The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-05-15
FANATIC FREEMAN.
Details OF the Sacrifice of a Cbiic by Her
Deluded Father.
New York Herald.

morning Win OuIi; OAiS0-AAc eOuHu'
A cold east wind sweeps along the in
dented coast, sending shiver through
the veins and nerves of The hardest fisher
man and farmer. But s stronger shud-
der creeps through the system OF the
fisherman and the farmer as he hears
with bated breath the terrible tale which
comes ND from the deserted farm OF
Charles F Freeman, in POcasset, where
the sacrifcial knife cut the knot OF life
of beautiful little girl, daughter of the
crazed murderer. The community is in
q state of the widest excitement over
the tragedy. Little groups of hard
listed farmers and weather beaten sea-
men discuss its details and make their
rude but sensible comments on the
species of religious mania which drove
a father to willfully murder his child,
and a mother to approve of the deed.
Freeman was born in Highgate, VT, IN
1916. He is of a light complexion,
medium height, with a pleasant, open
countenance, light blue eyes, which meet
a person with whom he is in converse
ton with unfinching gaze. He worked
at his trade of heeling shoes in Linn for
three years, and IN 1874 came to POcas>
set, where he has been engaged in farm
ing ever since. He served three years in
the army during the war, and was mar
ried to Miss Hattie r. Ellis, of POcasset,
in 1868. The result of their union has
been three bright children-Lillian, who
died at the age of two months, in 1870;
Bessie Mildred, the only one now living,
born in 1872, and Edith, the one who,
had she lived, would have been five IN
August, He wss in moderate ciTcum-
stances at the time Of the murder, but
had been in very poor circumstances for
some time previous. At the age OF
twenty~one he experienced religion, but
says he was beat cut of it by backsliding
Christians. In February. 1878, ne was
converted to Adventism, and has been 8
very earnest worker and speaker for the
cause since and recognized as leader OF
the Second Adventists here for over a
year. Mr.. and Mrs. freeman have
always lived happily together and
idoIi1ed the bright children which had
comtOrted them.
On his way to Jail he told the story of
the tragedy with g calmness and trust in
his final justification that simply star
tied the bystanders. You know" he
said, "that ! had revelation about a
week ago in which the Lord appeared to
ma and told me to kill one of my family
and offer it as q sacrifice. Well, he did not
say what one, hut on Thursday morning,
on awakening from q sound sleep, some
time about two o'clock, the Lord ap-
peSred to me and informed me that the
victim of the sacrifice was my pet, my
| idol, my baby Edith. Iawoke nay wife
and we talked the matter over and
prayed to the Lord for guidance and
direction, that if it was Gods will that
the cup might pass from me, and ended
by saying, Gods will be done. The
! Lord said that it was necessary, snd SO
arose, went out of doors to my shop and
got sheath-knife. / then came in, and
placing the lamp On the chair, near the
bed, drew back the clothes, raised my
hand to strike the fatal blow, fully con-
WINGED that the Lord would stay nv
hsnd as He did with Abraham when
about to offer up his son Isaac; but He
did not, and the knife descended. My
darling turned as the knife struck her,
and, lifting her hands and opening her
eyes, said, cob, papal" My oldest
child awoke Just as her little sister was
about to be Stain, and sent her to her
mothers room. I struck the deadly
blow IS tenderly as l could, and the little
one died with the light of heaven on her
fsce. / then took the bleeding child in
my arms and weDt bitterly. lay down
with it in bed. 1t seemed es il God had
torsaken ne as he did Jesus on the cross.
| prayed and wept bitterly, and in the
morning felt gloriously. God rewarded
nv soul with light, and | went to the
depot at peace with God and all the
world l notified the selectmen and
constables to be present in the afternoon
but none came"
"Do you expect to hang for it?'
asked the correspondent.
"No," answered Freeman; "God
has commanded me to thgs rudely
awaken the world from its present con-
dition, and God will justify His servants
If it had been my vile or the Other
child, | should have done the same.
begged God to take my life, but that
was not to be. l loved the child better
than myself"
"rYou don't feel uneasy at going tc
jaiI2"
| "SNo, not at all why should II"
He said further that he was a second
Abraham, and the feeling gave him great
delight. He loved his child better than
himself, and expected the heavens to fall
rather than that he would be permitted
to kill his dear one. He related the cir
cumstance of the horrible deed, sub
stant:ally stated above, and Mrs. Free
man gazed rapturously on her husband as
he reoited the terrible tale and corrobor-
sted bis statements regarding her belief
in this gospel. As he expounded his
views to the reporter he became very
enthusiastic, finally getting on his knees
on the seat and facing the back CT the
car befoze many knew who he was, and
was soon addressing the half-hundred
passengers in the csr. BE said in the
course OF his remarks: "Either the
child will be raised from the dead in
three days, or she will be translated
bodily to heaven" In his talk be ex-
hibited great familiarity with both the
Old and thu New Testament.
One of tie strangest features of TIE
terrible tragedy is the fact that the men,
bers of the sect 70 which Freeman be.
longs, the sesond Adventists, who were
present at the house by his invitation,
approved his act, regarding it SIS the
result of a direct revolution. When the
meeting at Ffseman's house On Thurs
day afternoon was called to order, Mr..
freeman said lie had very important
communication to impart from the Most
High. The usual praying and singing
were dispensed with, and Freeman pro.
cesee6 with the recital OF his terrible
crime, giving every point with painful
minrteness. The A6yentists then quietly