The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-11-24
THE CARLTON MURDER.
A Report that the Negro cunliff Con-
fesses the Crime.
And duplicates the Husband of MRS.
Carlton.
The Report However Proves to be
Hoax.

BOSTON, Nov. 23-Information was received by
the Cambridge police this morning that Fraser
Cunliff had been arrested in New York, and SEN
fenced to six years in the State prison for burglary
and that he had made confession of the murder
of Mrs Eta Carlton, at Watertown in which he
duplicates the husband of the murdered woman in
the crime. Cunlitf is the colored man who was ar
rested at the time OF the murder on suspicion of
having committed the deed but there was not suf-
fcient evidence to warrant his being held at the
time. AT the time of his arrest the suspicious
against him were very strong, and the officers en-
gagged IN working up the case have never lost
sight of his connection with Carlton at and pre-
vi0us to the time OF the murder.
LATER.
The alleged confession by the negro Frazier
Cunlitf of New York, of the numbering of Mrs. Et
ia Carlton of Watertown, Mrss is now shown al
most conclusively to be a hoax. Private des-
inspector Bynes of New York, in which he says
that he knew nothing of any such confession, and
did not know of and had record of the arrest of
Cunliif for burglary. How the report started was
this: This morning about 1890, officer Wiley of
the 2nd police OF Cambridge was approached by a
short, thick set man, with pock marked face, who
asked him if he could direct him to the house of
Mr.. Underwood on Magazine street. tie said he
was looking for Mrs. Brooks, who took charge of
the children of the murdered woman until they
were taken by her relatives This led to further
conversation and during the walk to the house
this man informed Officer Wiley teat he was from
New York and was in the employ of chief inspec-
tor Byrnes. and that Frazier Cunff had been ar
rested for burglary and sentenced to SIX years III
the pententiaTy, and while in the tombs had con-
feSsed to the murder of Mrs Carlton to the inspec
tor. He said he was over here looking the matter
up. When he reached the house of Mr. Under
wood, who is a son-in-aw of Mrs Brooks, he asked
for her but found she was away. Whether lie was
told where to look for her or not is not known.
After he left, an effort was made TO ascertain def
nately his business with Mrs. Brooks. Underwood
stated that the mans call was in reference to in
surance litigation over the burning of q house oc-
cupied by the CARTONS in WATERFOWL and that
nothing was said about the Carlton murder.
Several witnesses testified to seeing blood spots
upon the floor in Bakers room, upon the floor of
bis rnnm and -npen the stairs, also llpoi,- Eirs,-
Bakers clOtheS and That Mrs. Baker had told
conflicting stories as to how the blood came upon
her clothing. Detective Reed, who made
thorough examination of the house on the day
after the murder, testified that he saw no blood
upon the door of Bakers room nor upon the stairs:
This statement caused a sensation in the court
room. Reed also testified that Augustus Wood a
neighbor upon whom the Bakers have sought to
throw suspicion. told him that he (Wood) had
gone back and forth from Mrs. Prescotts room
to Bakers kitchen on the morning after the muir
der, which statement directly contradicted Woods
sworn testimony.
After other evidence had been given upon
minor points. Judge Wallace order both prisoners
committed to jail until the second Monday in
February.