Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-05-31
A DAYLIGHT TRAGEDY.
Fall River Once More The
Scene Of Murder.
A YOUNG GIRL KILLED.
Her Head and Face Frightfully Cut
and Body Mutilated.

FALL RIVER, Mass, May 3l.-Miss Ber-
tina Manchester, aged % years, former
student in the high school, aud descend
ant of one of the oldest families in this
section of New England, was the victim OF
a horrible murder yesterday. She lived at
q farmhouse four miles from city hall, on
what Is known rs the New Boston road,
very near the Wilson road.
She was last seen alive about 1880 yester-
day morning, when her father, Stephen
Manchester, left for this city, accompanied
by his son and hired boy, To deliver milk.
About 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon they
arrived home. Freddy, l2-year-old boy,
opened the gate for his father to drive the
milk wagon into the barn and ran ahead
into the house lie opened the kitchen
door and saw his sister lying in a pool OF
blood on the floor.
The father started for the police station,
four miles distant 1t was after o'clock
when the police and Medical Examiner
Dolan arrived.
A Bloody Axe Was Found
in woodpile, near the back fence. After
hunting all over the premises and being
satisfied that the murderer, whoever he
the case WAS made. A photographer and
engineer were summoned, and 12 mega
tives and innunerable measurements
were taken, under the direction O. the
authorities.
The exsmin nation OF the body disclosed
Horrible Conditions.
The young girl was lying close to the foot
of the stove, where she had evidently
dragged herself. Her right leg was drawn
under the body, her clothes were partially
drawn from her hips, and her head and
face were frightfully mutilated. There
were four long, deep cuts on the back OF
the head, and the top Of the skull was
crushed.
There were several cuts on the face and
nose, and two OF the girls teeth were
found on the aoor beside her. The space
In which she was found measured about
6xs feet, and the sheathing and windows
all around IL were spotted with blood.
Some few spots of blood were found lead
ing from the kitchen to the cellar door,
and there were pools Of blood on the floor
of the cellar, just beneath where the body
lay.
that the
gifts bedroom Had Been X III a
of some of its contents, including "a gold
watch. The dressing case drawers had
been pulled open and an empty pocket
book was found The missing watch
and pocketbook oaus tn police to believe
t ,at the IN ltive of the awful butchery was
robbery
Mr. Manchester Is 63 years of age. His
immediate family consisted of the muir
dered GIRL a second wife who has not lived
with him for some time, Freddy, the IL
year old boy. a daughter, married to w.
w. Coolidge, and son Harry, who ran
away from home about 10 years ago.
NJ Manchester told reporter that
Bertha had no lovers Of any kind that he
ever knew of. and she seldom bothered the
neighbors. He had lived on his farm
about 20 years and looked after It himself,
except for the assistance he obtained from
his boy and another lad named John
Hunstall. He thought Bertha had some
money Of her own, probably SIS or $50 He
thought she kept it in her own room. He
had not seen his runaway son since he left
home several years ago, although he b d
been told at various times that he had been
seen about the place. John, the work boy
about the farm, has only been employed
since last Friday