The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-17
THE BOSTON MURDER.
Physicians Declare that Mr.. Frye Did
Not Commit Suicide.
RESULT OF THE AUTOPSY.
Friends Who Claim to Have Noticed
Company" in the House. Il

company IN Inc T7ouse' 4
rA BOSTON. August 1G, 1879.
The mystery which now hangs around the death OF
Mr. Joseph f. Frye far from having been cleared up
in any way, seemssenveopcdun more impenetrahle
cloud than ever. Different parties are coming for
ward with information which seens to have some
bearing upon the matter each bit OF which seems to
be independent fIom the other and very far
from forming = connected story. If the
noise which heard by the Deene street party. in
the vicinity JOY street. at haf-past eleven the
evening when Mr.. Frye met his death. was that of a
pistol then it is fair infer that he killed ut
that moment. and that the report came from the
house in which tho man was struggling for
his life. 1t may. however, be shown that
some one in the vicinity discharged revolver
for harmless purpose, as 1t would hardly seem
possible that the report of weapon OF that sze dis
charged in such room as the one where the body
was discovered would be heard with any degree of
distinctuess unless one standing directly in
front of the house. AS to whether or not q
robbery has been committed it is impossible
to say; but it would hardly seem probable
that such had been the, case, since it
is plainly shown that the parties doing the deed
were not disturbed in their nefarous work and they
would nave C2keu I'LL Stycr ratucr tuuu very
small portion Of it. The fact is that nearly all. il
not the entire portion. of the plate was found
ouched in the open safe, Mrs Frye states that he
was neither inthe habit of carrying any very large
amount of money with him Of keeping it IN
the. safe, and the only thing which can now
be said to be missing from the house is the watch
and chain of the dead man. Even these may not
have stolen the opinion of several is that he
had left be repaired events may prove that
to be the case before many hours.
WHO WERE HIS COMPANY. u s.
That Mr.. Fryes hat. coat and cuffs were found
hanging on rack near the water closet door in the
basement. and have been proven to be the articles
worn by him the fatal day. would lead mp very
pIausiby to the theory that Mr.. Frye did not meet
his death by going to the basement to learn
the cause Of any noise made by burglars.
but that he was murdered by some one
who was in the house with him eleven O'Clock.
when an officer of Division No. heard piano playing
in the parlor of the house aud saw light from the
billiard room above. Mr.. Frye may have been play
ing billiards alone. but he could not been play
ing the piano. as 1t is said by those who knew him
that he was musician. Mr.. Frye was member Of
the Temple Street Methodist Church. aud had q
large circle of friends. For twenty-five years or
more he had lived in Boston and had been engaged
in business here. Up to early manhood he lived in
Salem and educated the public schools in that
city, His parents live at No. 80 Boston street. Salem.
The father is proprietor of bark mill at the
or Grove ana Goodhue streets.
DOCTORS DECLARE WAS MURDERED.
IN reg ard to the autopsy Medical Examiner Draper
called to his assistance DIR. Henry g. Clark and DR..
Bush and about three O'Clock comnar iced an au-
topsy which was not completed until seven O'Clock.
The result showed conclusively thar Mr. Frye had
been murdered, the theory of suicide having been
entirely dispelled by the unanimous opinion of the
three physicians that it impossible for the
wounds to have been self-inhicted The general
condition of Mr.. Fryes health found to be excel
lent and there was every promise of long life.
The wound which caused death produced by
tn pistol shot, which passed directly through the
he art and liver and could not be found by the ply
sicians. The line of this bullet very direct, and
the pistol placed close to Mr.. Frye's left
side when it was discharged. Upon Mr.. Fryes
back his left side, and low down. there
were eight distinct wounds. caused by stabs
from some dull instrument. probably o common
knife four OF which wounds penetrated TO the ntes-
tines. There also serious stabs In the left
side of the chest, and there several superficial
wounds on the neck. near the jugulsr vein. and it
was from those wounds that the blood flowed so
freely On the left side of the head there was very
severe abrasion, which might have resulted from
and which, in the opinion of the physicians, stunned
Mr.. Frye. Although the physicians decline
to express any opinion as to how the MUIR
to leave all such theories to the police,
they do not hesitate to say that when the
bullet entered Mr. Fryes side death instantly fol-
lowed and the probability IL that all the stabs
inflicted before the shot fred The head
resting upon strip Of calico cloth. which it APP
peared to have been carefully laid and this fact
tar toward convincing the officers that the work
that Of some oneprobably well acquainted with Mr..
Frye, and who had adopted this plan to make it ap-
pear that it was q case of suicide.
HIS POCKETS RIFLED.
Under the neck was found silver fruit knife, the
blades Of which closed. 1t at first thought
that the wounds were made by this knife, but the
blades found to be too blunt and dull for the
purpose, and would have bent IL used. The
wounds in the back were grouped together the
lower part of the body, and straight In pene-
rating to q considerable depth as though knife
had bean driven in while the murdered man was
clinched with his assaant They could not have
been selfinficted. but were caused by rapid. vigor
Gus blows with stiletto knife. The shirt collar
and vest of the murdered man were drenchcd in
blood and the diamond bosom stud was hardly
recognizable. The pockets of the vest ried OF
everything of value, and the shirt pulled up out
of the trousers in 'front.' the latter circumstance
going to show that struggle of character
have taken place before Mr. Frye breathed his last
Many friends and acquaintance of Mr. Frye, who
on the subject united in expressing their
belief that he murdered and that the motive was
the hope OF obtaining plumber. 1t was a we'll known
fact among all acquainted with him, that he kept in
his house large quantity OF valuable silverware.
dered it an easy matter for any who was dis
posed to obtain to his apartments at any time.
One OF his friends said that during the past week he
passed the night with Mr. Frye and the latter ired
leaving the windows all open and the front door
ajar. When demonstrated with for his carelcssness
Mr.. Frye rejoined that no one would modest
him. he had money for them to steal. and, be-
sides that, the people In his neighborhood hon.
est there fear OF leaving doors and windows
open for the admission of air. The last person
known to have been with him Thursday evening was
Of his neighbors, who says that when he left at
an early hour after social game of billiards. Mr..
Frye tho best Of spirits. and so far ~ he
could see, entertained no thoughts OF leaving this
world either by his own hand or that of another.
DID HIS ASSASSIN HAVE CANDLE?
Those persons who most intimately acquainted
with his business and financial standing unhcsi-
tatingly agreed that his business was in flourish
ing condition and that his credit excellent His
business neighbors say that although no has at
times during great business depressions lost consid-
cradle money he was by means what
would be called poor. In spite of his roverses-hav-
ing August 80, 1870. gone into bankruptcy
from which he was disInissod Sepie amber 26. lHI0