The Portland daily press., 1881-09-02
THE PEASE MURDER.
Evidence that the Couple Did Not Live
Happily Together.

A visit was made to the house 81 Edinboro
street, Boston, Wednesday, where Francis O.
Pease murdered his wife, and consequently
attempted to take his own life. The attic
room where the sad tragedy occurred was
carefully examined. The clothing of the I'M
fortunate woman showed evidences of care and
neatness, and one or two of the dresses were
quite lastly made and trimmed. The clothes
of the husband were poor, and most of them in
wretched condition, and bore evidences of
hard usage. The marriage certificate was
found, which stated that Charles A. Davis OF
Rockland, justice of the peace, married Mr..
Frank A. Pease and Miss Ellen Clark, both OF
Rockland, June IL, 1879. Among the effects
in one of the trunks was found a letter dated
at Blue Hill, Me-, and signed Ever your
friend, Aunt Lzzie.' In this letter the
writer urges Frank to forsake his evil COM
panions, abandon his bad habits, remove from
Rockand to Blue Hill, and open small store
and beseeches him "for the sake of your good
father and mother, now dead, do try and be
man again" In the letter is an allusion to the
dead woman, which, for charity's sake, is
omitted, but the sentence, together with one
or two silent witnesses discovered, make it APP
parent that if one had bad habits both had
been foolish, and these evidences might pre-
suppose the fact that jealousy might have been
the cause of the murder aud suicide. In de-
fence OF the young woman so suddenly cut off
In her youth and beauty, it should be said that
she was perfect lady, quiet and modest in
her demeanor, and that nothing was ever seen
mar would indicate that she was anything Dut
a true woman.
Medical Examiner Steadman made an au-
topsy upon the body of Mrs. Pease at the
morgue Wednesday and stated that the woman
came to her death by bullet wound through
the heart. The other three wounds were not
necessarily fatal. The body is at present at
the morgue, awaiting the arrival of any
friends OF the deceased
A dispatch from Rockland, where the
couple lived until short time ago, states that
Frank G. Pease comes of an excellent family.
His father, Lorenzo g. Pease, was a native of
Appleton, but was successful merchant In
Rockland for many years. He died fifteen
Years ago, leaving considerable property
Frank, when he attained his majority had
$1,000 paid to him as his share. He had been
we'll educated and was fair scholar. He has
been dissipated from his early youth, but still
keeps about all his property. He drank, but
spent but little. money, and in gambling he
was very successful and kept even at least In
June, 1879, he married Ellen Clark, daughter
of Thomas A. Clark, known as sithe frog"
The girls family are disreputable, her father,
mother and brothers being frequently before
the police courts. The girl was quiet and APP
parently well-behaved up to the time of her
marriage. Since that they have quarrelled,
and both have acted badly In every way. They
have one child, over year old, which is cared
for by Mrs. Meservy, a sister of the mothers.
He came to Boston first, deserving his wife,
and she. ascertaining where he was, sold her
household goods and followed him. A week or
Two ago the couple visited Rockland It is
said that Pease when once asked by his wife
what he would do when his money was
gone, replied taking his pistol from his pocket,
GIVE you the contents of this and then kill
myself" Mr. Clark, the faith or of the muir
dered woman, left Rockland Wednesday night
for Boston on the steamer Katahdin to get his
daughters remains
At the hospital Wednesday the condition of
Pease was somewhat improved. He was con-
scious, but refused to talk about the tragedy.
1t cannot yet be stated whether his wounds
win prove mortal, but is recovery is still ex-
tremely doubtful.