Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-04-24
THE GU7LLOTINE IN AMERICA,
A Crazy Fellows Ingenuity-A Re.
Inarkahle Instance Of Self-Destruc-
ton.
boston Herald.

markaOle instance Of suicide had occurred dur
ID .he early hours OF the morning. The annals
vi crime IN thls country furnish but one other
instance OF Self-deStruction by similar means
tnat OF young man In Ohio In June. 1s16-and
lne, 10 the mass OF citizens novel means en-
p,oyed oy the suicide, together with the terri
bly, unerring manner in which the fatal deed
was accomplished, invested the affair with an
Intensity OF interest which will cause it to be
tne topic OF conversation and speculation for
weeks to come. The victim was stephen NJ.
Pllisoury, Jr, eldest son OF Stephen NJ. Pillsbury
OF South Boston. Six OR eight years ago the
latter came from Newburyport, purchased two
at the foot of Powder Horn Hill. and commenced
the business of raising vegetables and poultry
Tor the market. His eldest son accompanied
MIN, and assisted him In carrying on the farm.
DURING THE SUMNER
the father and son slept in barn on the prem
1ses, In winter they lived in South Boston, and
visited the farm In Chelsea daily in order to
send sneif n stock OF cattle ana poultry Last
O'Clock Sunday morning the father started for
South Boston, leaving hts son sleeping on pile
OF hay In one corner OF the loft. Before de-
be would return Monday morning, and advised
him to come home during the day. The son
muttered something in reply, turned over AMI
fel asleep, In which condition his father lie t
him. Monday noon Mr.. Pillsbury returned.
Opening the door Of the barn, he was Mortified
to see his son hfeless On the floor the head CON-
pletely severed from his body, and lying In a
that decapitat1on had been accomplished by a
novel method.
The following letter was found on the dead
mans person:
- Dear Parents. Brothers and sisters: believe that
the end OF ny Life is near at hand and write this
IL it seems to me- the only right one. and win not
to s Or ma make
myself This is the country and the age in which to
enjoy life and hope you will live long and happi
P. 81 wish could gee you again. was Of a
fqod mnd t to x0 home last evening" bnt mp
The instrument of death was hastily con-
structed and crude imitation of the
FAMOUS FRENCH GUILLOTINE.
This machine was imprOviSed from material
which proved equal to all its builder expected,
was as follows: Two uprightS 3X4 joist, IL feet
in length, extended from the floor of the lower
story to the ceiling, to which they were securely
spiked. The lower ends OF the uprights were
mortiSed in a solid piece OF hard wood, about
Sx12 inches in size, and some 81 feet In length.
In the center OF this bed piece was chiselled
out, apparently with a very dull implement,
a groove sufficiently deep and wide to admit
the entrance OF a mans neck Fitting be-
tween the uprights, in an easy, Sliding
plank, to the lower edge OF which was Sc
curely fastened the blade OF a carpenters
ordinary broad-aXe, sharpened to keen edge.
The bottom OF this slider rested upon a lever IS
d
in the LETT upright, and from the end OF which,
suspended by cord feet in length, was
watering pot which had been filled with
water. on the top OF the Slider was a bjx
containing 80 pounds OF stone. The bottom OF
the watering pot, which was an ordinary II or
Is quart vessel, such as is commonly used on a
farm, had been perforated with holes so that The
water might leak out and release the lever
thereby allowing the sliding block with the
axe attached to fall. The axe, after being re-
leased, had fall of six and a half feet. In
order TO render the uprights more firm and
prevent any lateral motion, a piece of scan,-
ling was mortised In between them at about IS
inches from the top. At the base OF the up-
rights rights We're two holes, through which was
pr1soned the neck OF the victim and prevented
any attempt to remove 1t. In front OF the ma
chine. on the floor, was small piece Of timber
about Two rect long, SIX or seven inches wide,
the bedpfece of the guillot1ne, was gouged cav
ity large enough to hold about two quarts, and
In 1t was found about pint OF ether. This ether
which rested upon the floating lid of cigar
box. On either side OF this, with their ends
firmly braced against the bedpIece In order to
steady It, was large box filled with stones and
Nearly frantic with grief the old man rushed
to the Office OF the city marshal. Officers Den
ming and Grover hurried to the spot, and Medi-
Cal Examiner Harris was notified. The news
rapidly spread, and the officers at the barn soon
bad enough TO do to keep back the curious and
morbid spectators. After the medical examiner
had viewed the body, 1t was placed in charge of
Undertaken Noyes, and viii be taken to South
Boston to-day. The guillotine was removed to
the marshais Office. and crowds fiocked thither
from Charlestown, Revere and adjoining to yn5
to see the curiosity. So intense was the excite
ment that it became necessary to Station a
guard OF officers at the door to prevent the
entrance OF the crowd into the nsarshals Office
stephen NJ PlllsbLry, jr., was born in New
burybolt, october 3, 1850, and was unmarried
He always lived with his parents, and assisted
his father In working his farm at Newburyport
and later at Chelsea. A fine looking man. feet
or 10 inches in height he was possessed OF an
apparently cheerful and contented disposition,
and was strictly temperate In all his habits
seemed to crave companionshfp, but rather
preferred to spend his time alone, porting over
books. Though unable from his 18th year to
endure severe physical exertion, he was not SO
feeble but that he could do the ordinary work
about the farm. Several of the neighbors and
parties who traded with min say
that his conversation was mainly upon
criminal matters and suicides, and that me
was remarkably well-poSted on all such sub
jects. They all unite in giving him an excel
lent character, Nothing in his actions they
suspicion that he intended taking his own life
He was on the best or terms with his family
and, as they are In prosperous circumstances
R9 lo the rash dfa
spectacle presented to his gaze when he
opened the barn door, He was unable 10
give d COueTeHI statement regarding the al
lair, but later In the day became calmer.
and talked freely upon the subject. He
says that, after reflection upon the matter
he came to the conclusion that's was nothing
more than might have been expected For
some time past he has entertained the belief
that his son was little insane, as at various
times within the past few years he has acted
very strangely, but not TO such a degree as TO
create In the minds OF his family an apprehen-
sion OF such an event. Mr.. Pillsbury also SAYS
that insanity is hereditary In his family and
that sister OF his father is at present confined
In the insane asylum at Worcester MY IA
Their" said he, was confined for some months
In an insane asylum, and my mother died
some years ago, In the Mclean asylum at Som
erville, where was obliged to have her taken
He thought that
HIS SON BECAME DESpONDENT
on account OF his feeble health and the thought
that he was likely to become dependent u9on
his friends. He was very ingenious and al
though never having learned trade was pro-
nclent IN The use or carpenters tools, and was
able to do very good piece OF work in the line
OF repairs.
Father and son were noted throughout Chel-
sea for their industry, and the excellent yege-
tables and small fruits, particularly straw
Gerr1eS, which they raised. found ready sale at
good prices. The Son kept large lot OF line
and fancy breeds or fowls On his own account
a1d derived 1a1r revenue from that source
They also Kept cow and supplied the neigh
bors with milk. When Mr. Pillsbury arrived On
the premises, yesterday morning, he found the
barn-door locked and the key in the usual hid
frlfr MI IN hat.