New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-09-08

A Boston dispatch Of the Doth says:
The citizens of Chelsea and adjoining
towns and cities have been afforded q
sensation entirely novel in this part of
the country, in the shape of a suicide,
in which remarkable ingenuity and
deliberate study as to details renders
the story, as told to interested citizens,
almost beyond belief. Stephen M.
Pillsbury, Jr., aged thirty, eldest son of
q raiser of poultry and vegetables, has
for the past few years assisted his father
on the farm, sleeping during the sum-
mer in barn on the premises with his
father. In the winter he lived in South
Boston and visited the farm daily to
tend the stock and poultry. Last Sat-
urday both slept at night in the barn.
In the morning the father set off for
home, leaving the son asleep in the loft.
He returned; and on opening the door
of the barn was Mortified to see the
headless corpse of his son lying upon
the floor in pool of gore. Above the
body stood rudely constructed gull
lotine, which had been improvised from
material found in the barn. 1t was
patterned after the famous instrument
Of death, and despite the roughness of
it's construction performed it's bloody
work as thoroughly aud unerringly as
did the foreign-made murderous ma
chine. The two uprlghts were twelve
feet high, and securely spiked to the
aoor of the upper story, to which they
reached. These were grooved on the
inside, and allowed of easy movement a
piece of plank in which was secured,
edge downward, the blade of a carpen"
ter's broad-ax keenly sharpened. At
the base of the guillotine was broad
plank, in which hole had been
chiseled the size of a mans neck, in q
line with the path the AK must take in
descending. The weight of the plank
in which the murderous ak was set was
increased by a box containing fifty
pounds or more of stone, securely fast
ened above. At the end of cord
which connected with lever near the
top of the guillotine dangled an ordinary
three-gallon tin watering pot, perforated
with holes. This was empty, and from
an examination it seemed that the sui
eide contrived his destructive machine
with internal cunning and ingenuity.
He had evidently set his death-trap with
great GOODNESS, placing the murderous
knife at the top, and holding it in place
with the lever, which, in turn, was sus-
tanned by the weight of the pot of water.
He then poured into cavity in a heavy
timber large quantity Of ether, the
fumes of which would Supply him, as
his head come directly above. All
being ready he laid coolly down, and
his headless trunk attested the accuracy
of his calculations. News of the tragedy
spread rapidly, and thousands hocked
to the scene. The guillotine was taken
down and removed to the City Marshal's
Office, which was so besieged by the
curious that a guard of police was sta
toned at the doors all through the even
ing. It is believed that the suicide was
demented, as he had been frequently
known to act strangely, and insanity
had prevailed in the family.
The following letter was found in the
barn: IS,
CHELSEA, April II, 18sO.-Dcar Parents,
Brothers and Sisters: Ibelieye that the end
Of my life is near at hand, and write this to
bid you all goodbye. The step I am about
to take is, it seems to me, the only right one,
and ] will not attempt to express any regrets
or make any excuses, believing, as / do, that
it is best for you as well as for myself. This
Is the country and the age in which to enjoy
life, and hope you will live long and hap-
PLY.
(Signedl s. M. PILLsBURY,J R.
T.. ST. wish I could see you again.
was Of q good mind to 20 home last evening,
but gave It up, ] hadso little time.
n. r., IN.