Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-12-04
A Victim OF FanaticiSm.

| BosroN, Mass, Nov. 26.-Less than
six miles from the town of WestfieId.
Mass, a tragedy was enacted last week
which, in fauaticism and lack of moral
responsibility, resembles the Cohasset
child-murder which shocked New Eng
land few years ago. Just over the
Montgomery line, on n lonely road wind
ing around Tekoa Mountain, lived for
nearly twenty-five years Yankee farm
er named Isaac Bronson and his wife.
The small farm has been their chief
support, but of late years some of their
family of seven children, ranging in AGE
from twenty-one years to two weeks,
have found employment at the Salmon
Fails paper mills, two or three miles
from their home.
Bronson and his wife were firm be-
levers in Splritualism, and he has been
sort OF Elder in the sect and an ex-
FOUNDER of the faith at their gatherings
AT his house the believers frequently
assembled. Bronson is about fifty wears
of age, tall, with q gaunt figure, and q
face which expresses stolid reliance on
faith and fate. His wife was some ten
years his Junior, and although of far
more happy turn of mind, was a strong
believer in the Spiritualistic creed.
One night last week, as the husband
calmly tells the story, she came TO his
bedside and asked him il he would feel
very bad or consider she was doing in-
justice to anyone or wrong in the sight
of God if she should free her soul from
ITS earthly bonds and go to the spirit
land and often return to visit him. He
told her he could put 10 obstacle in the
way to higher life, although he should
greatly miss her bodily presence. Soon
she informed him that, desiring to be
released from the pain aud Affections of
this life, she had taken quantity of
paris green, and in few hours her
spirit would be free. She asked that he
would stay near her until her soul de-
parted, and all the long night he sat by
the bedside of the dying woman, upheld
by his firm faith. In a few hours the
woman was suffering intensely, but
none OF the children were called from
their beds. In the early morning il be-
came apparent that dissolution was fast
approaching. and the husband FASTENED
! to the house of his nearest neighbor,
nearly mile away, and asked the wo-
man to come with him to witness the
departure of his wfe's spirit.
As soon as the state of affairs was
learned, the neighbors fastened to Bron-
sons house, the children were aroused
and messengers sent for medical aid.
| But long before physician could reach
the spot the woman was dead. Med
ical Examiner Waterman made an au-
| topsy which showed that the woman
died from poison. and his report to the
authorities will indicate his belief that
it was administered by her own hand
When the husband was asked why he
did not do something to save his wife
life, he calmly repeated: ..Her spirit
was her own; her spirit was her own
Only once did the husband show signs
of emotion, and that was when he was
plainly told that some people might
look upon him as murderer. For an
instant fire flashed from his cold eyes,
his face assumed peculiar expression,
ard his form Strengthened up TO It's full
height. But it was only for moment,
and then, falling back into his usua
calmness, he coldly observed: '.If they
think that, wish they would hang mt
at once.
The burial took place day or two
later, and was attended by many Spir
itualists from the mountain hamlets
who spoke nothing but praise of tn,
dead wife and mother, although com
miserating the little two weeks-old babe