USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 65
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STAFFORD
CITY HALL.
617
NEW TOWN HOUSE.
In pursuance of these votes, the various reservoirs were en- larged, new ones were built, the Ponds on Concord and Mer- rimack Squares, were made available as reservoirs, and the Pond upon Hanover Square, was so fitted up as to afford an abundant supply of water at all times to most of the reservoirs below Pine street. A night-watch was established, and lots purchased, and houses built upon them for the accommodation of the two new fire engines, "Massebesic No. 4," and "Tor- rent, No. 5," the same now occupied by those engines. Thus, the burning of the Town House produced this result, that Man- chester has the best supply of water in case of fires, of any city n New England, Boston alone excepted, and a fire department second to none.
Mr. Shaw entered immediately upon his contract, under the supervision of Mr. Elijah Hanson as Agent, and the Town House was nearly finished in Oct. 1845. It is of a very pe- culiar style of architecture, nothing of the classical or pure about it, but still a fine looking structure. The design of the architect was that the building should have been entirely of stone, the columns hammered and the wall of ashler work ; but the committee deviated from his plan, and the building is of stone and brick, the columns and caps being of hammered stone, while the walls are of brick, painted and sanded to imi- tate stone. The building is one hundred feet in length, by six- ty feet in width, and has five stores, with an office for the City Clerk, and a room for the Common Council on the first floor ; the City Hall, and the offices of the Mayor and City Mashal on the second floor, and the rooms for the Engineers and the School Committee on the third floor ; while to the disgrace of the city, the Lobby or the City Prison, is in a cellar at its south west corner. The whole structure, with clock and bell cost $35,000.
On the 26th of September, of this year, the company had another public land sale. The lots sold were situated between Merrimack and Park streets,-and Elm and Union streets,- and brought higher prices than at any previous sale.
The Presidential election came off in this state, November 4, 1844, and was holden in this town at the Methodist Episcopal Church on Elm Street. The ballot was thus ;
Joseph Low, 635, William Badger, 518
618
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Joseph Healey, 636,
John McNeil, 518
John Rogers, 635,
Elijah R. Currier, 518
Benj. F. Farley, 635,
Isaac Hale, 518
Rufus Parish, 635, Elijah Sawyer, 517
Samuel Garfield, 636,
John L. Putnam,
516
Jesse Woodbury,
46
Peter Clark,
46
Noah Piper, 46
Daniel Adams,
46
Reuben Porter,
46
Isaac Crosby,
46
The ticket headed by William Badger, was successful in the state at large, and its electoral vote was thrown for James K. Polk, who was chosen President of the United States.
At the same meeting the question was taken as to the ex- pediency of altering the Constitution of the state, and also as to abolishing capital punishment.
The votes were thus ;
In favor of altering the constitution, 322
Against, 381
In favor of abolishing capital punishment, 318
Against,
417
On the 14th day of December, the Selectmen laid out the road leading from Gilman Harvey's to the Mammoth Road near Londonderry line. This was built the next season.
At the annual meeting, March 11, 1845, the town voted to raise $1,800, in addition to the amount required by law and that $850, of this amount should be expended in the out districts, and the balance, in District No. 2; that the Selectmen furnish suitable rooms for the accommodation of the Court of Common Pleas ; and that they appoint an agent to sell spirituous liquors, for medicinal, chemical, and mechanical purposes, the names of all purchasers, and time of purchase, to be recorded. A com- mittee was also chosen, consisting of Messrs. John A. Burnham, Hiram Brown, and Isaac C. Flanders, to examine into the subject and estimate the expense of a Common Sewer in Elm street, and to report at the next meeting of the town.
In accordance with their instructions, the Sclectmen appoint-
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619
MURDER OF JONAS L. PARKER.
ed Messrs. Tilton and Sweetser, agents for the sale of spirit- uous liquor, and decided upon the Town House for the ac- commodation of the Court of Common Pleas.
On Thursday morning, March 27th, 1845, the people of this town, were thrown into the most intense excitement, by the knowledge of the fact that Mr. Jonas L. Parker, a well known citizen, had been murdered the previous evening, in a thick grove of pines, just east of the village. This piece of woods was the original growth in part, was thick and dense, and just the place in all the neighborhood, for a deed of darkness. It was situated south of Hanover street, betwixt Union street and what was known as the "Old Falls Road," vestiges of which are now visible. The trees have been cut down and much of the land is now covered by buildings. The place of the murder however, was on, or near the south east corner of lot No. 1275 upon the south side of Manchester street, the same upon which stands the house of Mr. Augustus F. Hall ; the old road leading east through these woods to the Falls road, passing near the south end of this lot.
