The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-21
|PEASLEE is
LOCKED UP
Brought from Portland to
Concord and Held
for Hearing
TELLS HOW HE
KILLED FATHER
Murderer, in Custody of a
Sheriff and Officer, Is
Taken to Concord

Concord, N. H., Aug. 2l.--Morrisor
Peaslee of Henniker, who confessed il
Portland on Thursday that he killed
his father, Howard w. Peasleee, of that
town on the night Of May 22, 1916, was
brought to Concord yesterday morning
by Deputy Sheriff Wooster of Sheriff
Smiths staff and Fred N. Marden of the
local police, and locked up in the police
station to await hearing, which will
was held this morning at o'clock by
reason of the absence of Robert 9. Muir
lphy, county solicitor, on important le-
gal business in Manchester.
There was large crowd at the sta
| ton to see Peaslee, but there was no
demonstration when he was taken from
the train, and neither did the respondent
show the slightest interest in what was
going on about him.
After suffering mental torture for
more than l5 months, Morrison Peaslee,
81 years old, of Old Orchard, Me-, Thurs
day confessed to the murder of his ia
Their, Howard w. Morrison, at Henri
ker, N. H., May %, 1914, to his business
partner in his Office in the Winslow
building, Portland, Me.
Peaslee had been influenced to talk Of
the crime, the stage was set for his ar
rest before he entered his office and ev-
cry word he uttered as he told of shoot
ing his father was heard by officials of
the Portland police and City Detective
Martin of Concord.
Peaslee was brought from Portland to
Concord yesterday and placed in Con-
cord jail TO await hearing. He Is ex
pected to plead guilty 10 first degree
murder, as the police have a written
and signed confession in their posses
sion.
The confession of Peaslee and his sub
sequent arrest came as a climax to de-
tective work by operators of the Sher-
man Detective agency OF Boston, which |
for sensationalism rivals the achieve
ments of fictitious sleuths. For more |
than seven months the Boston detee- |
tiyes have been seeking TO pin the muir
der of his father on Morrison Peaslee.
In their work they were forced to con-
tend with another private detective, who
Is the youngest son of the murdered
nan and brother OF the man under ar
rest. He is Shirley Peaslee of Bos.
on.
Howard Peaslee was murdered in his
at Henniker, n. Ii. A neigh
,or, Gene Woods, was arrested for the
rhine, given hearing and then released.
suspicion was directed 10 Morrison Peas
ee by the finding by him of an alleged
black hand note in his fathers shop.
Since the moment Morrison picked up
he note from the floor of his fathers
oy shop. he has been under suspicion
Tor the past few months he has been UNI
er surveillance.
Detectives from Boston have watched
lie home, Sherbrook cottage, day and
light for seven months. Other detec-
ives have made his acquaintance, gained
is confidence and led him TO talk of the
laying of his father continually.
Thursday, Robert c. Murchie, prose-
uting attorney of Merrimack county.
lew Hampshire; b. +. Bowen, chief Of
he Portland police department; Inspec-
Dr Thomas L. Quinn of Portland; City
effective Martin of Concord, n. H., and
ohm Sherman Of the Sherman Detective
yency OF Boston stationed themselves
a room adjoining Peaslee's Office in
&c Winslow building, Portland Peas
e has been doing business in the lum- !,
n trade.
The room in which the officers were !
I'd been connected with Peaslee's Office
: wires leading to a dictagraph that !
Id been concealed in the Office Of the
Ispected man. As the police officials !,
.tcned with the receivers held 10 their Z
rs. Morrison Peaslee told the details &
the killing Of his father, to his part Z
r, never suspecting that other ears |.
ere listening. AZ tho end Of the re- ].
Ial the police officers and detectives u
the next room rushed into Peaslec's
ice and confronted him with what 4.
ey had heard. Peaslce, at their re- \.
est, wrote out a confession that diff y
red very little from the story he had =
4 told his partner. Peaslcc affixed his :
mature 20 the confession.
The police aliege Il was TO secure mon. y
from his fathers estate that caused :,
Jfris0n 10 shoot and Kin him.