Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-05-15

The Man Who. Murdered his
Child Under Religious Ex.
element In Prison.

BosToN, May Slater news
from Pacasset states that yesterday
afternoon Deputy Sheriff Harris
and Medical Examiner Smith, OF
Barnstable, with Medical Examiner
Munson, of Hanover, arrived there
and arrested Charles L. Freeman
and Lis wife and conveyed them to
Barnstable and lodged them In iail.
The body of the child has been re-
moved to q neighbours house, and
the funeral will be held on Sunday.
In the railroad train on the way
down Freeman addressed the pass
engers, loudly reiteratinR his con-
victions that he had obeyed a divine
mandate, his wife seconding him,
and both expressed no anxiety as to
the future. Freeman was arraign-
ed at Barnstable to-day, in company
with his wife. Both maintained
their composure and insist that
God will fully justify their action
and relieve them from all human
penalties. Freemsn says that for
thirty-six hours it had been impress
ed upon hlm that he must kill one
of his family, but he was doubtful
whether it should be himself, his
wife, his oldest daughter or the lit
tie girl. Finally the Lord made it
clear to him that it must be the lit
tie girl. lie did not tell hls wife at
first. He walked up at half past 2
on Thursday morning and told his
wife what he was going to do. They
talked it over together and both
agreed that it was right. They
then knelt by the bed and prayed.
lie did not tell his wife at first, be-
cause Abraham did not tell his wife
when he went to sacrifice Isaac.
After they had agreed to kill the
child, both went into the room
where the two little girls were sleep
ing together. The man went out
to the shop and procured a large
sheath knife with long blade, sing
ing all the way out and back. He
said he never felt so happy In his
life. He set the lamp In the chair
and his wife stood by the bed look
ing on. lie turned the bed-clOthes
down to expose the child, and stab
bed her In the left side. She awoke,
turned toward her father, stretched
up her arms, and said, "Oh father. "
He took her and held her till she
died, which was In about five min
utes. The older girl became parti-
ally awake and the mother carried
her out of the room before she
knew of her sisters death. Free
man then got into bed with the
depd child in his arms and stayed
till after daylight then he Dire ssed
and went to the station for the
mail, which he carries. Meeting
Alvin Wing there he asked him to
notify the Second AdVentists in the
neighborhood of a meeting at his
house at 3 O'Clock that afternoon.
The Adventists came, supposing it
was a farewell meeting before Free
man went on his tour "a preacher.
In the meeting Freeman told the
whole story of killing the child, and
showed the body to them all.
Strange as it may seem, they all
kept the matter secret and told no
one after the meeting dispersed.
Great indignation exists against
Freeman and all the adventists.
The latter srick together and even
now have the effTontery to defend
Freeman. Freeman said before his
arrest that if those who do not be-
lieve in God would come to his
house they would see the wonder
full works of the Almighty God !;
that the child would be raised on
Sunday morning and help him
preach. The EXTREMIST fanaticism,
almost beyend belief, seems to in
spire the Adventists. When one OF
the neighbors first saw Mrs. Free
man she answered all inquiries
about Freeman by saying 'The
Lord will take of that !; Abraham's
God will raise her," Freeman says
he never felt so tenderly toward his
children as on Wednesday evening
when they were put to bed, and he
kissed them before he struck the
fatal blow. He hoped that God
would stay his hand, as he did A
braham's, but since the death of his
child he saws that the revelation has
come that the child will be raised ;
if she is not raised by Sunday morn
| ing he will despair. Freeman is "a
years old. Before he became an Ad'
ventist he was a Methodist proba-
toner. The officers have the knife
with which the murder was com
| mitted. Mrs. Freeman is slight ir
form and 80 years of age. Neither
of the two show any fear. Frae
man says he had chance to MAKE
a convert by killing his girl, anC