Mr. Parker had been the Collector of taxes for the town for 1844, had lately sold some real estate, was negotia ing for more and without a doubt was decoyed into the woods, and murder- ed by some person well acquainted with the fact, that he had a large amount of money about his person ; and in all probabili- ty by some one well acquainted with him, as it is hardly prob- able that a man of Mr. Parker's well known caution, could have been induced to have gone into those woods, in the night with a stranger. Still this is a matter of conjecture, and the whole affair is clouded in mystery, the murderer still being unknown, though the most perservering efforts have been made for his detection. The circumtances attending this atrocious murder were these. Mr. Parker resided on Manchester street, and kept a Bowling Saloon, which was connected with his dwelling, there being an entrance to the same from the street, and also from the entry of his house. Two men were playing a game of checkers on the evening of the 26th, in the office of the Saloon. While thus engaged, and about half past nine o'clock, Mr. D. E. Hill, the gentleman who had the imn ediate charge of the sa- loon, was entering the front door leading into it, he saw a man standing on the front door step which led into the saloon by a side door from the entry, and also up stairs where his family were. Mr. Hill had just got seated as the man rang the bell. There were several persons in the saloon, and as Mr. Parker
620
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
arose to answer the call of the bell, Capt. Stilman Fellows also arose to leave and go home. As he passed the front door of the house where the man stood, he heard him inform Mr. P. that a Mrs. Bean wished to see him on urgent business at Janesville. He inquired what Mrs. Bean, and was informed a lady from Lowell, who wished to see him upon important business, as she was to take the cars early the next morning. While Mr. Parker stepped in to get a lantern, Capt. Fellows entered an alley or by place, and just as he returned to the side walk, the man and Mr. Parker were ahead of him. He fol- lowed them as far as his own residence on Manchester street, entered his house and thought nothing more of the matter.
The two passed up Manchester street, crossed through Pine to Merrimack street, and up that street to where the old road through the woods diverged from the Hallsville road. This point was near the east line of the lot upon which is the Free Church upon Merrimack street. Near this place, a young man heard them as he was returning to Hallsville from a singing School. Parker and his companion were walking along and conversing together. As the young man passed them he re- marked, "It is very muddy walking," and one of the two an- swered, "Yes, very muddy." The young man passed on some 30 or 40 rods, when he was startled by the thrilling cry of "murder, murder," and then immediately followed the cry of " don't, don't, don't." He was very much frightened, and he immediately hastened home and retired to bed, making no mention of what he had heard for fear the people of the house might jest him upon his affright. A lady living some thirty or forty rods to the northeast on the Old Falls road, heard the noise as she was reading, got up, and went to the door and listened. She distinctly heard the cries of the dying man, "Oh don't, oh don't, oh don't," till they terminated in an indistinct groan. As noises were not unfrequent in the neighborhood at that time of night, she came to the conclusion that some one had been arrested by the Police, and resumed her reading. Soon, however, she heard voices in that direction, again went to the door, and heard two or more persons having high words upon Hanover street, and then a horse and wagon drove down the street. This circumstance confirmed her first impres- sion, that some one had been arrested by the Police. Others in the same neighborhood heard the same noise, went to the door, and came to the same conclusion. The next morning, Messrs. Seavy and Sargent, who had heard the noise, the eve-
t
621
THE PARKER MURDER.
ning, and had suspicions that all was not right, went into the woods in the direction of the noise, and discovered the body of Parker, lying upon his left side, his throat cut, and the head almost severed from his body ! Beside him lay a butcher knife and a razor, while at a few feet distance, lay the lantern, so crushed, as to show that it had been broken in dealing a bjow.
The ground was covered with snow and ice, not hard, and this was trodden in a circle some fifteen or twenty feet in di- ameter around the body, showing that a fearful struggle had taken place, before the strong man was overcome, and that probably more than one was engaged in the murder. The men immediately went down into the town and gave the alarm. The body was identified as Parker's, as his family had made known his absence, and his friends were on the look out for him.
Mrs. Parker had looked into the Saloon for her husband, and not seeing him, she came to the conclusion that he had gone out on business, and made no inquiry for him. After waiting: for him awhile, she retired to rest. In the morning, finding. he was still absent, she became alarmed, went to Mr. Good- win's, and made inquiries for him, and finding Mr. Goodwin had not seen him since he left the Saloon, she alarmed his friends and neighbors, who commenced a search for him. While making inquiries for him, the men who had discovered the body came into the village, and the mystery of his dis- appearance was solved.
The murderer did not take a wallet which was in the pock- et of Parker's pantaloons, and which containad $1635, but his pocket book, which he carried in the side pocket of his coat, and which contained some thousands of dollars, was taken. His tax book had been taken from his pocket, and examined, as marks of the murderer's fingers, imprinted in fresh blood were left upon its leaves ! There were found upon his person upon examination before the Coroner, Joseph M. Rowell, Esq., sev- eral extensive wounds ; one entering at the angle of the jaw on the right side and passing into the cavity of the month at the root of the tongue, which severed the external jugular vein. Another commencing by five or six cuts, a little to the left of the wind pipe, and passing obliquely upwards and around the right side of the neck, for more than 3-4 of its whole circum- ference. By this wound, the wind pipe was cut across in two places, once completely, the instrument passing through the aesophagus, or stomach pipe, lying behind it, and entering the space between two of the joints of the back bone in the
44
622
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
neck ; and once for about 2-3 of its circumference. The com- mon carotid artery, the internal jugular vein, with their accom- panying nerves, were completely divided. The central artery going up through bony rines in the spine, to the brain, was cut across in two places. All the great mass of muscles and cords, upon the back of the neck, was wholly divided upon the right side, and small pieces were chipped off from the process- es of the bone.
