Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-05-13
FREEMAN'S CRIME.
The Religious Frenzy that Leads Him to
XII His Child.


The somewhat meagre details already pubs
lished of tho murder of little Edith Free
man, at Pocasset, Massachusetts,, on Thurs
day morning week, gavo only faint and
somewhat incorrect Impressions of the act
ITSELF and of tho influences and circumstan>
ces that made it possible. Even the local
authorities, when their attention was first
called to the crime, believed that Charles +.
freeman, The father, when he raised the bed
clothes and thrust knife to the heart of his
sleeping child. must have been irresponsible
for what he did, but the developments of to-
day show that if Freeman were insane, so
were his wife and twenty others, men and
women of hitherto irreproachable character,
although more or less ignorant, for legally
the wife aud mother was equally the mur>
derer OF the child and the other villagers re-
ferred to the accessories after the fact. DIR.
Smith, the medical examiner of the county.
is inclined TO think that the peculiar reli
gious sect who believe with the Secoud.Ad-
ventists in the immediate personal coming of
Christ and was also, as distinguished from
many people of that faith, believe 10 revela-
tions and miracles and signs, have, in the
murder of Edith Freeman, resched the eli
max toward which their views naturally de-
velo2cd
freeman says-and his wife. whose faith
in her husband seems to surpass even her
trust in her religion, corrOborates him-that
the revelation camo to him suddenly tw"
weeks ago that this sacrifice was the death OF
a member of his family and ut his hnnds
His family was his wife-a tall, slender,
blue>eyed woman Of thirty, whom lie married
ten years ago-and his two daughters, Bcs>
sic born in 1872 and Edith, two years later.
1t Is ad mittcd thnt he has been kind hus
b nj and loving father and he has APP
reared almost TO idoize little Edith; yet he
tells his wife that the revelations calls upon
him to sacrifice some member of his family.
They pray together; they ask in their petit
ton that SO great test OF their faith may
not be required OF them. They seem to have
talked it over as they would any matter of
mutual concern. He even limited something
of it to his believers, aud now says he
prayed that fany life were required his own
might be that one, but it is unquestionsble
that he intended to become an tincrant
preacher, or,as he prefers to call it, proph-
ct, there is some doubt expressed to the
tervency of such prayer, if it was ever
made.
Freeman says he knew that the further
revelation would come that indicate the mem.
Der of his family whose death was required,
and that he and his wife waited patiently to
receive it. 1t came, to continue his story,
wholly corroborated by his vile, in the dead
of the night of Wednesday, or perhaps just
after midnight on Thursday morning. Then
he suddenly awakened, aud the revelation
that be received was that his baby, Edith,
blue>eyed fair, and brown.haired girl, must
be offered up as sacrifice. He at once
awoke his wife and told her of his commits
al f0r,
the stronger. She had been able to talk
vaguely about the loss of her children, but
when she was brought face to face with it, at
first she protested Freeman says that she
begged him not to do it. She pleaded, so he
told DR.. Orr, who subsequently, had talk
with him-with the tears streaming down
her cheeks, for the life OF her darling Edith.
"But talked with her" says Freeman. 81
told her that We would not risk the dispea.
sure of God, and when l persuaded her that
Edith would either be restore to US in three
days or else would be translated, then she as
sented She saw that it was a divine COM
mand." Freeman also says that he knet by
tho bedside and prayed, while great drops of
sweat stood upon bis forehead, that the test
of his faith might not be required. Then, as
he expresses it, his soul was filled with peace
and he prepared with his wife to make the
sacrifice.
81 had hopes" he said to one gentleman
on the cars on Friday, "when l went to the
shed to ge. the knife that God would stay
my hand, as He did Abraham's as he was
about to offer up Isaac, but l determined if
my hand was not stayed to make the sacrifice
as gently as possible, SO that my idol would
pass away without suffering" Mrs. Free
man, who now recalls the event without the
slightest appearance of suffering, lighted
lamp and placed it on chair by the bedside
where the two daughters were sleeping
Then she leaned over Edith, who was sleep
ing on the outside of the bed, and, lifting
Bessie in her arms, took her away to her own
chamber. Freeman then turning down the
bed clothes and raising little Edith's arm. so
that nothing might interfere with the blow,
raised the knife. Il held it minute or
two" he said, " hoping that should receive
the call to stay my hand ; hut did not
The blade penetrated the heart, passing be-
tween the fifth and sixth ribs. The little
girl opened her eyes and fixed them on her
father. lie says she murmured, "Oh, papa"