The New York herald., 1875-01-24
A NEW HAMPSHIRE HORROR.
A Young Married Woman Shot Dead in
Her Own House.
A TERRIBLE AND MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.
An Old Man Of Sixty Suspected and Ar.
rested for the Murder.


Emerson, wife OF John o. Emerson. of Piermont.
was seated at the stove with her sewing. Her
husband was at the barn doing his chores, but,
hearing the report OF a gun, he started for the
house and beheld hts wife sitting just as he had
left her, except that her head had been severed
IRON the body and blown entirely to pieces, cover
ing the further SIDE OF the room with 1esh. blood
and brains Part oil the skull went through a
pane of glass, and with such force as
only to break a hole the size Of the piece
sent through. gun lay upon the noor
by her slde but her position showed that she
could not have used ii, she holding her needle as
II about to take another stitch Ia her work, her
spool and scissors remaining in her lap. II Is not
known that any one was about the premises ex-
cept an old man named sawyer, some sixty years
OF age, who has6been arrested on suspicion.
THE VICTIM OF THE MURDER
was before marriage Miss Alma Merrill, and be-
longed to one OF the best families in town. She
was born in Oriord, but had spent the greater
part OF her life in Piermont, where she had good
educational advantages. For the past six
years she had been employed on the Boott
Corporation in Lowell. She Is described
by all who knew her as a woman Of prepossessng
appearance and Of many good qualities Of mind
and character. She was little below medium
height, with light eyes and clear complexion. ln
figure she was slender and very graceful. Since
her late return 10 Piermont a bride she has
taken an active part in the social gatherings OF
the neighborhoOd and had won many friends.
With tact and good taste sne had made her own
home pleasant and attractive to all who ever VS.
tied 1t. She was in the twenty fifth year OF her
age. The family consisted OF Mr.. Emerson and
wife and Moses B. Sawyer.
THE SUPPOSED MURDERER.
The history Of the latter is very important. as he
is native of Newburyport, Mass, and flty.nine
years DID, He is unmarried and his parents are
not living He has two brothers in Lowell. who
keep carriage repository. He has brothers and
sisters In Amesbury, Mass, ana q brotherln.law
in New York City. He Is q blacksmith by trade and
worked many years on carriages In Amesbury. or
late years he has travelled good deal in Massa-
chusetts, selling vehicles at times. During the
past four years he has been IN Lowell portion OF
the time, 10 the employ OF Dr. Welman Jsnness.
While in that city he became tntimae ely acquainted
woman. He came 10 New Hampshire to visit them
and to find employment for the winter He Is OF
gray hair aud beard. lie dresses win neatness,
appears quite Intelligent and has not criminal
appearance.
occurred early III the forenoon. The weather
was stormy, and neither Emerson nor sawyer
went far away from home. After breakfast
Emerson made a pleasant remark 10 his wife
and kissed her and then went out to look after
his cattle. 1t is not supposed that ne ever saw
her alive again. Sawyer at the same time went
into the dooryard to cut wood. In the meantime
Mrs. Emerson performed her ordinary household
duties CT the morning and thea sat down
by the fire. III her cOsey Kitchen, to do some sew
ing. The view looking out OF doors was desolate
looked tidy ana pleasant Conspicuous on the
wall near her was the motto, "GOd Bless Our
peace and Wss A @ e er
bic explosion took place IN tue house. Mr. Liner-
son heard 1t at his barn distinctly, aud started at
once for his dwelling The nearest neighbor John
flanders, about forty rods northward, also heard
it plainly. Mr. Emerson went through his DOOR
yard-where he saw Mr.. sawyer at work-to the
house. He opened the doOt leading into the
Kitchen, and Tor moment stood
ALMOST PARALYZED AT THE SIGHT,
Then he raised his arms and gave "a shrek or
anguish and rushed to the street crying, My
wiie!' ''My wife!' and appearing almost like
maniac. sawyer exclaimed, 'ls She deadlf ana
went quickly into the house. The scene presented
was enough to slcken and appa the stoutesr
heart Words cannot aGequatel, describe IT, In
u chair by the stove WAS the headless body Of
Mrs. Emerson. About three feet from her. and
eed sns e Shotgun. the mazzs Ss pcnS toward
the chair. Almost the entire head and neck
were blown from the body; all that re-
NAMED was small portion OF the lower Jaw
wnicn hung upon her breast, and % small remnan Mt
Of the neck near the backbone, not over an inch
In width. From this headess body blood was
squirting in coplous streams ana gathering III
pools on the floor. Tnc head was almost wholly
blown to atoms and scattered on tue ceiling and
west and south walls o the room. The largest
portion Of TIE head onnd was piece OF skull
about three inches in length by two IN width,
when had passed through Il window, breaking
place OF It's exact size IN the glass aud lodging i'll
the dooryard some ten Ieet rom the house, ana
within about that distance ol where sawyer was
ut work.
TERRIBLE SCENE.
On the stove ceiling, walls and floor were scat.
tered blood, flesh and hair forming scene gnastlv
and revolving to all who witnessed 1t. The body
rested in the char as natural as II in liie The
1eet were on the tender OF the stove; one hand
neid a piece OF cloth, while the other grasped
needle ana thread as II to take another stitch
IN tue work. The position or the body showed
unmlstak kably that not movement occurred after
the weapon was fired.
Tne ne VS. OF the tragedy spread with wonderful
rapidity, and the house was ere long tnronged
with people. Many came rom the neighborIng
towns, and before dark hundreds had visited the
scene. Inc Selectmen aud physicians were
promptly IN attendance.
SAwYER's STORY AND APPEARANCE
sawyer appeared wonderfully calm and col.
lecied. He SAID tnat Emerson went into the house
little while before the explosion was heard, and
nat the las! 10 te n1use before the
matter, but showed great indifference. In the
afternoon Deputy Snerin Newell went to PiermOns
and arrested Sawyer. He manifested no surprise,
and said he expected it, and was willing to go.
Wnen the oricer put the nandcuffs upon him inc
prisoner SAID there was need ofit ior he should
not run away. The crime was no sooner dis.
covered tnan suspicion fastened upon SAWYER:
the opinion that he was guilty.
THREATENED LYNCuISG.
Just before the oncer lett with sawyer some
nnched, ana at one time 1t was feared that an at
tempt would be made to take the prisoner rom
the Sheriff OUT wiser counsel prevailed, and he
was taken to Havcrnill JAN. 1t ls expected that
he will be arragned to-day Saturday.
THE BEREAvED HUSBAND.
Emerson, who was almost INSANE yesterday, was
taker to his fatners last evening. HIS reason Is
almost deLhrOned and he can give no intelligent
account OF the affair. He has the full sympathy OF
the community.
POST MORTEM.
Last evening post-mortem examination was
made and the Dody was fOund to be IN perfectly
natural ana healthy condition.
TIE PUBLIC BELIEF.
The theory or tile public In regard to the crime
is Jhat sawyer was the murderer. The shotgun
was loaded and in u front room Of the house, a1-
Joining the Kitchen. IL Is believed that sawyer
took the gun and went into the Kitchen on his
way out Oh the house, ostensibly i0r the
purpose OF Killing CAL IL Is be-
nearly IN the rear OF his victim. He then most
likely pretended TO Dc examining the weapon,
aud at a favorable opportunity suddenly sprang
up, and placing tue muzzle Of the gun ciUse 20
the woman's head, discharged 1t. Tben he must
fho N no fin A..