The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-02-02
A MYSTERIOUS TRAG EDY.


murder briefly mentioned by the telegraph: /
A murder was committed on Friday MORN !
ing in an old homestead near here, which |
for shocking brutality and terrible wicked |
ness is hardly parslleled in the criminal his /
tory of the state. The house is about two
miles from Piermout Village. and nearly the !
same distance from Bradford, VT. The
victim was, before her marriage, only
month ago, 70 John p. Emerson, Miss Alma
Merrill, and she belonged to one OF the best
families in town. She was born in oxford,
but had spent the greater part of her life In
f1iermondt, where she had good educational
advantages, and the past six years she had
been employed on the Boot corporation In
Lowell. She was woman of prepos sessing
appearance, little below medium
height. She was in the 18th year
OF her age. The family consisted OF
Mr.. Emerson and wife and Moses b.
Sawyer. On Friday morning, at little past
TO- a terrible explosion took place In the
house. Mr.. Emerson heard 1T at his barn
distinctly, and started at once for his dwell
ing. The nearest neighbor, John Flanders,
about 40 rods northward, also heard II
plainly. Mr.. Emerson went through his
dooryard where be saw Mr.. Sawyer at
work Coming to the house, he opened the
door leading into the kitchen, and Tor
moment stood almost paralyzed at the sight.
Then he raised his arms and gave shrek OF
anguish and rushed to the street crying,
| ssMy wifer' "My wife!" and appearing al
most like maniac. Sawyer exclaimed, "ls
she dead?" and went quickly into the house.
In chair by the stove was
THR HEADLEss BODY OF MRS. EMERSON.
About three feet from her and lying on the
floor was heavy double barreled shot gun,
the muzzle pointing toward the chair. Al
most the entire head and neck were blown
from the body. All that remained was a
small portion of the lower jaw, which hung
upon her breast, and small remnant of the
neck near the back bone, not over an inch in
width. From this headless body blood was
squirting in copious streams, and gathering
in pools on the floor. The head was almost
wholly blown to atoms, and scattered ON the
ceiling and west and south walls of the
room. The largest portion of the head
found was piece OF skull about three inches
, in length by two in width, which had passed
through window, breaking place OF its
exact size in the glass and lodging in the
door-yard, some ten feet from the house, and
within about that distance were sawyer was
/ at work. On the stove, ceiling, walls and
2 floor were scattered blood, flesh aad hair,
: forming a scene CHASTITY and revolving TO all
who witnessed it. The body rested in the
chair natural as in life. The feet were
on the fender of the stove; one hand
9 held piece of cloth, while the
!, other grasped a needle and thread as
if to take another stitch in the work. The
q position of the body showed Enthusiastically
:. that not a movement occurred after the
4. | weapon was fired.
y Tue news of the tragedy spread with won
derful rapiditY, and the house was ere long
thronged with many people. Many came
a from neighboring towns, and before dark
Is hundreds had visited the scene. Sawyer
A appeared wonderly calm and collected. He
n said that Emerson went into the house a lit
tie while before the explosion was heard
and that he was the last to enter the house
/ before the murder occurred. Sawyer talked
70 freely about the matter, but
SHOWED GREAT INDIFFERENCE.
e In the afternoon Deputy Sheriff Newell wen
to Piermont and arrested Sawyer. He man
. ifested no surprise, and said he expected it
and was willing TO go. When the officer pu
q the handouts upon him the prisoner sale
If there was no need of it, as he should no
run away. The crime was no sooner dis
1T covered than suspicion fastened upon Saw
ID yer, and the excited throng at the house
g. freely expressed the opinion that he wa
{, guilty. Just before the officer left will
N Sawyer some men from Bradford, Vt.
proposed that he be lynched, and
r at one time, it was feared tina
ie oner from the sheriff, but wiser counsel pre-
ID vailed, and he was taken to Haverhill Jail
De Emerson, who was almost insane yesterday
was taken to his fathers last evening. Hi.
D. reason Is almost dethroned, and he can Civ
no intelligent account OF the affair. Last even
~ ing a post norton examination was made
= and the body was found to be in perfectl,
natural and healthy condition. 1t is believed
ne that Sawyer took the gun and went into tn
1e kitchen on bis way out of the house.
a. is believed that he sat down on the lounge
ne nearly in the rear of the victim. He then
lie most likely, pretended to be examing th
weapon, and then, at favorable oppOr
le tunity, suddenly sprane up, and placing th
zt muzzle of the gun close to the woman'
head, discharged it. Then he must hav
Vi placed the weapon on the floor, and then re
Ill turned to the yard and resumed his work
ed There was but little flesh or blood thrown
On into that portion of the room where he woul'
be have been standing. On his coat, however
there were
he FOUND FEW SPOTS
O. resembling blood. Sawyer said they wer
I'd caused by cider being spilled on the garment
lie The coat will be sent to Boston to be exam
n, ined by chemist. Sawyer is a native G
' y; Newburyport, Mass, and SO years old. II
70 is unmarried, and his parents are not living
al He has two brothers in Lowell who kee
a carriage repository. He ha
,,v brothers and sisters in Amesbury
=. Mass, and brother in law il
lis New York City. He is a blacksmith b,
% trade, and worked many years on carriage
a in Amesbury. or late years he has travele
lie a good deal in Massachusetts, selling vehi
700 cles at times. During the past four years b
Is. has been ia Lowell portion of the time il
he the employ of Dr. Wellman Jenness. Will
IRIS in that city he became intimately &C
re- uuainted with Mr.. Emerson and with tn
murdered woman. He came to New Ham
80 pshire to visit them, and to find empIoymen
VI for the winter. He dresses with neatness
'te appears quite intelligent, and has not
,et criminal appearance,