Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-01-15
MOTIVE ROBBERY.
Another Brutal Triple Murder in
This State.
Victims q Farmer, His Wife and
Adopted Daughter.

BROOKFIELD. Mass, Jan 10 Robbery is
supposed TO have been the motive for one OF
the most brutal triple murders in the Grim
iuai annals Of Worcester county. Francis
ID. Newton of this town. u prosperous
farmer, who lived on the road from Brook
field to Sturbridge; his wife Sarah, and their
adopted daughter, Elsie Walker. IL years
old. were butcherod with an axe, supposedly
on the night OF Jan. I. and an attempt WAS
made TO conceal the evidence Of the
crime by setting fire to the house,
The crime is supposed to be the wori
of Paul Mueller. who had been employed
by Newton as Il farm hand for about Nv,
months past. Mueller has disappeared. and
10 trace of him can be found at II Later
discovered until about II pm. Jan. 10. The
murderer inflicted the death blows on all
three victims over the left temple. the
faces were badly battered and covered with
blood. The abdomens of both Mrs.
Newton and Elsie showed marks OF
blows OF the head of the ny. The
mother and daughter We're found lying
dead in bed in the bedroom of the pan
try. which led from the dining room on The
first floor. Both were lying on their backs.
Both mother and daughter We're nude from
their waists down. The bed clothing covered
their heads and upper portion of their
bodies. That room had not been ransached
covered with the bed clothing. II" had been
struck several times over the left temple and
his skull WAS crushed. He WAS dressed in
his shirt, undershirt, drawers and stockings
The room had been ransnckeh, and Mr..
Newtons pocketboOk was found ON the
floor, empty. An old-iashoned purse, which
had contained old coins had also been
riiicd. MIR. Newton lay on the bed. with
his right arm hanging over the edge.
Paul Mueller, the farm hand, toward
whom suspicion points 50 strongly, slept
in IL room in the upper part of the house.
He had to pass through Mr. Newton's room
to get to his own. His bed shows signs ofhav-
ing, been used. The murderer got mp,
probably between 10 and III o'clock Friday
night. and attacked Mr.. Newton in his sleep,
killing him instantly. He then passed
through the room ana down stairs. through
the sitting room. dining room and pantry -
the bedroom where Mrs. Newton and Elsie
lay sleeping. He finished his awful WORK
here. After killing his victims he ransacked
the house. That there wa, considerable
booty found there is no doubt, rs Mr.. New
ton intended buying pair of horses ana
had drawn money from the bank for that
purpose. This the hired man knew,
and that furnished II motive for the crime
After pillagng the house the murderer
made an unsuccessful attempt to fire the
house. He took five gallon Kerosene can
over the wood. He then set Il lamp directly
under the can, but in some unaccountahit
manner the lamp was blown out without set
ting the place on fire. That Muciera az
tempt to cover the traces Of his awful rhine
was unsuccessful was in his favor, as II gave
him the start which he has received Oh the
officers of the law. If the place had been
burned it would have aroused the nrighbo.-
hood, and II search. would hav" been in-ti-
gated for the hired man. Parties who met him
on the Sturbridye road would have called
for an explanation. which he could no:
give, and lie would have been arrested and
behind the bars. instead Of being on II CARTE
boat bound for Eng land, as is the universal
opinion of his whereabouts now. Mueller
was met on the Sturbridge road between II
and II o'clock. near the causewLy and
bridge which span the Quaboag river. He
was seen by William Eaton and family, WIN
were returning from Srang. meeting. the
murderera name is Paul Mueller. and he Is
commonly known rs Miller. He Is feet 8
inches in height, weighs between lao and $50
pounds, is dark complexioned, with dark
eyes and hair, and has a dark. heavy mus
tache. He was dressed in II dark suit Of
clothes and light cap. tie has n rolling
gait and is Il sailor by profession. He
speaks broken English, and is betwrrn
30 and 35 years OF age. H. i. supposed
to be German or ro!andrr. Elsie
about 10 years ago in North Brock
field. She was Of swedish parrnluge.
MIR. Newton had lived in the locality
about Brookiicd a great many years
Atout two years ago he bought the homo
in the Rice Corner district in which the
tragedy occurred. 1t is an old-fnshioncd.
rambling structure. TO which Mr. Newton
had added many improvements. Paul Muei-
Ter has lived about the locality for the past
three years. He worked formerly for H. ID.
liodgsdon at the Point Of Pines. working
about the hotel in Sllmmerand hauling wood
in the winter. He was OF Il very cxritable
temperament, and when he quit Mr. lIod%s
don's employ he left the team he was
driving in the middle of the StGr-
bridge road and refused to drive it hone.
The doctors think that little El,i"
must have been the last to he killed.
for the reason that while both her parents
had no warning, she must have held up he
little hand to stay the blows, for tho bone
OF the right one were broken and the hand
cut. The bodies. except for the wounds de-
scribed, were found in q noImal condition