The Worcester spy., 1899-09-14
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Awful Scenes In the King Homestead
Broken Furniture, Mangled Bodies
and Bloody Footprints Tell the
Shocking Story Muir
derer Taken to Jail.

Cooper and Antoine Laflanme arrived
on the scene about 1.30 o'clock. The
brother, Thomas, who had gone for as
sistance. returned with them
A quick search by the officers located
the murderer in his chamber. He did
not resist the officers, as was reported
In the excitement of the early morning,
and he appeared quite rational at the
time.
Handcuffed and closely watched, the
officers took their prisoner to the lock-
up in Southbridge. He was searched
and everything taken away from him
with which he could himself any injury.
Even his suspenders were taken from
him, as the officers thought he might
try to hang himself
When once the cell door was closed
on him he was attacked with another
MT, his wrath knew no bounds and he
stormed and raved in a blood -curdling
manner. he smashed everything in the
cell. lie took off every bit of clothing
he had on and threw it from him.
When the officers returned this morn
ing the murderer was found lying on
the cold cement floor of the cell naked
He refused to dress when told to. stat
ing that he was acting under orders.
! When asked who told him to do so. he
Ereplied They did, but was unable to
tell who they" were.
| Medical Examiner Bradford arrived
there early this morning, and made a
hurried investigation The bodies were
not disturbed last night, but have since
been prepared for burial. which will
take place in Fiskdale in a day or two,
probably tomorrow
The chair and two sticks of wood that
the man used were covered with blood
and so was the floor and stairs where
the mother had come down. When the
son committed the crime he was bare
rooted. He waded through the blood,
and the bloody footprints upon the fioor
were in evidence this morning. The
sitting room had the appearance of a
slaughter house. The floor, chairs and
sticks of wood were covered with blood
and other objects around the room were
likewise bespattered.
1t was not thought that the nnurdAr-
er s MT of insanity would wear away so
that he would be in a condition to an
pear in court and answer to the charge
OF double murder. Consequently, Dr.
Bradford, with DR.. Genereux wsnt to
the lookup and examined Peter. When
they appeared the man seemed rational
enough. All symptoms of insanity had
lett MIN, and ne was willing TO go any
where and act as he should.
DR.. Bradford asked the man If ha
knew why the officers had placed him
where he was, and he answered ha did.
When asked il he felt strong enough to
go to court, he answered in the affiru1a-
tive, and after being given a little
while in which to collect himself he
was securely handcuffed and taken 70
tne district court room, where Judge
Henry ]. Clarke of Webster was on the
bench
It was with a. good dead Of crowffng
and pushing that the officers with their
prisoner were able to get through the
crowd. King was charged with the
murder of his mother, Mrs. Mary King
He pleaded guilty at first, but later
wished to change the plea to not gull
ty, but the judge refused to accept his
plea and bound him over to the grand
jury, which convenes in Worcester next
month, without bonds
The murderer evidently realized hia
position and refused to meet the gaze
of the staring throng. Only one charge
of murder was brought against him.
He appeared in court this morning
without counsel.
After the preliminary hearing today
the prisoner was taken back to the
lookup. where he remained until aftes.
dinner, when he was taken to Worcas-
ter on the early afternoon train. He
was accompanied by Officer Patterson.
who assisted in the arrest, and Deputy
Sheriff Franklin Jacobs Of Southbridge.
position all the way to Worcester. He
was given cigar to smoke, and after
lighting 1t he turned his face to the
window and stared out Of it most of
the time. His only movement was to
raise his hands to the mouth when he
puffed his cigar
All the way up he was the center of
observation by the passengers When
the train pulled into Webster the news
had been circulated that the murderer
was coming on that train heavily
guarded and the rear door Of the smok-
er was locked to keep the crowd out of
the car. AS it was, many managed to
get into the car and take good look
at the man.
The murderer is 43 years of age and
unmarried, and when in town resided
with his father and mother and bro
ther, Thomas, at their residence on the
BTookfield road, in Fiskdale. He Is q
carpenter by trade. and is considered
a good workman when he attends to
business and let's liquor alone
Besides Peter and Thomas, there %
brother John, who is married and
lives in Fiskdale.
Both Mr. and Mrs. King have lived
in Fiskdale for the past forty years and
were well known in Southbridge as we'll
as in their native town.
Mr. King was S5 years old, and his
wife was IS years of age.
Many people visited the scene of the
crime today. looking for relics and
other curiosities. They were not al
lowed entrance to the house where the
bodies were.