The Portland daily press., 1884-11-27
RESULT OF FANATICISM.
A Spiritual1st Witnesses His
Wife's Suicide.
AND MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO
SAVE HER LIFE.

wEsTFIELD, Mass. NOV. 26.--Just over the Mont
gomery line, on a lonely road winding around Te-
koa Mountain to the upper reservoir of the West
field water works, has lived for nearly 20 years
farmer named Isaac Bronson and his wife. The
small farm has been their chief support but of late
years some Of their family Of children, rang
ing in age from 81 years TO two weeks, have found
employment at the Salmon Falls paper mills, across
the Westfeld river. Bronson and his wife were
firm believers in Spiritualism, and he has been a
sort of elder In the sect and an expounder of the
faith at their gatherings At his house the DelIeV
ers frequently assembled from the farming haDI9ts
on the hills for many miles west and north. Bron-
son Is about 80 years of age. tail, with gaunt fig
ure and face which expressed stolid reliance
faith fate. His wife was 0 years his junior,
and, although of far more happy turn of mind,
and strong believer in the spiritualistc creed.
One night last week. the husband tells the story
she esme to his beside, and asked IL he would feel
very bad, or consider ske was doing any injustice
to any one or wrong in the sight OF G1d, II she
should free her soul from it's earthly bonds and 90
to the spirit lada and oft return to visit him. be
told her he could put no obstacle in her way to
higher life, although he should miss her bodily
presence. Soon she informed him that desiring TO
be released from the pain and affections of this S,
she bad taken quantity OF paris green and in
few hours her spirit would be Free she asked that
he would stay her until her soul departed, and
all the long night he by the beside of the dying
woman alone in his grief aud anguish of mind, but
upheld by his finn faith. In a few hours the woman
was suffering intensely, but none of the children
were called irvn their beds. In the gray of the
early morniDg 1t became apparent tha, dissolution
was fast approaching, ana the husband hastened 70
the house of his nearest neighbor, nearly mile
away and asked the woman TO come with him TO
witness the departure of his wlfes spirit. As soon
as the state of affairs was learned, the neighbors
fastened to Bronson's house, the children were
aroused and messengers sent for medical aid, but
long before physician could reach the spot, the
woman was dead. Medical Examiner Waterman
made an autopsy which showed the woman died
from poison. and his report 10 he authorities will
indicate his belief that 1t administered by her
own hand. When the husband was asked why he
did not do something to save his wife's lite he
calmly repeated, "Her spirit was her own, her
spirit was her own" One visitor attempted 10 show
HIM that he had done great wrong in eOnsentug
to the woman's death, but Bronson quietly OBJ
served that his opinion OF the reprovers manner of
living probably good as that of the reprovers
juigmant of him. Only once did the husband show
signs Of emotion, and that when he Was plainly
told some people might look upon him as a murder
er. For instant fire fashed from his cola eyes,
his face assumed peculiar expression and his form
rtraghtened up to its full heght. But it was only
for moment, then falling back into his usual
calnness he coldly observed "lf they think that l
wish they would hang me at once" The burial took
place day or two later ami was attended by many
Sprftualists from the mountain hamlets, who spoke
nothing but praise of the dead wife and mother, al
though coumiserating the little two-Weeks-old
h.ha