The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-18
BAXTER MURDER
b Very Likely to Forever Remain a
Mystery.
HAD BEEN DEAD FULLY A WEEK.
Cunningham 10 Not Suspected by His
NeiGhbors-Piace where the Crime
was Committed just the Place for q
Murder-C -Cunningham Tells His Story.

WORCESTER, Mass, July 1s-Did Ed
ward Cunningham murder William Bsx-
ter OF Holdeng No one living can answer
the question but Cunningham himself,
and he denies IL and has proved an alibi.
He was held in custody about two hours
BY the police. and bis release has left the
murder as mysterious as some others that
have occurred in this state of late.
Baxter was murdered in a most foul
manner, the first blow of the four evil
IDENTIFY being given from behind, the i'm
plement used being one of Baxter's own
axes. The murderer has had over weeks
start,of the police, and ample time has
intsr~ened to cover his tracks.
Tho motive Of the crime was without
doubt robbery. The spot in the bushes
where the dastardly crime was committed
b an
Ideal Place For Murder.
II such term may be applied to so foul a
thing. 1t is 800 or 400 feet from the house
(which Is about three miles from Holden
Center, and about the same distance, or a
little more, from che Winter Hill road
that runs past the premises. y y
IL Is q lonely place, and but few people
pass, so that the chance of detection was
small indeed. The crime must have been
committed in broad daylight, for Baxter
was cutting young birches for peapoles,
and he probably would not select night for
doing such work.
Barter was last seen alive July 8, but
whether in the morning or afternoon Is
not certain.
An old man named Connor, who lives
pext house to Baxter, and in the same
,bouss with Knox, says he was at the Bax-
Esr house on Saturday morning, July 8,
ind had drink of cider there
with Baxtsr and Cunningham.
He lsft the house and Cunningham and
Baxter went of together down the lane,
end he says he saw them disappear through
Che bar way in the direction of the birch
patch where the body was found. Connor
says they started of together to cut some
birch limbs. and this story is corroborated
by the circumstances OF finding the birch
limbs and also finding the body in the
spot where Ccnnor saw them walk toward.
The story as told by old man Connor is
oombated by the story of Cunningham,
which seems to be backed up by another
witness. making out a complete alibi.
Connor Is certain that he saw both Cum
ninGham and Baxter go out together to
cut down birch boughs on the Saturday
morning In question, each carrying an
axe, and that the one carried by Cunning
ham, in the opinion of Connor, resembles
tho one which the officers think did the
awful work.
Cunningham says he was In Ashueiot,
N. H. July Z, and in Hinsdale, VT, July
Sand q He says he travelled from there
- Burlington, Brattleboro, Rutland,
Mars, F3tchburg, Leominster, Clinton and
Oakdals. back to Dawson's, where he ar
rived last Thursday night. Edward
Downey, another mill hand, says he was
With Cunningham all through the trip.
Detectives left for Hinsdale yesterday
70 look mp tho story, and, of course, IL
Cunningham and Downey are telling the
truth IL s
Can Easily BE Verified.
The autopsy shows that four blows were
Inflicted It was held by Medical Exam
lner Keefe, assisted by Drs. Carroll and
Donlon.
They sxamined the body as it lay in the
barn, where IL was placed Sunday night.
4hey' found four different blows on the
head One was at the base of the skull;
another was IN the left side of the eye,
also crushing In the skull; another was
oVoR the right ear, and the other was back
e the head. The blows, in the opinion
of the doctors, were made with heavy
nxa. They are of the opinion that the
man has bsen dead week. They found
the body In . terrible state Of decompo-
uitlop.
Il was the stonch arising from the de-
composed body that directed the search
lng party to the place where the vic
Nm lay.
The Murdered Man
Woa not very we'll known in this city. He
has lived here for about eight years or
Since he came from Sheffield, Eng, In
11oA He was . married man and left
Vife and son at home, but he has always
told that he was not ON the best Of rela-
oions with his family aud had ceased to
Nvs with them long before he left Eng
land.
He lived with Mr.. Anderson, the cook
ln Trulsonss saloon. Anderson speaks
very highly Of Baxter. Mrs. Briggs, who
keeps boarding house, knew him and
speaks In the highest terms of him, but
says abe has mot seen much of him of late.
The sentiment in Holden is that 1t is best
20 let the matter drop, as the town is clear
Of bad house.
Cunningham Is not looked upon with
suspicion by the people Of Holden who
know him, even though he is a shiftless
fellow, His actions while undergoing ex-
amipation were straightforward, and gave
che impression that he was telling the
truth.
Tho police apparently have no clue to
swo~k IN and With fha fndifferanca ~ tha