The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-10
A Farmer and His Wife and
Adopted Child Butcher
ed-A Hired Hand
Suspected.
STARVING CATTLE GAVE THE ALARM
Terrible Sight Confronts the Neigh
bOrs When They Broke
Into The Aouse-The
LabOrer Missing.

WORCESTER, Mass, June 49, 1857
News of a triple murder of which Francis
ID. Newton, a prosperous farmer CT
Brookfield, his wife Sarah, and their ten
year-old adopted daughter, Ethel, wera
the victims, reached this city at an early
hour this morning. The family had been
killed in their house about two miles
from Brookfeld Center, on the road to
Sturbridge. The crime was discovered by
neighbors, who heard the lowing OF the
unfed cattle and made an investigation.
The three members of the family were
found in their blood-soaked beds, having
been horribly killed with an axe. A hired
man, who has been employed by New
ton, is missing and the authorities ars
making sharp search for him. He was
known only by the name of Paul. He
was last seen Friday night, just before
midnight, by neighbor who was re-
turning from grange meeting. He was
then more than a mile from the Newton
house and was going in the direction of
Brookheld. Two young men also saw him
at about the same time, going in the same
direction. The man turned his head away
from them as he passed
FROM TINS 1t is believes .-iat the murder
was committed between 10 and II o'clock
Friday night.
Newton was 45 years of age and his
wife was three years younger.
the Newton place Sunday afternoon he
heard the cattle in the barn making an
unusual disturbance. He notified William
BemiS and William Eaton who live in
neighboring houses, and these men, think
ing the Newtons had gone away and been
detained went to the barn and fed the
cattle, fifteen in number
As night approached and the absent
farmer did not appear, Bemis and some
other neighbors visited the house deter
mined to make an investigation.
hi rot+ +1,Af 4. -
with no response. Then they went
around the house to the front entrance
As they passed the parlor windows one OF
the men noticed that pane of glass had
been broken near the fastening, and the
window was slightly raised. They opened
it wider and crawled into the room. AS
soon as their eyes rested upon the apart
ment they saw that some one had thor
oughly ransacked the place. The furnish
ings were in 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 neighbors en-
tered small bed room at the rear of the
mouse. On bloodstained bed lay the
bodies of Mrs. Newton and the little girl.
They were dressed but their clothing was
torn and bloodstained.
In the abdomen of the child Were sew
eral cuts as if they had been made with
a jack-knife. Near the bed was a blood
stained axe, which evidently was the
weapon used The men hurried on through
the rest of the house Upstairs in the
chamber usually occupied by Mr.. Newton,
which connected with that occupied by
the hired man, Paul, lay the body of the
farmer on the bed. All about were evil
denceS that he had been dealt with as
had the other members of his family. He
also was dressed. 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.
Constables Farquhar and Fenton were
touch the bodies until the Coroner had
viewed them as they lay. The officials
took charge of the premises, pending the
arrival of the examiner. DR.. E. w.
Spencer, of Norwood a recently appointed
medical examiner, was called, and he
stated that he had not been sworn in, SO
could not act legally. Word was then
sent to DIR. F. H. Baker of Worcester.
1t has been learned that on Friday Mr..
Newton and Paul went to Worcester to
buy horse, but they returned that even
ing without one. The next time Paul was
seen was when Mr.. Eaton and the two
Young men met him just before midnight,
Friday night at some distance from the
Newton farm, going towards Brookfield.
Paul was foreigner, but his nationality
is not known. He was about 80 years of
age, short and compactly built. and had
been employed on the Newton farm for
about two months. Previous to that time
he was at work at the point of pines, near
Revere.
The Newton farm was one of the best
in this section. Mr.. Newton purchased
it about two years ago, and had been con-
e fieefaplS fopmerPy RpfGw lived al Hartford n Conn.
where he was proprietor of a bakeshop.
The motive for the crime is not known.
able cause. but that, it is thought, does
not account for the slaughter of the whole
family. Moreover, Mr.. Newton's gold
watch was found in his vest, which hung
over chairback in his chamber.