The sun., 1879-05-04
VOL. XLVl.--N0. 246.
FREEMAN'S AWFUL CRIME.
TIE RELIGIOUS FRENzr THiTLED bIM
10 kILL ms LIITLE CHILD,

7
tho Deed aud Making Themselves Access
sorIes Afer the Fact-The FreemHns In Jan.
Boston, May 9.-The somewhat moagrc
details already published OF the murder Of little
Edith Freeman. on Thursday morning. gave
only faint and somewhat incorrect Impressions
OF the act ITSELF and Of the Influences and cir
cumstances that made 1t possible. Even the
local authorities. when their attention WIS first
called to tho crime. believed that Charles +.
Freeman. tho father. when he raised the bed
clothes and thrust knife to tho heart OF his
sleeping child. must have been irresponsible for
what he did: but the Developments OF to-day
show that II Freeman was insane. 80 were his
wife and twenty others. men and women OF
hitherto trroproachRble character. although
more or less ignorant for legally the wife and
mother wns equally the murderer OF the child
and the other villagers referred to are acces-
sories after the fact DR.. Smith. the medical
examiner OF the county. is inclined to think that
the peculiar religious sect who believe with the
Second Adventists in the immediate personal
coming OF Christ. and who also as distinguished
from many people OF that faith believe in rev.
Citations and miracles and signs have in the
murder Of Edith Freeman. reached the climaxto-
ward which their views naturally developed. II
IL the same fanAticism he says. which leads
the Hindoos TO throw themselves under the car
OF Juggernaut. the savages To cruelty the flesh.
rinces to their gods. That il. In his opinion.
and in that OF others. thu kind OF insanity which
Mr.. Freeman and his wife and friends are al
6icted with. and tho civil authorities OF the
county are also of tho opinion that II IL not
the kind Of insanity which the law takes notice
oi In this section which is that part Of Cape
Cod known as Sandwich, among the educated
and res pectable people. the cruelty and unnat-
uraness OF the crime arc oversbadowed by the
Influence that made 1t possible for a father aud
mother to commit II. end for others quietly to
assent thereto. The story OF tho death OF Edith
Freeman should be told with these peculiar
Influences in view.
Freeman has been convert to this shade Of
Becond Advertism about n year, and 1t s now
certain that he has believed that he was called
upon to make some great sacrifice not only TO
show his abiding faith. but also to mark him MS
specially fitted to be the Evangelist and prophet
OF his religion. He has hinted much for
some time to his nelghbors. He himself
says-and his WIFE, whose faith In her husband
seems to surpass even her trust in her religion.
corroborates him-that the revelation came to
him suddenly two weeks ago that this sacrifice
was the death Of member of his family and at
his hands. His family were hs wiie-a tall.
slender, blue-eyed woman Of tn irty. whom he
married ten years RgO-and his two daughters.
Bessie. born in 1871 and Edith. two years later.
1t is admitted that he has been kind hus-
pesred % almost " to idoizs iitus T Rdth: III % yet hs
tells his wife that the revelation calle
hin to sScres ,gsbor member ,Sss os 81
IN their petition that so great q test OF their
faith may not be rr1ulred ot them: They hey
matter OF mutual concern, He even hinted
something, Of 1t to his fellow believers. and now
auired his own might be that one. but ms 1t
IL unauestionabe that he Intended 20 become
n a prophet' there is some doubt Expressed as
TO the fervency OF such n prayer. II IL was mnde.
Revelation would con come It that % would ' indIcSts nd the
member Of his family whose death was re-
tently to receive It. 1t came Ito continue his
story, wholly corrnb9rated by his wiiel 10 the
dead of night OF Wednesday, or perhaps Just
after midnight on Thursday morning, Then
he suddenly awakened. and the revelation that
eyed fair and brown haired girl. must be
Offered Offered pP as ,,o s"erinSGe' ,olt Hs m ono,
sTose eemmssion is The m%ternS mna @ instinct for
time was the stronger. She had been able 10
talk vaguely about the loss OF her chlldren; but
when she was brought face 10 face with II. she
begged him not to do It s6s pleadedIso he
bm-wl the tears streaming down her
cheeks, for the life Of her darling Edith: . But
that we could not risk the dis pleasure OF God and
when persuaded her that Edith would either
be restored TO us after three days or else would
be translated then she Assenied. She saw that
Il was divine commanl.' Freeman also says
great drops OF sweat stool upon his forehead
that the test OF his faith might not he required
Then. as he expresses II. his soul was illled
with peace and he prepared with his wife 10
make the sacrifice.
the cara nsu ON when VnT vent To- h sSed 10
get the knife that God would stay my hand. as
He did Anrahnm's NJ he WAS about to Offer NJ
Isaac, but | determined II my hand was moi
stayed IN mako the snrrinre rs gently MS pos.
sib,e: 50 that ny ID would PISS away Without ,S
event without the slightest appearance OF suffer-
Ing, lighted a lamp and plared 1t on chair
by the bedside where the two daughters were
sleeping Then she leaned over E.lith. who
WAS sleeping on tue outside OF the bed. and,
lifting Bessie in her nrns. took her away to her
own chamber. Freeman then turning down
the bedclothes and raising little E,iiih's arm.
30 that nothing might interfere with the blow,
raised tho knife. held II minute or two y
he said hoping that should receive the call
blade s penetrated m " the heart @ pasns S bctwses
the Dhh and slT,h t,Ps, lbs The illtle Hirl
he seized her and held her TO his heart until
she was dead; DR.; smith: VINO made made an sS eS,
could not have lived a mute. The hemorrhnge
was mostly internal. Then Freeman put heI
prayer and lying down beside her. went peace
fully TO sleep. His wife WINS already asleep in
They arose early and hs went about his daily
business. and she with her household cares az
though that revelation had not been made
When he finished his off, nrial duties, for he chr
ries the mails from the depot To- the village Pos
meeting at his house. MS he had a revelation
to make and he also urged one OF the consta
bes and srectmRn 10 be present. Abou
twenty parsons got together in the front room
o. bis lilS fRIm nonss Which nn ,h Is lSoSted Pst ~
pot, and fully that distance from any other
residence. or what occurred in tina
meeting, only the most yague repor
can be obtained Freeman himself 'alki
the most freely about II. He certainly preache'
for about half an hour. dwelling rspecinlll
upon the value OF the div inc revelations and m
nacessity OF strictly obeying their commands
He prayed and quoted passage after passag'
from the Scriptures. but he does not not appeaf, I,
was until the worshippeTs werS nearly rd9dy !,
The story that Miss Davis. who was present, nov
rnther reluctantly tells-they at nrst would 9 h9
believe IT, and thon he led them 10 the 6edsid
and showed the dead body OF his child AM
tho wound that had caused her death. Iher
seems 10 have been some slight protest .
frst-what il was no one will say-but Freeman
told them that 1t was the, glorious uist o. Nv hl
sacrifice in order toawakon the World ana Int :
teach the doctrine that immorttllty Is n9t
certainty but gift from God to the good. IL l