The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-27
THE PETBRsHAM MURDERER.
Frost's Thrilling story Of his Guiit-A shock.
ing spectacle at the Hanging.

WORCESTER. May 26.-Samuel j. Frost
was hanged at 1890 A. NJ. to-day, at the county
jail In this city, for the murder Of his wife's
brother, Franklin p. Towne The murder was
committed In Petersham on sunday, July 4,
1875, In the barn on the farm owned by Towne
The motive was to secure property aud money.
After doing the deed Frost went TO the house
and assisted bis vile to get the children, four
in number, ready for church, and, after they
had gone, he returned TO the barn and buried
the body. The hired men believed there was
something wrong, and tbs: the story OF Frost
thai Iowne had gone to California was not cor
rect. About week after Towne's disappear
ance they noticed that they were closely watched
by Frost. At about the same time they discov-
cred what appeared 70 be a grave under the
barn. They probed the grave with an iron bar,
and terrible odor arose. On July 81 others
visited the barn cellar and made similar prob
inRs With the same result. On the night OF
July 2 Frost was out all night. Oxen were
heard treadlng about on the farm during the
night The next day the grave was empty.
AGAIN ooScEALISo THE BODY.
II was subsequently discovered that the body
had been buried IN the edge OF swamp, near
the house. in shallow grave. On June 20
Samuel UPTON lcoloredJ one Of the nred men.
saw swarms OF flies hovering about the SPOT
buried there, de ermlned to make known his
suspicious, aud hsyea search made the next
DAY. mat evening frost lett Tue mouse Win "A
knife and pail, and was gone all night. 1t seems
that he removed the BODY OF Iowne, cut II into
pieces, aud buried IL In a cornhed. Frost was
subsequently discovered digging In the corn
field by Upton. Soon afterward UPTON found
piece u sackinR protrudlng from the ground.
Not wishing TO attract Frosts attention, he
marked the spot, and that night, with others,
went to the place, and the sacklng was gone.
hile looking for traces OF II, they heard some
thing fall In another part OF the field. They
went In that direction and soon found the trunk
Of a human body, terribly manRed, and tied in
ne he All u Ia
other part OF the field, but the legs are stll
missing, and the murderer refused up to the
last moment to tell where they were con
ceaed.
THE DEFENCE
After the discovery OF tho body the Sheriff
| was summoned, and Frost was arrested. AT the
trial the defence admitted the killing Of Towne.
| but claimed that II was done In self-deience.
| OF the murder tue men were on friendly terms
with each other that In all alteration IN the
| with piece OF iron; and that when he found
that rowne was dead he was allied with eismav.
| aud thought only OF conceaiing the evidence OF
| barn cellar, and afterward, finding that the
burial place had been visited by some ono other
than himself, cut uD the body, placed II In
sacks and removed 1t 10 the corn field, where IL
was found buried. The defense would deny
That the body was buried at az IN tne swamp,
and asked the jury TO separate the events after
| the murder; the insults TO the corpse from the
| murder itself
| Probably there never was q more tragic and
| Thrilling scene witnessed In court room than
| on the occasion when Frost gave his story OF the
tragedy for which he executed. When
! he entered the witness stand the interest, curl
| Ostty, and excitement In the case reached a
| climax. lie stood witness for over tn ee
| hours, and his demeanor during that time was
| marked by an edrnestncss which was almost
| painful to observe. AT times. especially IA the
| skull Of the murdered man was placed before
| him, he showed deep feeling; at other times he
told his story with such an absence OF hesitatiu IN
! and with such aviditY as to cause his hearers TO
! give but little credence TO II. All his answers
| were clearly given, and he often stepped from
| the stand TO illustrate the positions OF the
murderer aud hi, victim during that TAT Il
! struggle in the barn. HIS testimony was as fol-
| lows:
| FROsTs THRILLING STORY or THE MURDER.
| was miiktug heifcr In the barn, Mr.. Towne
cam along aud stops oesile Of rs, gnd SAYS " lgn,
-aid lie put Lis LEFT hand on the pail dnd his rsht
! iani on my LETT shoulder. reschfd down and took
nlI ui The BOX. lie lre1 10 pm the pail away. ucld
to 10 aud tiicd to Keep ~ from NM lie pushed me-
AID tll ovtr anu hrad struck on tue rlanehon.
tolI Inn to let me up and he SAID q" Let 20 the pail
| ucu'
| G.-N u.re Was hc2 A. lie was down, holding on t.
! me II. tOuld not get his mana down to smut on nlj
| Wlnd.
Here the prisoner hesitated and said he wou d
| rather not tell the exact words that followed
| but counsel insisted. and Frost went on;
laid Get of Of ne, damned quick 3" ne said, a" No
mn yOu let 20 the pail" sad, " shant 10 mat unli
wien vas In the rick, but let e. because couldn't ge
II out linen got holI o. another, when Nas cane,
lie ttlc bOysbt sites" from the boys USING II fo
a b4t suck. raised my hand up 50 dlustratln-l an,
asau sng hit hun assln. Then bFouglI nup agai