The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-02-02
THE REVEREND ROGUE
assrmobl

M4Atieff 81 tihA
Yes, 10 msnner eslcait,ed TO msse
salt, psftop .tndisr the ihoosh' OF
bic ttmsiis m.kta TIE shuddu tven toS
aad. should imasiue. ref,'ain one NON
ocmuiiips eottenpisivd 90 OF crime
| uos, tsoroashly telisve thu, be 10 cor
rec, iu bic logic. lbsl tho uos' hsfatpeo
cunirsl bas become 90 BY desrses
30 DOL. Aud slso believe, Is be DC
clsred. thst those We ifut tho mosi ms'
prove The yilcsi Of tie yile, 'hst II De
boovss n. /, search tue recesses OF oar
hearts ana zee II the seeds OF evil are GOT
there. sainns some cause for tier germ
n.hon.
II wss . mastery tiioti
As are eli his di,courses.
soch wss portion OF the conversation
one besu,iful Sunday noon 10 September
bstuten two ladies IS they came from the
oal, chuteh 10 Wharton. and II was very
like the qcnersl tenor Of conversation
amoBg those who had s,tended the ser'
ice there lha. morning.
10 the preceding July, when the church
wss Sitbout pastor, young m'n came
TO WBsrtou quite noted as summer re
eort-,or his health; aud, 1t becoming
known tbst be was Clergyman OF The
same denomination with this church. be
sas invited to oecory the vacant pu'pH
for day, which invitation he accepted.
They wno had formed bis acquaintance
recoRnizsd his intelligence and ability;
they we're not prepared to expect the won
deriul sermon ,hs, be preached, so lar
upetior was il to auy other which they
had listened to in Whsrton. Tue parish
committee at once waited upon and tender
90 him their psstorate, urging him to 30
cep, it, aud promising him salary tbs'
to their previous pastor would have seem
I'd muniticent.
thank you for your complimentary
o,l.', be replied, q rare smile lighting up
his handsome fsotnfee, Out haYe never
been ordained nor even iellowshipped,
aud, hence, should hs'dly be able to per
form the duties Of y pastor as they should
be performed. Since completing my theo
logical studies have not been very well,
particularly since the death OF my only
parent. and lef, my desolste bone in Cali
iornia to travel Tor my health, coming
here, ss | went to other places. with no
thought Of the honor nwai,iog me-
These objections wer overruled by the
committle, and James S1arles accepted
the paetorste cfsred him,
Asamsu be was universally populsf, as
a preacher be was considered marvellous"
winuiog constantly increasing audiences
His discoufses were unique, never doc
,ripsl, but always picturing the hiieous
ness OF Sin 10 its various forms as vivldly
as il he we're detailing some special
uIeuse.
On this particular morning his sermon
. seemed almost prophetic. as within lew
, minut,s after The close OF the service the
? cry OF "mnrdtr,' rang out upon the sllil
air with startling distlnc,nesS, sending Q
shiver 80 the hearts OF sll who heard It,
and causing rush to the scene OF the
crime the residence OF Thomas Beckford,
who, after having been actively engaged
Ia business in one OF our most lourishiDg
cities for many years had, With bis vile,
made home 10 Wharton, where they
could pass the remainder Of their lives 10
peace and quietude, and where she soon
after died.
Ga this glorious Sabbath morning.
xhen all nature seemed vested with god
illness thst would render such q crime i'm
possible, Mr Beckiord was found in bis
bed liieies a crushed skull indicating
th.t bis death was by violence.
Toe news OF the crime spr, sd like Wild
fire, aud the mcst Istepse excitement pre-
vailed for miles sround, Men we're EN-
ployed, Others volunteered, to scour the
country 10 every Direction, apd deteo
tive OF vide renown was summoned by
telegraph.
at the inquest the following day MIR.
; Beckior1's servant girl testified:
Saturday evening went TO care Tor my
sister. wAo is very i'll, aud, having permis
sion TO remain With her as long ss l
thong ht Necessary, / did not return Ill
nearly tselye yesterday. | was greatly
surprised 10 fading all the doors locked,
and more utonished on entering the
house, as my night hey enabled me TO do,
at eeeiug nothing OF Mr. Beckford.
rboneh as we'll as usual the preceding ev
eninr, did cot know bu. be might have
been taken suddenly i'll, so vent to his
sleeping room. to discover his lifeless
body. Immediately gave the slsrm.
The sleeping room, whose contents bad
not been disturbed save 20 lar s pre-
psriug the body fer bu ial was carefully
examined by the detective, as we're the
premises generally he slso ssked ionumer
: able questions answered by various per
sous among these erosding the bouse.
Then
No stranger has been seen 10 the place.
be observed. 10 whom any suspicion csn
attach. and yet mao whom sll 10 this
yicia,.y esteemed aud loved hss been bru,
ally murdered Hatred or desire for
lpluuaer are usaslly the oply tao Incent
lives 10 such a crime. bet 90 oDe Is knosn
10 have been 40 enemy Of tits msn, sDd
ths, the deed sss not isstigated by de
are for spolis is eTident IRON the feet ih.,
bi. y.lasble watch snd ebsin, diamond
rim ana piu aud The cortfnis Of bic peck