The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-28
spIRIrUALIsM. AT ITS BEST.
Man Calmly Watches While His Wife Dies
of Suicidal Poison.
westield Mass Special.

of Suicidal Poison.
Westfeld (Mass.) Special.
On lonely road vending around Mt. Tekoa
in the town of Montgomery, six miles northwest
of this place. stands weather-beaten farm
house of the decayed type so frequently seen by
travellers of late years over the western Massa-
chusetts hills. In that house was enacted last
week tragedy that had its parallel a few years
ago at Pocasset, in the killing of his little
daughter by the religious fanatic Freeman.
There. with no neighbors nearer than mile,
have lived for two decades Isaac E. Bronson and
his wife. The husband, aged about fifty, and
his wife, some ten years or more younger, have
always dwelt happily together, and had family
of seven sons and daughters, the eldest being
about twenty one and the youngest two weeks.
Their home has been for a long period the
favorite resort for believers in spiritualsm in
the chill towns" of Montgomery Worthington,
Huntington and other farming hamlets round
about, and not only were the Bronson family
firm in the faith, but the husband and father is
an elder and eXpounder among the sect
Mrs Bronson was woman of energy, but
thoroughly inoeulated with spiFitualism and
its practices. One evening last week, after her
husband had gone to bed, she came into the
room and asked him If he would feel very bad
if her spirit would go out Of Its mortal frame
and only be with him on occasions of her visits
from the spirit land. He told her he would not
grieve if it was the will of God. Then, as calmly
as if announcing her intention to Sleep the wife
told him that, desiring to be rid of the burdens
anu pains Oh the DOuy, she Dau swallowed Two
spoonsful of Paris green, and in few hours
her spirit would depart to return often to him
from the spirit world. She asked him to watch
by her till her spirit had flown, and all the long
hours of the night he kept faithful vigil by the
bedside of the woman he loved watching the
spark of life flicker fainter and fainter At
times her exeruciating agony drew tears from
his eyes, but he callednone of the family. At
nearly daybreak, without awakening the chill
dren, he went to the house of his nearest neigh
bors, who are spiritualists also, and, arousing
them, told the women of the house of the condi-
ton of his wife and cause, and urged her to
hasten at once to witness ''the departure of the
spirit"
When Brenson's house was reached the visitor
quickly aroused the children and medical assist
ance was summoned, but before the physician
could get there Ms. Bronson was dead The
husband unhesitatingly told the story of his
wife's death to eager questioners with no more
signs of sorrow on his expressionless face or in
his calm gray eyes than if the matter had been
an every day occurrence When asked why he
did not endeavor to save her life his reply was:
Her spirit was her own. She had right to
release it from the body with none to prevent.
He was indirectly told that the people might
hold him responsible for his wife's death, but to
such illusions he steadfastly replied: 'HeF
spirit was her own"
Finally it was plainly said to him that some
might think he administered the draught and
hold him to be a murderer. He Strengthened his
long gaunt body to full height and for an instant
there flashed across his face CHASTITY whiteness
and into his eyes sudden CLEAN of interest;
then, with calm voice and stoieal manner he
answered: "1f they think that l wish they
would hang me at once"
The authorities of the town of Montgomery
within whose boundary lines the tragedy oc-
Cured, were notified but could do nothing save
Who after making the usual examination, issued
permit for burial.