The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-09-03
FRANK PEASE.
The Edinboro' Street Tragedy.


Mr.. Thomas Clark, the father of Mrs. Pease,
who was murdered by her husband on Tues
day night, arrived in Boston on Thursday.
He is greatly overcome by grief, and expresses
surprise at the tragedy. He says that Pease
was a shiftless, idle sort of fellow, but he
never thought he would do anything like this
abiding to the murder. He never knew
the couple to quarrel in any way, and they
seemed fond of each other, so far as he could
see. About the LIST of June Frank came to
Boston to look for work. and after he had been
there week wrote letter to his wife at Rock
land, telling her to sell everything in the house
for just what she could get and take the
money and come to Boston. She did SO, and
they lived in the city for a time, leaving the
baby at Rockland with the grand parents
About a month ago both returned to Rockland
and Frank was sick and did not leave his. bed
for week. When he got better he decided
to return to Boston. Mr.. Clark demonstrated
with him, telling him there was no use in 60
ing to Boston unless he was going to work
Frank said he was going to get job of keep
ing books il depot and little more than two
weeks ago both left for Boston, leaving the
baby behind, and that was the last he ever
heard from then until Wednesday. When
questioned as to the statement that Frank had
threatened before to kill his wife, the old man
said he had done SO two or three times, saying
when he got out of money he'was going to
shoot his wife dead and then kill himself. His
wife did not fear him, because she thought he
was foolihg. When asked as to the disposition
~, fo+h In aid when
Frank was sober he was penurious and I'M
social, but when drinking he was liberal to
fault, would play cards or billiards, ask any
ono he met up TO drink, and would, in the
course of his spree, dispose OF lot OF money.
He had also speculated considerably in mining
stocks, and Mr.. Clark thought it had helped
great deal in getting rid of his money. He
would not work, and had never in his life done
months steady work, at times claiming ne
could not work Mr.. Clark left Thursday
night for home with the body. Mr.. William
Clark of Woburn, a brother OF the victim, saw
Pease Wednesday at the hospital and had
talk with him. Pease admitted killing his
wife, saying that he was out OF money, had no
work and was resolved to end both their lives
He said he loved her more than he could ex-
press, and did not want to see her suffer for
anything. When Mr.. Clark asked him why
he shot her so many times, he said II wanted
to kill her outright. 1 did not want her to
linger in misery" Clark then said to him:
~ Jou thiuh JOu OOulu AoNo uoAO -
had not been drinking?" Pease replied: "No;
1 do not think could have done it if had
not been crazy with drink" He expressed no
sorrow for the act, and said he hoped he should
die. He didn't want to live, and il he did not
die of the wounds he should take some other
measures to end his existence.
The Rockland Opinion, just received, thinks
it possible if Pease had spent all his money
that it was owing to indulgence in lottery
-. 1 L i A. ,,sosax lat.
terry to be drawn at future date. He spent
considerable money on fortune tellers and
mediums. Otherwise he was very close. he
was economical to meanness in his drinking
bouts, and gambled a good deal, although he
generally "feeced" others instead of getting
fleeced himself.