The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-03-09
THE POCASSET TRAGEDY.

child In frenzy over spiritualism at Pocasset,
Mass, three years ago, aud is row in lu-
matte asylum, is regarded as having lecov-
cred his reason, and is likely soon to be
released. "Ihe chid's life was lost" he
says, Through ignorance and superstition.
Knowledge and science have saved mine,
aud restored my reason through the rest of
my life."
| Wish to correct part of this statement,
by referring to few facts. On May first
1879, in the town Of Sandwich, MSS, this
tragedy was enacted. Charles F. Freeman
murdered his little four-yesr.old daughter,
as she was sleeping in her bed the mother
OF the child consenting to the unnatural
deed. When Hattie Freeman was asked
by the officers if she knew her husband
would kill her child, she said, Il knew he
would if God did not stay his hand; but
believed be would"
The day after the crime Freeman profess
ed great happiness, saying that he felt
glorious at peace with God and all man
kind"
He said he murdered bis child by direct
command of God, anu he called the act
sacrifice He was az upright, honest
man, conscientious christian, aud good
husband and fath4r but he was a religious
crank. His deed was not malicious, but
grew out of his earnest desire to be child
OF God. He expected to be blest of men
tor his unseldshness aud courage, aud emu
lated Abraham and the divine Father who
gave their only sons as a sacrifice. He ard
his wife had prayed most earnestly that
God would not require the lite of their child
at their hands aud they tsd faith that he
would withhold the shining blade from
the breast Of innocence, when he saw their
faith, trust and self.denial. Ia that
hope, was the knife thrust into the
warm heart of their idoIized child, and 10
horror and dsmay did the frantic mother
realize that its life was extinct. One hope
yet da~ned, that vi immediate restoration
t. life. She believed that This miracle
would be performed for the benefit Of
doubling world; thus strengthening the
evidence Of sacred history, But alas the
poor deluded mother met with the bitter.
est disappointment, and according to her
own words I'VE were misguided, but none
the less sincere Her letters to her sister
after the fatal deed, were full of agony and
despair, and from their abundance are these
words:
WAS ever sorrow like this sorrowl Was
ever griet like minel Did | not know he
,Charlle) had filth and was sure God would
stay his hand, as were Abrshsm's, and no
harm come to Z Idle %, sister! if did
not know all this, il our faith 10 God had
MT been 90 implicit, | would be insane.
could not live.
And Jusus--was il not bis will to take /,
her, aud then raise her to life, and thus
snow sleeping church, that there were
some who had faith in God, and that the
iod Of Israel lived, and so sure those who
know not truth. o, sister whom |
will God lead il be did DOT us?n
The letters tell Of the fathers misery IN
seeing his ifeless child, and how lovingly
ne embraced the bleeding form as be offer
I'd it to the Col he feared. The whole |
tory is beartrendipg in the extreme, and as
Mr. freeman truly said, grew out of "su-
'erstition and ignorance. Yet these up-
ortunate parents were true, practical Bible
living up to their ideas Of Bible
Their names were unknown 70 |
'pntuaism, and Christianity alone is re-
'ponsble for their insanity Gf such it was)
and for the terrible murder of the sleeping
child.
Bible worship was also the cause of the |
fevolting crime committed a short time |
ago by Mrs Sspirck, Of Milwaukee. That
Christian mother slaughtered her three lit
tie ones; all under four years of age. 1t |
was stated that she cut off their limbs. tore
out their hearts aud disembo weled them in |
the most iendish manner. We cannot
Imagine the excitement and tortore a moth.
er must indure to thus butcher her own
loved babes She was strong in her reli.
g'ous ardor, and split the crimson blood |
and tore the dimpled limbs of innocence,
believing that, as God approved of sacrifice
In others, he required this of her aud
would bless her work.
Will an ungrateful public record her
christian zeal also as "frenzy over Spirit
halismT 1t is poor return for divine
faith, and an unfair advantage to take of
these defepceless martyrs of christianity.
they sacrificed life itself for their convic.
ions and whatever their crime, they should
iave the benefit Of truth. They were Az
,ers itious and dangerous; but honest chris
lana and are entitlad IN iua,ica ins,a,d nf