The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-05-22
FANATIC FREEMAN.
Details or lhe Sacrifice Of = ChIIa by Her
De1uded Father.
Nav York HeraId
New York Herald

The waves lash against Cape Cod this
morning with a dull, dirge-like sound.
a cold east wind sweeps along the inA
dented coast, sending g SILVER Though
the veins and nerves of he hardest fisher
man and farmer. But a stronger shud-
der creeps through the system OF the
fisherman and the farmer as he hears
With bated breath the terrible tale which
comes up from the deserted farm Of
Charles F Freeman, in Pocasset, where
the sacriicial knife cut the knot of life
of beautiful little girl, daughter Of the
crazed murderer. The community js in
a state of the widest excitement over
the tragedy. Little groups of hard
listed farmers and weather beaten sea-
men discuss its details and make their
rude but sensible comments on the
species Of religious mania which drove
a father to wiltfHlly murder his child,
and a mother to approve of the deed.
Freeman was born in Highgate, Vt, in
1876. He is of g light complexion,
medium height, with a pleasant, open
cOuntenance, light blue eyes, which meet
a person with whom he is in conversa-
ton with uuhinching gaze. He worked
at his trade of heeling shoes in Linn for
three years, and in 1874 came to Pocas>
set, where he has been engaged In farm
ing ever since. He served three years in
the army during the war, and was mar,
ried to Miss Hattie R. Ellis, of Pocasset,
in 1868. The result of their union has
been three bright children-Lillian, who
died at the age of two months, in 1870;
Bessie Mildred, the only one now living,
born in 1872, and Edith, the one who,
had she lived, would have been five in
August. He was in moderate circum-
stances at the time of the murder, but
had been IN very poor circumstances for
some time previous. At the age OF
twenty>one ne experienced religion, but
says he wss beat out of it by backsIiding
Christians. In February 1878, he was
converted to Adven tism, and has been q
very earnest worker and speaker for the
cause since and recognized as leader of
the Second Adventists here for over q
year. Mr.. and Mrs. Freeman have
always lived happily together and
idoIjzed the bright children which had
eomtorted them.
On his way to jail he told the story of
the tragedy with a calmness and trust in
his final justification that simply star
tied the bystahdefs. You know" he
said, "that I had a revelation about a
week ago in which the Lord appeared to
me and told me to kill one OF my family
and offer it as sacrifice. Well, he did not
say what one, but on Thursday morning.
on awakening from a sound sleep, some
time about two o'clock, the Lord ap-
peared to me and informed me that the
victim of the sacrifice was my pet, my
idol, my baby Edith. I aWoke my wife
and we talked the matter over and
prayed to the Lord for guidance and
direction, that if it was Gods will that
the cup might pass from me, and ended
by saying, Gods will be done. The
Lord said thai it was necessary, and so I
arose, went out of doors to my shop and
got sheath-knife. l then came in. and
placing the lamp on the chair, near the
bed, I drew back the clothes; raised my
hand to strike the fatal blow, fully CON
WINGED that the Lord would stay nv
hand as BE did with Abraham when
about to offer up his son Isasc but He
did not, and the knife descended. My
darling turned as the knife struck her,
and, lifting her hands and opening her
eyes, said, "Oh, papa" My Oldest
child aweke just as her little sister was
about to be slain, and I sent her to her
mothers room. I struck the deadly
blow as tenderly as l could, and the little
one died with the light OF heaven on her
face. then took the bleeding child in
my arms and wept bitterly. Hay down
with it in bed. 1t seemed as II God had
fOrssken me as ne did Jesus on the cross.
l prayed and wept bitterly, and in the
morning felt gloriously. God rewarded
my soul with light, and I went to the
depot at peace, with God and all the
world l notified the selectmen and
constables to be present in the afternoon,
but none came"
"Do you expect to hang for it?
asked the correspondent.
"No," answered freeman; "God
has commanded me to thus rudelv
awaken the world rom its present con-
dition. and God will justify His servants.
If it had been my vie or the other
child, should lave done the same. l
begged God to take my lie, but that
was not to be. 1 loved the child better
than myself"
You don't feel uneasy at going to
Jail ?"
No, not at ali; why should II"
He said further that he was a second
Abraham, and the feeling gave him great
delight. He loved his child better than
himself, and expected the heavens to fall
rather than that he would be permitted
to kill his dear one. He related the cir
cumstance of the horrible deed, sub.
stantially stated above, and Mrs Free
man gszed rapturously on her husband as
he recited the terrible tale and corrobor-
ated his statements regarding her belief
in this gospel. As he expOunded his
views to the reporter he became very
enthusiastic, finally getting on his knees
Foo - l..
car before many knew who he was, and
was soon addressing the half>hundred
passengers in the car. He said in the
course of his remarks: Either the
child will be raised from the dead in
three days, or she will be translated
bodily to heaven" In his talk he ex-
hibited great familiarity with both the
Old and the New Testament.
One of the strangest features of the
terrible tragedy is the fact that the mem !
beTs of the sect 70 which Freeman be- |
longs, the second Adventists, who were
present at the house by his invitation. |
approved his act, regarding it as the |
result Oft direct revolution. When the |
meeting at Freeman's house On Thurs |
day afternoon was called to order, Mr., |
Freeman said he had a very important |
communication to impart from the Most /
High. The usual praying and singing |
were dispensed with, and Freeman pro.
ceede6 with the recital of his terrible /
crime, giving every point with painful
The Adventists then quietly /
and each kept locked in his /
own breast the awful secret with which /
they were now possessed. Mr.. and Mrs.
Allen z. Davis, both Adventists. re-
manned all last night in the house of the
Freemsns, the latter couple retiring
early and sleeping sOundly, the body OF |