Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1878-10-29
Horrible DenraritY.

The frequency of horrible murders In this
State Conn. during the last twelve months
attracts those who believe in the cpl
demic theory Of crime. In Bridgeport
one murderer has just been sent to prison
for life, and another sentenced to be
hanged. In Norwich four persons charged
with murder are or have recently been
before the courts. The excitement over
the Standard case has not died away.
Now comes a most horrible story from
Bridgeportof the murder Of an inofensive
man for the price which his body might
bring when sold for dissection This muir
der occurred on July ~, and was discov-
cred by single chain of circumstances
About two weeks ago western man
stopped at street letter-box in Bridge
port to put in letter. His pocket-book,
from which he had taken-a postage-stamp,
he carelessly left on the box. After he
had gone, two girls saw Frank Bassett,
dissolute man who had charge Of a coast
wise sloop, take it. They complained and
he was caught in New London, where he
had gone on the sloop with his mistress,
Elizabeth Alexander. He was brought
back and locked up. He at once sold
what furniture he had in Bridgeport, to
get money to replace the POO which had
been in the pocket-book When his mis-
tress came home was angry, because
he had sold what she considered hers,
and she limited to the City Attorney that
she could hang Bassett The officers then
got this story out of her :-"On July nth,
Frank Wembacker, also known as John
Rufus and Suffering Jack, a sailor, was
taken by Bassett into their rooms and
given supper. After supper, as he lay
aSleep, ,Bassett chloroformed him to death,
and threatenedto kill her if she interfered.
He, then cut off the clothes and shoes,
and crowded the body into -four barrel,
which he rolled into corner Of the room.
The next day he put Into wagon, and,
with the woman, drove to this city, when
he compelled her 10 go into DR.. III.
Sandford's house and off it to him for $3o,
for use in Yale Medical School. As she
had no certificate Of death. DIR. Sandford
would not have anything to do with it.
Supposing the body. had been snatched,
he waned her undo any mischief she
might have done, and she went away
The pair went TO Birmingham, crossed the
Housatonic river, and carried their awful
freight down four miles. on the way from
the lower town Of Skelton to bridgeport.
Bassett rolled the barrel down raYine
sixty feet deep and went home. This story
she told on Saturday, with full particulars.
On Sunday the officers came here went
over the route In the ravine they found
the barrel, with Suffering Jacks decofn-
posing head sticking out Of one end oft
They took it to bridgeport. Her story
about the place where the clothes were
buried, and where the empty chloroform
bottle was to be found was substantiate in
all particulars. Bassett, who is in jail for
theft, was not told of the new charge
against him until to-day when he charged
his mistress with the murder Thereupon
bench warrants were issued for both, and
both viii answer for the awful crime be-
fare the Supreme Court. a corners jury
began an Investigation to-day, and pro-
ceeded to establish the boJy's identity by
several witnesses. His e1S,hss, exhunned
from the spot where Bassett had buried
them, were easily identified. When Slut
tering Jack disappeared he had about So
III his pocket aud had just returned rom