Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-11

bed was big pool of the blood clot.
All we could see of his body were his
legs and one arm that stuck out, as If
imploring for mercy.
"Then we went down stairs and
turned to our left, going into the square
room which was originally intended for
parlor but which the Newtons found
no use for, with their small family, and
1t was used more for store room than
for anything else In this room there
was a trunk which had been opened.
The lock was not picked, but had been
turned with a key. Its contents were
strewn promiscuously over the floor.
We found as much as pint of old
fashioned coins, which the murderer
had evidently looked at and decided
that they were not of much value.
This completed our hurried search.
We did not stay within the house any
longer than we had to, ! can assure
you. We climbed out of the window by
which we had entered, pulled 1t down
after US and then went to notify the
town officers We were probably in the
house for 80 minutes
THE PLACE OF THE MURDER.
1t seemed hardly credible, as one
gazed upon the place for the first time,
that such a crime could have been per-
petrated amid so beautiful natural sur
roundings. The farm is typical of that
of the thrifty New England farmer,
who. while he may not be rich man,
has a neat little home of his own.
Everything about the place indicated
that the man loved his farm, loved his
home, loved his little family.
Mr. Newtons farm is situated on one
of the principal roads leading from
Brookfield to Sturbridge. 1t is not the
main thoroughfare between the two
towns, yet good deal of teaming Is
done over the road. 1t is far from be-
ing lonesome locality. The farm is sit
uated upon a slight prominence, and
there are houses on either side To the
north there are dwellings every quarter
of mile or so along the road to Brook
field; while, in the other direction, not
800 yards away, are a little cluster OF
houses, together constituting little VIII
lage, and known to the residents of the
Brookfields as Rice's Corner.
The view that one can obtain looking
to the east or northeast from the Yer-
anda on the front of the house, is beau
tiful Directly ahead the t3wn of Spen-
| Ger is to be seen, while little more to
the right is East Broolxfield. The broad
| expanse of water, known as Podunk
pond, forms the immediate foreground;
while as the background, there rise
chains of hills. In the light mist that
hung in the distance, Monday morning,
the peak and outline of Mount Wa
chusett could be discerned. The views
from other sides of the house, although
not SO attractive. SAVIOR strongly of the
rural life of the neighborhood and of
/ the kindly feeling that it always was
supposed had existed between man and
man.
The house sets back not more than so
feet from the road, and has an eastern
exposure. A curved drive leads up to
the front entrance, and then continues
on to the barn, which Is placed in a
relatively similar position a little far
ther to the south. That, too, faces the
east, and so has the eastern and south
ern exposure. In front of the house are
two elm trees. A little farther down the
road, just before the house 10 reached
stands an oak tree that is famous for
both It's age and its size.
The picturesquenesS of tbs scene is
still further enhanced by the old WELL
sweep which rises high in the air at an
angle of 45 degrees from behind the
house, more than any other one thing
this well-sweep gives the place its ap-
pearance of a typical New England
farm of many decades ago.
The house itself is a tWo-story struc-
ture; and, like most country homes, it
is painted white. The blinds and trim
mings are Of green. Two old-fashioned
chimneys rise from the roof The house
is comparatively new, and stands out
In striking contrast to the sheds be-
tween the house and barn. These were
undoubtedly built early in the century
4 it,, in fact, it was not in the 18th cen
! tury, and the old boards, once white
! and firm, are now black and crackled
But they serve the purpose-namely, tc
afford shelter to the cord wood, to the
chicken coops that are used but once
/ a year, to the hay-rake and to the hun
dred and one other things that are al
ways to be found on the small country
farm.
The barn, which sets still further to
the south and parallel to the road, like
the house, seems to be comparatively
/ new. In reality, the old structure that
had served so long has been made the
basis for the improvements. Once it
was a small affair, but recently the
owner had enlarged it to 45-foot barn,
thus giving him ample room for all the
stock and poultry he was accustomed
to keep, as well as furnishing place
for the annual products of the farm.
The estate has long been known as
| the Nancy Rice farm, for 1t was an es-
| timable woman of that name who
owned it years ago. For her, too, is
i Rice's corner, close at hand, so named.
Mr.. Newton, when he returned from
i Hartford purchased the place two
\ years ago last September, as the neigh
bors remember 1t, paying for the farm
| the sum of $780, On account of the
many improvements he had made in
both the buildings and the land, which
was sadly run down when he came into
control, the place is worth considerable
more today The land comprises about
so acres, equally divided between past
ure land and woodland, with here and
there a few fruit trees, just enough to
supply the wants of the family.
Mr. Newton did not acquire the prop
erty directly from Nancy Rice, for that
lady died many years ago. He pur-
chased it Of another, Charles Newton
but the last occupant was Winifred
Walker, to whom Mr.. Charles Newton
had leased 1t. 1t was badly run down
when Mr., Newton took his family to it.
but, under his constant care and super
vision, it has been built UP, and today
ranks as one of the neatesI and cosiest
little farms in all the Brookfields.
CATTLE GAVE THE ALARM
1t was through the evident uneasi-
ness Of the cattle in the barn that
neighbors first realized that something
was really wrong. They started upon
an investigation, and soon their eyes
rested upon one of the most horrible
crimes that human eye has ever had
to face. When rescuers reached the
animals, they presented a pitiful ap-
pearance. The hired man undoubtedly
had fed and watered them Friday night
But from that time until o'clock Sun
day afternoon, when neighbors opened
up the barn and fed the imprisoned cat
tie, neither food nor water had passed
their lips, Cattle can go for compar-
atively long time without food, pro-