~N
murder as follows;
Mrs Margaret Bingham, wife of the late Samuel
Bingham, deceased about four years since, was
found dead at quarter-past eight Monday even
ing in the cellar of her house, 81 Webster street,
in condition that suggested that brutal deed
had been committed. Mrs. Bingham lived with
her mother Mrs. Sarah Lovejoy. AT two o'clock
in the afternoon Mrs. Bingham was not seen about
the house and her mother supposed her to be at
one Of the ncighbors, or away on some errand.
At four o'clock Mrs. Lovejoy descended to the
first floor of the house, as it seems the sitting
room was on the second floor, and found the out
side door and the doors leading to the cellar open
Nothing was thought Of this occurrence, and the
doors were closed, and Mrs. Loyejoy returned to
the stting-room. At about eight o'clock in the
evening Mrs Lovejoy went to the cellar for coal
and there found here daughter lying lieless upon
| the cellar bottom.
| When the body was first discovered the family,
and even the family physician, who was calico
did not for moment entertain the idea that
| crime had been committed 1t was thought that
Mrs. Bingham had fallen in fit and in her convul-
sions filed her mouth with the gravel and inflicted
maintained by those who were acquainted with
cases of spasms, that the condition of the body
was natural result Of such physical disability,
but the facts that to light through the inves
ton and autopsy determined beyond doubt that
Mrs. Bingham was murdered.
| Con Monday she was in the city proper and pur-
chased four tickets Mrs. Bingham visited other
places and reached home between twelve and one
o'clock. While she was away she ordered at Dr.
Foltz's some medicine for her sister, and at
| half-pa two o'clock the doctors daughter
carried the medicine to the house. Mrs. Bingham
answ cred her ring, and the doctors daughter re-
mained in the house about half an hour. About
past three or four the door-be rang again, to
which Mrs. Bingham also responded, and was
not seen again alive. At half.past four Miss
Adelaide Lovejoy descending to the hall in re-
sponse to third ring of the bell, found the outer
door open and a wash-woman with clothes for a
gentleman who roomed in the house. Mrs. Bing-
ham was missed but was supposed to be at
neighbor's. Mrs. Loyejoy was away in the after
noon, but returned in the evening, and on going
to the cellar for coal and wood found Mrs. Bins-
ham as has been already stated.
How Mrs Bingham met her death excited q
| good deal of speculation. She was called down
stairs from the company Of her sister about half
past three by the ringing of the door bell. Miss
| Lovejoy desired to answer the summons, as she
thought her sister must be tired from her trip to
| the city, but was prevented by Mrs Binghams s
stepping out of the room quickly and light
| ly exclaiming that she was not at all fatigued.
When she had gone Miss Lovejoy seated herself
at the piano and did not take especial notice OF
her sisters protracted absence, thinking she had
stepped in to her brothers house next door or one
of the neighbor's. At half-past four o'clock the
bell rang again and then Miss Lovejoy was the
only one in the house to answer the call. On 60
F! ing down she discovered the front door was open
and that postal card Or letter had been pushed
under the vestibule door. She was little sur
prised at this and still more so to see the doors
leading to the rear part of the house also open,
bu. anxiety concerning her sisters absence was
| not aroused. Then at eight o'clock her body was
found in the cellar. How she came in the cellar
was mystery. 1t was supposed that man called
under pretence of examining the gas meter or
| water pipes and that she went down cellar with
him. On this point the Boston journal says:
GLOW came Mrs. Bingham down stairs in the
| cellar NAV never be known, but those who have
given the subject careful study will find that facts
already known support this construction. She
probably met him as he stepped into the vestbule,
as she promptly ran to the door ON the ringing OF
the bell. His looks would not excite suspicion,
and she would have been inclined to believe him
| if he had said that his crrand there was to see
their gas meter. Now this fixture was in the front
part Of the cellar, where even in the day time 1t IS
quite dark and it would have suggested itself to
Mrs. Bingham that the man would need hight.
That BOTH either this or some other man, went
down cellar together there is no doubt that they
| went to the gas meter, in place where no human
voice could be heard, either on the street or up IN
the second story where Miss Lovejoy was, is
equally true, for in that part the body is found
there by its side is picked up small lamp, and di-
rectly Before the gas meter, distinctly imprinted in
the earth and decayed boards that had formed the
flooring, were seen the traces Of heavy mans
boot and of her own as she probably held the
lamp for him to see the figures on the dial. few
feet off are the marks of their struggle. A piece
of the old flooring is broken under where the body
was found, and earth mixed with bits Of coal and
powdered wood strewn where the head laid.
The lamp itself tells story. 1t was common
metallic one and the oil from it had flown out upon
some pieces Of board. Had that not been sudden
ly put out there would have been signs of fire,
but it was doubtless extinguished by the one blow
which the fiend could see to deal to Mrs. Bingham
and so could do no harm. The mother says when
she first saw her deceased daughter there she i'm
spined that veil had been thrown over the face,
but this proved to be thick layer of dirt and all
Of four handsful of the same was stuffed into the
month and throat and was brushed off. How any
one not distracted by the terrible sight could have
haard even of this Of the fact that the handle Of
silver spoon was broken in digging the earth out
of the mouth and not know that murder had been
this the water upstairs in the kitchen was found
running, and in ike sink ashes and dirt, which
must have come from the cellar There the muir
derer washed his hands before he rushed from the
house. Whatever conclusion as to the time OF the
| murder is arrived at, there is no doubt but what
| the person committing twas man, heavy man !;
that he made false excuse to go to the cellar, for
what purpose no one knows; it may have been to
gain knowledge Of the premises; that he saw
the diamond ring, and for that and the three other
| rngs--the marriage ring, a hair one and garnet
one-the deed was done; that he knocked her
down with his fist, strangled her with his left hand
| TO prevent outcry, while with his knees upon her
| he took her life and wrenched the valuable rings
| from her hands and then washed his own hands
as referred to-.
Wednesday afternoon intelligence was received
from Salem that the rings taken from the hand of
Mrs. bingham had been offered for sale in Salem,
and purchased by the one 10 whom they were
offered for $l4.50. One of the rings was sold to
Robert Laughlin, saloon keeper. and the other
to William Mahoney of Peabody. The man who
had the rings, was stranger in the place and gave
his name George johnson. In signing the receipt
be made his mark. Both the rings were recovered
by the Salem officers, and are now in the hands of
Officer Wood The saloon keeper it seems was an
ohs man nd WAS able give minute dis