Trails-to-the-Past-Massachusetts-Worcester-County-Schools

 

 

Worcester County Old News Items
 
 
 

 

The murder of Philip Edwards by John L. Davis, August 15th, 1838, perpetrated while the latter was under the influence of alcoholic insanity. Davis, a man who was in the habit of using liquor to such an extent that he had previously shown symptoms of similar derangement, had within the week before the tragedy drunk about two gallons of rum. Utterly frenzied, he spent the night of the 14th of August wandering about his house and yard, shrieking “ Murder!” and whetting a knife and axe. In the early morning, seeing Edwards, a neighbor, a poor man, but industrious, worthy and respected, passing to his work, he rushed out, and in spite of his pitiful entreaties, felled him to the ground with repeated blows, so fracturing the skull that he died almost immediately. Davis was at once arrested. The Grand Jury, however, failed to find an indictment against him on account of his evident irresponsibility.  The Court then committed him to an Insane Asylum, where he remained until the physicians pronounced him cured. --- Holden

With the evil of slavery, Holden had a less tragic connection. In the spring of 1838, Mrs. Olivia Eames, returning from New Orleans, brought with her as nurse to her children a young black girl, Anne. After a time she began negotiations with reference to selling her into slavery again. This becoming known, a writ of personal replevin was issued, the girl was removed from the custody of her mistress after long and violent resistance to the process of law on the part of the latter, and bonds were given by friends for the appearance of the girl in court at the trial of the case. At the December term of court, 1838, judgment was, by agreement, taken against the defendant, Mrs. Eames, in the sum of one dollar and costs, and thus the freedom of the girl was judicially and finally established. Meantime four citizens of Holden, Samuel Stratton, Samuel Foster, Farnum White, Jr. and James Cheney were indicted for conspiracy to remove Anne from the voluntary service of Mrs. Eames, and for the accomplishment of that purpose making use of the process of law commonly called writ of personal replevin. Learning the fact of their indictment, they voluntarily gave themselves up. Their trial was held January 29th and 30th, 1839. It was clearly shown that the girl was under such constraint that she dared not make her fears and wishes known publicly, but that she had privately communicated to those in whom she had confidence her desire to become free. In view of this testimony the prosecuting attorney declared that the defendants were entitled to a verdict in their favor, which the jury promptly rendered. ---- Holden

 

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