The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-14
PHAIR's CASE,
Letter From a Woman Who Believes Him
Innocent-The Efficacy Of Prayer-Her
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. to DO Answered, Etc.

1
l did not read but very little about him at
all. But l was prejudiced against him by
constantly hearing people say he was the
murderer of Mrs. Freeze. Two or three
days before the day set for his execution l
asked God in my morning and evening
prayers if that doomed man was innocent
to stretch forth Ills mighty arm of strength
and save him before the executioner's ak I!
Gods mighty arm did save him and John
=. Phair lives to.dayl | wish to ask with
my hand resting upon this Holy Book,
Most Merciful Father, prove this mans
entire innocence before this preiudlced
people.
Truth and justice will prevail
Innocence shall be established !!
have perused his account of himself,
and believe he is an innocent man of that
crime. l believe he is innocent as the child
yet unborn.
Why was it, that our police and detec-
tives (?) never took single step towards
the arrest of that artist, Sargents, on
Center street, who left Rutland 80 sudden
ly on the morning of the murder of Mrs.
Freeze.
Mr.. Editor, was there not report at the
time that he, Sargent's, wanted 10 borrow
two hundred dollars Of Mrs. Freeze two or
three days before the murder?
Was there not report that morning of
the murder that somebody said that they
saw footprints leading from Mrs. Freezes
back door made by some one in their stock
ing feet. Was there not report that
morning that Sargents left that he Dor
rowed a satchel and left it open at a saloon
and while he was gone some one looked in
it and saw rair of stockings wet with
mud and on his return for it
he said in very excited man
ner, Goods cake ! l would not have
left this satchel here for five hundred dol
lars if l had known - Don't those muddy
stockings and that excited remark point
with finger as red as blood towards that
man Sargents as the perpetrator of the muir
der?
Why did that chambermaid say his bed
at the Berwick was not tumbed and when
to-day they say he did stop there?
Why did that girl (whose name cannot
now remember) who resides at Walling-
ford, who said she was going eff to be mar
ried on the morning Of the murder, when
they told her that Mrs. Freeze was MUIR
dered, why did she turn as white as o
sheet ?
Truth and justice will prevail. Gods
mighty arm of strength will yet trace out
out with finger dipped in the blood OF the
murdered victim, like the fiery fusee that
creeps steadily on to tue magazine and
great will be the explosion here in Rut-
land.
Editors Of THE GLOBE. l have Just read
in your weekly Of the 133t, if i. had not
been for the similarity of the handwriting
with which it was followed up, it would
not have carried much weight.
Don't you suppose any man could study
and get an almost exact copy of yours as
as any one else hand writing, in less time
THAI one hour ? Don't you believe that
murder was premeditated and contrived
cut and dried, to throw the consequences
on Phair ? Why did that man Sargents
leave so suddenly ? Can you or our police
| give reasonable answe ?
The writer of this feels rs if this right
hand was guided by Gods hand who doeth
all things well.
Truth will prevail. The murder will
out.
| Mr. Meyer Abrams Statement
Mr.. Meyer Abrams, the pawnbroker,
with whom the watch and chain of Mrs.
Freeze were left on the oh of June,
1874, made a statement 10 Boston Globe
representative Thursday regarding bis tes-
timony in the case. lie wished to repel
the insinuation that he had any pecuniary
or other purpose to gain or was influenced
| hu nuttipey lint q haaira IN, al In
He says that he received no part of the re-
ward, and knew nothing of il, when be
first identified the man. He paid his own
expenses on his two trips TO Vermont and
during the week of the trial, besides aacr-
ficing his time and business, and received
less than $25 from the stste, and nothing
from any other source. He suffered loss
of at least 800. He says he recalls the
incidents OF the case very distinctly. The
man who came into his shop on the after
noon of June 8, 1874, and lett the watch
and chain which afterwards proved to be
those of Mrs. Freeze, talked with him some
| fifteen or twenty minutes, and finally in
duced him to advance fully as much as the
articles were worth by telling him that he
had just come from the west with his sister
and two children, was stopping at the
Adams house, bad no money and was
anxious to reach his friends in Yer
mont. He finally gave the man $35
on the watch and chain, though they were
scarcely worth that money. II was then
$50 o'clock, as the entry in his books
shows. 1t was the Saturday after that the
officers came to his shop and inquired if a
lady's small gold enamelled watch and
chain had been LETT with him. He answered
that they had, and showed them. He was
then asked to describe the man who left
them, and did so infinitely. "Thats the
man" exclaimed the officers. They did
not then know the number of the watch,
but obtained it by telegraph, and came
back. They then asked him If he could
identify the man who left it, lie said he
could. They urged him to go to Rutland
that very Light for the purpose. lie was
reluctant to do this, but knowing that he
could be compelled TO go, and that it would
be better for him TO so willingly, he con-
sented. No photograph of Phsir WAS
shown him, and no description given. He
arrived in Rutland at 2 o'clock in the morn
ing, was called up at G, before the people
OF the village were stirring, to 60 to the
| jail. Some fifteen prisoners, including Phair,
were in large room, and be was put in
with them, the officer of the Jail remarking
as he entered, "Here is new prisoner for
you." lie walked about among the prison.
ers few minutes, looked at Phair careful
ly, and positively identified him as the man
who had given his name as L. +. Smith at
his shop. He was then allowed to return
to Boston. Afterwards, at the inquest, he
recognized the mans voice the moment he
heard it, and then, and all through the sub.
sequent trial, he felt no uncertainty on the
subject. He did not think it quite fair to
use the term "Jew pawnbroker," as it
to be relied on. He had no motive at any
time except to give honest testimony,
which the law required of him. So far as
the oath was concerned, 1t was no more
Christian than Jewish, and Just as binding
on his conscience as anybody's. Moreover,
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