The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-05-09
A Horlibie Crime.
A Father in a Fit of Religious Frenz,
Murders his little Daughter.


The village of Pocasset, in the town
of Sandwich, Mass, on Wednesday of
last week, was the scene of one of the
most atrocious crimes of recent times.
The sickening details arc given below:
Charles f. Freeman, who lived with
his wife and two young daughters in
the little village, has been for some
time greatly excited on religious sub
iects, and for some days imagin-
ed that the Lord demanded the
sacrifice of one of his family. We'd
nesday night he woke his wife
and they talked the. matter over
for about an hour. They arose and
prayed over the subject, and then the
father resolved TO do the dreadful deed,
when he says a great load was lifted off
from his mind. lie arose joyfully from
his knees and dressed himself, singing
praises the while. Going to a small out
building a few yards distant, secured a
large sheath knife, and with it return
ed to his chamber. He was accompan-
led by his wife, who carried light. lie
went to the room where the children
were sleeping. The lamp was placed
bed where Edith, the youngest child,
was sleeping, drew down the coverlets,
and deliberately plunged the blade into
her left side, just below the heart. The
little one awoke, and pleadingly raised
her arms, saying simply, "Oh, papa"
The inhuman father took his dying
child in his arms and held it to his
bosom until il expired. The mother
meantime carried from the room the
elder daughter, who had awakened.
The little one made no cutlery, but
quietly nestled in the arms of its execu-
toner as though falling asleep. The
man got into bed with the body of his
dead child in his arms, and lay with it
until daylight. On rising in the morn-
ing he went about his usual work in
joyful spirits, and carried the mail from
the post-oflice to the depot, as was his
usual custom. lie told friend to send
word to all the Advenlists in the vii
lage TO attend a meeting at his house in
the afternoon, when he would make
known his revelation. The company
to the number of twenty-five or thirty,
assembled, and after religious exercis-
es he related the above facts, and invit-
ed them to go into the next room and
view the remains. The people did so,
and this is the strangest part of the
whole horrd tale. Shortly after they
dispersed to their houses. Ii is almost
impossible to conceive of an assembly
of people in such state of mind as to
admit of an attempt to conceal such an
atrocious deed. They notified no one,
but went about their usual vacations.
Several of these persons defended Free
man in his actions, saying that lie did
right in Obeying Gods command.
Constable Redding learned the facts
from young lady named Minnie Davis.
who was present at the meeting at
Freeman's house, and after much per-
suasion told the story. Redding was
led TO suspect something was wrong by
the constrained and frightened manner
of the girl. The officer found Free
man at his house, and he made 10 OBJ
lection to being put under arrest. lie
claimed to have done perfectly right,
saying that his child would surely rise
again in three days. She then would
go about with him assisting him to
preach the gospel. Freeman and his
wife were both arrested and taken to
Barnstable. On the way Freeman and
his wife were both in high spirits, he
singing and joking. The man is thirty
three years old, of light complexion
and medium height, pleasant open
countenance, with light blue eyes. His
wife is light and pale, and thirty-two
years old. Fifteen months ago he says
God revealed to him that the end Of this
dispensation was near. On him and
his wife was put the mighty work OF
awakening the world to sense Of its
wickedness. His faith has been test
ed in various ways for months, and
God had asked him if he was ready to
sacrifice the life of himself or wife OF
children. lie related the preliminalics
to the deed as given above. lie lifted
the knife over the sleeping innocent,
but no sign came from Heaven and he
struck the fatal blow tcnderly as he
could. God rewarded his faith by fl
ling his sonl with light.
They were placed in jail on Friday
evening; were locked up in separate
cells, and us they were separated indul-
ged in good night kiss, and went to
their imprisonment with the same
cheerfulncss that characterized them
when on the train. There was no loud
praying or demonstration OF any kind
on their part during the night, both OF
them sleeping peacefully. When asked
what would happen if God having got
him into this scrape should refuse to
get him out of It, he smilngly said,
'But He won't" When pressed, lie
added, "Why, gentlemen, can't con-
ceive such thing as God falling to JUS
tify me- The deluded man assured
everyone that Gods power was to be
revealed in an astonishing manner
to the world-this display he declared
would take place when his child had
been three days dead, when the body
would be carried up TO heaven, or he
restored TO earth life. Freeman and his
wife were arraigned on Saturday, and
plead not guilty. The evidence of Sher-
in Harris and Medical Examiner Smith
was given, substantially in accord with
the facts as already made known, and
at the conclusion of their evidence both
the accused were fully committed.
They continued to profess full faith that
the child would come to life in the
morning, and were perfectly happy in
this belief, and rejoiced that their faith
enabled them TO make the sacrifice TO be
The positive command of the ALMIGHTY.
The funeral of Edith Freeman took
place from the Methodist church in the
village of Pocasset, last Sunday after
noon. The body of the child was
brought to the church in small casket
by Alden Davis, an Adventist, and a
sympathizer with Freeman in his deed
of blood. After Davis had deposited
the casket and its contents near the al
ter, he announced his intention of ad-
dressing the audience, but was prevent
cd from carrying ont his purpose by
threats of arrest. Alden is regarded