The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-05-28

Three Murders by Religious Fsnatics
oss q Twenty-Five Years aAge.i1o ,iao7,
The Pocassett Tragedy Riyaled by New
a1 Haven, Connecticut, Enthusiasts. Z q. "a

ST. 81 faaisf -------l i ,ef f..,.... - -
New Haven (Ct.) Cor. New York Times laas
The recent murder of little Edith Free
man, in Pocassett, Mass, by her father, and
the circumstances surrounding that affair,
recall series of terrible murders in this
city, at the end of the year 1855, committed
by members of band of religious fanatics.
many Of whose tenets and practices were
similar to those of thenss to which Free
man belongs. These murders were called
the Wakemanite murders, and the circum
stances surrounding them were 30 peculiarly
horrible that they are still fresh IN the menu
cries of residents of New Haven. me- ~ sth
In 1856 there was in this city small band
of religious fanatics. whose leader was Mrs.
Rhoda Wakeman. 20 years old She lived in
Beaver street, near Dixwell avenue, and was
known as prophecies. She made her fol-
lowers. who were respectable farmers and
farmers wives, living in the outskIrts of the
city, believe that, 80 years before, her hus-
band had murdered her, in order that she
might have an opportunity of visiting Heav-
en-. She lay dead for seven hours, she said,
during which time she journeyed to Heaven,
saw the Savior, the apostles, the martyrs, the
saints, aud was sent back to earth and life
by God, as missionary, to prepare the way
for the coming of Christ and TO usher in the
millennium. At times she claimed to
receive messages from God. Her followers
were about Is in number, and they fire.
quently met in her house for prayer and
consultation. One of these follow
a~e -as T,atus rrb> -. ot~1,.k an
years of age. For some time previous to his
murder Matthews had not attended the
meeting regularly. His conduct induced
Mrs. Wakeman to announce to her disci Piles
that he was possessed of the evil spirit,
and was the imam of sin" of Scripture
The spirit which controlled Mathews, she
said, was very annoying to her; it filled her
body with grIevots pains, and was the
greatest obstacle which the coming milleni-
UNI had to encounter. Moreover, there was
danger that it would cause her death, and IL
she should die, general judgment of man.
kind would at once follow, without any
millennium. The evil spirit must be re-
moved, and MATHEWS himself became con-
WINGED that Mrs, Wakeman was right about
this, and was willing to submit TO proper
treatment for its removal.
On Sunday evening, December %, 1855, he
visited Mrs. Wakeman's house TO see what
could be done for him, leaving his wife and
family at home. There were gathered in
that house that evening the following
named Wakemanites some of whom are
still living IN or near this city: Mrs. Rhoda
Wakeman, Almeron Sanford and wife, the
latter being Matthew's sister; Abigail Stables,
Josiah Jackson, Thankful s. Hersey, Israel
Woodin and Samuel Sly, Mrs. Wakeman's
in an upper chamber. When Matthews
| came he was put in a room on the ground
floor, where fire had been built for his
comfort He at once expressed desire to be
relieved of the evil spirit. That the spirit
might be more easily handled, Mrs. Sanford,
his sister. blindfolded Matthews with a hand
kerchief, as he sat in a chair, and bound his
hands behind him with small rope From
8 o'clock in the evening until 1 o'clock in
the morning be remained in that condition,
while Mrs. Wakeman and her disciples, in a
room above, were in consultation and
| prayer. At intervals some one would visit
him, and beg that he would give up and re-
| nounce the evil spirit. Finally they told
him that he ought to die, because the evil
spirit might cause the death of Mrs. Wake
the general Judgment. He said he was
willing to die, if his death was thought
necessary. The prayers in the upper room
ceased at / a. M, and one of the disci
Piles brought word that the evil spirit
would certainly kill Mrs. Waterman
u4tosS M5ttlcWb 6uOulu De kllleQ.
Some went home; others remained
up stairs, and Sly, Woodin and Jack
son went into the room adjoining that where
Matthews was sitting. In short time those
up stairs heard blows and groans coming
from Matthews room. Mr.. and Mrs San
ford and Mrs, Davis went down and tined to
get into it, but the doors were locked. Ap-
parently feeling sure that the evil spirit had
been removed they returned to the upper
room, and, after a short season of prayer,
left the house. Sanford went to Matthews
house and returned with Matthews son.
They forced the doors of the room and
found the dead body of Matthews lying on
the door. The mans throat had been cut
and in his abdomen were IL wounds, evil
IDENTIFY made with common table fork.
The sheriff was informed of the murder
and all who had been in the house thai
night were arrested and lodged in jail. A
coroners jury began an inquest the same
day, and continued to hear testimony on
Christmas day. On the following day Sam
uel Sly confessed to the jury that he had
murdered Matthew'S He had become con
| WINGED, he said, that something must lie done
| to remove the evil spirit A few days be
fore this he had procured a hazel wood
stick, knowing that when used with alder
wood it was powerful to remove enchant
ments. This stick, one inch in diameter anG
two and a half feet long, he hid in the eel
lar until Sunday night. That night he wen
into the room where Matthews sat, locked
the doors and struck him on the temple with
the stick. Having thus felled him he tool
out his pocket knife and cut his throat
Then he made the holes in the abonen with
q table fork, SO that the evil spirit
could get out After half an hour b,
Joined Miss Hersey, who washed ths
blood from his clothes. They burned hi.
bloody shirt, cut the stick in three pieces
and hid it, with the knife, in vault. Their
they joined some of the other disciples III
stairs IN prayer. Mrs. Wakeman unfoldet
her doctrines to the jury, told them abou
her visit to Heaven, and promised that i
Sly were convicted the werld would be a
once destroyed. The jury-one of the juror
being John d. Candee, now editor Of tn,
{ Bridgeport Standard-found Sly guilty, ant
declared that Miss Hersey was accessory be
fore and after the fact. Sly was not hanged
because he was adjudged insane. He wa
+ confined until his death, which occurret