The New York herald., 1879-10-16
A PARRICIDE's STATEMENT.

HENRY J. GUM TELLS HOW HE KILLED HIS
FATHER WITH A HATcHET-THREE WEEKS
OF HIDING IN BOSTON, LOWELL AND NEW
YORK.
Boston. Oct. Is, 1879.
The community pleased this morning to learn
that Henry :. Gum. who brutally butchercd his
father. Justin L. Gum, in Bridgewater, on
September "a. had been captured by two
officers in this city last evening. The par
ticulars OF the heinous crime given in
the HERALD at the time. and may be briefly
stated thus Tho body of the murdered man was
found by neighbor on the morning OF the 10th; it
was fearfully mangled. the head being crushed III
by hoavy blows from hatchet and tho blood lying
around in pools and clotted masses. The son Henry.
who alone lived with his father. had disappeared.
and it well known that they did nooasree very
well suspicion naturally attached to him.
AS no tidings of the young man were obtained the
Suspicion thar he killed his father grew steadily into
q conviction. The detective officers viglanty
searching for him. aud arrests of suspected men
were made-one in Vermont and one in Canada.
Meanwhile the parricide. as his own statement
shows. spree in Boston New York and
Lowell. and had oven gono within few miles of the
of the tragedy in broad daylight. He
caught Court street this city. last evening. and
quietly brought to the quarters Of the State police
where he was kept secure during the night.
auSNs CONFESSION.
He expressed himself as willing to give the whole
story, not only to the police but to the public and
accordingly made the following statement, substan-
TALLY ION Wednesday,. september "a. was dig
days work put the potatoes in the cellar. wet.
Father was moving that day. and ut night. when
he came home and found that the potatoes
We're wet. he scolded me. I went out to
spend the evening with lady friend. and
getting home about ten O'Clock. father got up and
back and he knocked me down. II he had let it go
ut that it would have been ali right but while
the size OF my finger. but about two feet long. and
struck him with it. But ne got the best OF me and
pounded me good. was wild for revenge. and. rs
he rested on the edge of the bed. went out-just
out OF tho dining room door-into the passage way.
to the room where he was. Holding the hatchet.
heavy one. in my left hand down this way. by nay
leg ph1strating,; so that he COT couldn't & see 1t, l
past I turned sharply around and struck
him . heavy blow in the head with it. using
the bed a corpse. 1 picked him up and laid HIM
1t again. He made noise ut all. stepped to tho
back door and gave the hatchet fling over IN the
woodpile. did not cover 1t up or souch it after
throwing 1t from me.
nopnINa THE DEAD.
II then won't to chest in the dining room, where
knew father had some money. and broke it open
with the screwdriver. l took $1O8 all there was
every night. had looked in his pocket. but could
not find the keys to the box; found keys enough
but not the right After getting the money aud
it and then went to the barn. whore slept
I slept on the haymow till daylight; got mp. led
to pasture and shut them in. then walked to the
Bridgewater depot; did not go back to the house
after left 1t the night before; took the $50 train
for Boston. went to the Grand Central Hotel,
Washington street. and there wrote to my aunt in
Lowell telling hor to meet me next day ut two p NJ
ut Drew's saloon, Central street. Lowell
Here he detailed his movements in the city. his
meeting with his aunt. &C.; he registered as g. b.
Foster. He proceeded with the direct story OF his
wanderings. as follows:-Next morning in Lowell
saw in the Boston papers an account OF the muir
der-yes. might as well call 1t that as anything
and took the 80 train. over the Boston and Maine
road. Tor Boston. In Boston walked around the
city; sat down In the Common. and got dinner on
Cambridge street.
TRIP TO NEW YORK.
I took the six o'clock train that evening by the
Fall River line for New York, arriving in New York
on the Bowery. went about the city good deal
aud visited Central Park Monday evening went to
in the Bowery. SUNDAY night met an old chum
who kept In my company Wednesday night lett
New York for Boston my chum accompanying
me. don't know why came back. arrived
in Boston, Thursday morning and proceeded to
Lowell. where and my chum put up at boarding
house. On tho following Tuesday We came back to
Boston and went to New York by the Fall River line
There we stopped TIL week ago last Monday.
at house In varick street; Monday night.
We went to Lowell Tuesday, and '.spreed" it con-
siderably. Friday night arrested and taken
given lecture and discharged. That same night
my chum. while was sleeping. took everything
had, watch snd chain $40 In money. overcoat every
thing and got away. walked next day through Bos-
ton to Bridgewater where arrived Sunday morning,
intending to go home. but changed my mind and
came back to Boston Monday morning. was not
surprised when the officers took me. l am sick OF
hiding. and am now ready to take whatsoever may be
in store for me.
Gum taken to-day to Brockton. Mass, where
he arragned for murder. and waving examina-
ton. he was committed to Plymouth County Jail.