Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-01-14
A FAMILY MURDERED.
A Prosperous Farmer, His Wife
and Daughter the Victims.

Scene of the Tragedy Near Brookhe1d
Centre, Mnss.,---PauI miller, the Hired
Man, who Disappeared Friday Night,
supposed to Have Committed the
Crime.
The mutiated bodies of Francis ID. New
ton 10, a prosperous farmer, his wife
Sarah, and their l0-year-old adopted daugh-
ter Elsie, were found Sunday night in
their home two miles from Brookdeld Cen
ire, Mass, near Quabog lake, on the road
to Sturbridge. The crime was discovered
by neigh0ors, who heard the believing of
the unfed cattle in the barn. The neigh
bors first fed and MIXED the cows, but as
night approached and Mr. Newton did not
| appear the house was entered. The neigh
bors saw that some one had thoroughly
ransacked the place. The furnishings
were i'm disorder and as the men passed
through the different rooms they noticed
that drawers had been opened and their
contents thrown about. Following their
search the men entered a small bedroom at
the rear of the house. On a blood-stained
bed lay the bodies of Mrs. Newton and her
| little girl. They were dressed but their
clothing was torn and bood-staned.
In the abdomen of the child were sew
~ Il
iack-knife. Near the bed was blood
stained axe, which evidently was the weapon
used Upstairs in the chamber usually
occupied 10y Mr.. Newton, which connected
with that occupi' by the hired man, Paul
Miller or Mueller, lay the body Of the
farmer on the bed. He also was dressed
and his death had evidently been caused
! by blows from the axe. The coverings of
the bed had been drawn about his head so
as to conceal any wounds which might be
| thereon. The bed in Paul's room had been
! occupied, but there was no other trace Of
| the hired man. As soon as possible the
authorities at Brookield were notified Of
the murder and officials took charge of the
! premises, pending the arrival of the eX-
aminer.
Meanwhile search for the missing Paul
| was begun. II was learned that on Friday
| Mr.. Newton and Paul went to Worcester
| to buy horse, but they returned that eve
ming without one. The next time Paul
was seen was when three men met him
just before midnight, Friday night, at some
distance from the Newton farm, going
toward Brooktield. Miller was a foreigner,
probably a German, but he could speak
| French. He was about 30 years of age,
short and compactly built and had been
| employed on the Newton farm for about
two months. Mr.. Newton bought the
farm about two years ago lie was form
erly proprietor of bakery in Hartford
Conn, for about two wears. He was born
in New Braintree, Mass, and the larger
part Of his life was spent in Brookfrd, a,
he was farmer there before going tC
Hartford.
In the wood shed in the rear of the hous,
a gallon can of oil had been placed mp
on its side, so that the oil would run down
over the wood. A small hand lamp hat
been placed little lower down on the pill,
and the chimney had been taken OF Tn,
intention evidently was TO have the lamp
set fire to the oil-soaked wood, but it haC
not been placed in the right position to &C
compllsh this result, and the oil ran out O
the can without coming in contact will
the blaze. The lamp had burned out
One stick of wood was burned nearl,
through, but that was the extent Of tn
damage done by the fire.