The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-13
PRICE TWO CENTS.
EDITH FREEMAN'S MURDER
THE MOTHER STiRJTNG HERSELF IND
DYING or GRIEF.


Love and Hemorse Overwhelming her re-
liEious Faith" Oh, My Darling child. why
DID God Permit us 10 do such n Wrong"
BADNsTABLE May 12.-ft was announced
this morning that Mrs. Freeman was dying, and
investigation shows that the probabilities are
that she will live a short time only. She is
weeping and starving herself to DEATH nl-
though she does not seek to commit suicide.
Confined alone In the cell on the upper floor Of
the barn-like building. she has. since the flrst
Sunday after the killing Of Edith. wcpt con-
stantly day and night. She has tried to eat
believing that II was her duty to do
so but in the ten days OF her Imprisonment
she has eaten less than would make an
ordinary meal. When the Sunday passed and
her little girl was not resurrected. as she firmly
believed she would be. Mrs. Freeman at once
admitted that she and her husband had mado
an awful mistake, and with this acknowledge
ment the maternal instinct that pleaded so
strongly in prayer that her child might be
spared. has returned She has said that
she could not have consented to the
sacrifice had she not firmly believed that Edith
would DO restored TO life on the third day. She
also says that 1t was revealed to her husband
lation was demanded. Ho went to the barn and
prayed for hours that God would take tho cup
from him and she at length went TO the barn
put her arm around his neck. and both OF them
prayed 70 be spared the necessity OF doing the
act, but they got no peace until they determined
q do IT,. Her sorrow is most distressing now.
She is In entire possession Of her reasoning
faculties. and the iailer's wife thinks that il
would be, a mercy II she could be bereit Of
Edie. my darling child. how could God
have permitted us, who loved Him so and tried
TO follow Him. 70 do such n wrong" aud then
she bursts into the most passionate sobbing
that lasts for hours. The seraphic look that
was on her face when she was brought before
the Justice is gone. Her face has wasted. leav-
q a4E hanna uf,.N hafh
bright red with a hectic flush which indicates
fever. Her otherwise white face and bloodless
ips. and her great eyes that are red with weep
or sleep, are regarded as indications that very
soon the reserve nervous strength will be eX-
hausted and that she will rapidly decline. Her
love Tor The baby and her temorse have over
Her husband knows nothing OF this. He is
perfectly self-contained and contented and eats
and sleeps well still confident that God COM
manded the act. Ho has been reading " Free
mont's Explorations" He said to-day to THE
Sun correspondent that he did not want any
pettiioggers to defend him for notorietv but
York would take his case and conduct the do
every every m man to follow the honest convlc.
tions OF his conscience he would accept
dict given as Coroner and fled to-day. says
that Edith Freeman's death was caused by the
at Of her father, who premeditated 1t, and
who committed 1t without oroyocation. abetted
10y the mother. and that such act was done be-
cause both honestly believed that they were
| commanded by God to do 1t TO Illustrate their
| faith. The Justice believes that II any lawyer
dares go before the court and argue that the
act IL consistent with belief in the literal or
| supernatural teachings OF the Bible and liable
! . 5e therefore repeated again. ono OF the most
remarkable points will be- placed before tho
| courts Of Massachusetts which they have ever
been called on to consider.