.There were two or three other slight cuts upon the head and neck, and several small ones upon the hands. There were also two stabs upon the right thigh. One of these was quite deep, but did not injure any of the great vessels.
The coroner's jury consisted of D. Clark, Esq., Dr. Charles Wells, and Dr. D. J. Hoyt. A large number of witnesses were examined, and every circumstance of suspicion traced as far as practicable for many weeks.
The murderer after rifling the pockets of the murdered man fled up the cart road to the Old Falls Road. As he went he dip- ped his hand in the snow to wash the blood from it, and the prints of this operation remained for some hours. When upon the Falls Road he went north in it as far as Hanover street, and then retraced his steps, and followed the Falls Road to the Amoskeag brook at Hallsville. He could be traced no farther. As soon as people had recovered from their surprise, officers and others started in pursuit of the murderer. It was supposed from the traces of blood in the snow, that his right hand was severe- ly cut. This supposition led those in pursuit of the murderer to look for a man with a lame hand, and hence the murderer readily escaped detection, as he doubtless received no injury, the blood upon the snow being that of the murdered man, washed from the hand of the murderer. The most intense excitement prevailed, and every effort was made to detect the murderer. The Selectmen of the town immediately offered a reward of $500, for the detection of the murderer.
The Governor of the State also offered a reward of a $1000, for the apprehension of the murderer. Various individuals were suspected at the time, and some were arrested; but without avail. Mr. Parker had been to Saco a few days previous, for the purpose of purchasing real estate, and was accompanied by a man by the name of Phipps. While at Saco, Parker and Phipps occupied the same room at a public house, and an at- tempt was made one night to enter his room. This fact, nat- urally led people to suspect, that some one from Saco was en-
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623
THE PARKER MURDER.
gaged in the murder. At length, in the winter of 1848, Asa Wentworth, and Henry T. Wentworth, brothers, who had form- erly been connected with a tavern of bad repute, at Janesville, m the neighborhood of the murder, were arrested on a requisi- tion from the Governor of New Hampshire, upon the Governor of Maine, charging them with the murder of Parker.
The grounds of suspicion against them were, that Phipps always persisted in saying, that it was one of the Wentworths who attempted to break into their room at Saco ; that Henry T. Wentworth who had absconded from the State, to avoid a liquor prosecution, had been back to Manchester, and had been secreted at a Mr. Morrill's house on the Hall hill in the garb of a woman, where he had answered to the name of Bean ; had been visited there by Parker ; that Wentworth knew that Parker had a large amount of money about his person, and it was alleged that he was here in Manchester on the day of the murder; and the suspicions were that he was the Mrs. Bean, whom Parker was decoyed out to see, the most direct way to the house on the Hall hill, being the path they took through the woods. These allegations and surmises, together with the fact that certain con- nexions and accomplices of the Wentworths had often and vaguely charged them with the crime, and that they possessed an amount of property, greater by far, than their means and opportunities of accumulating property would warrant, led to their arrest. After an extended examination, however, they were discharged. In 1850, in May, the Wentworths were again arrested upon a requisition from the Governor ; the evi- dence was more conclusive, and they were surrendered upon the requisition. They were brought to Manchester, and the 30th day of May, in connection with Horace Wentworth of Low- ell, and one William C. Clark, were arraigned on a complaint for the murder of Parker. A long and tedious examination followed, extending through more than 30 days, in which the labor of the counsel for the state and for the respondents was most unwearied, bringing into the case an amount of legal learning, skill, ingenuity, tact, and finesse, unparalleled in this state, to say the least. Gen. Pierce made the closing argu- ment for the respondents on July 3d, which was characterized by his usual ability and eloquence, and was followed by Sam- uel H. Ayer, Esq., the Solicitor, in an argument at great length and of much force, in which he reviewed the whole testimony in the case, and argued that the respondents should be commit- ted to answer further for the crime, with which they were charged. Upon the close of the arguments of the counsel, the
624
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
court adjourned to July the 5th inst. Upon the 5th, the Court gave its opinion in the case, ordering the discharge of Horace Wentworth, and Clark, and the commitment of Henry T. and Asa Wentworth, and they were committed to the jail in Am- herst.
On Monday following, the Solicitor went before the Chief Justice at Concord, and stated in presence of the respondents' counsel, that in his opinion, there was not sufficient testimony in the case to warrant the finding of a bill against the Went- worths by a Grand Jury, and on the testimony he should ad- vise a Jury not to find a bill, At the Term of the Superior · Court holden at Plymouth, on the same week, Henry T. and Asa Wentworth, were brought before the Court on a writ of habeas corpus, a letter was laid before the Court from the Chief Justice, repeating the statements of the Solicitor, also an affadavit of the respondents' counsel, rehearsing the Solicitor's statements to the Chief Justice ; and upon this state- ment of the prosecuting officer, and without going into the testimony in the case, the Court decided that the respondents should be admitted to bail, the' same being fixed at $5000, for each individual.
They accordingly gave the required bail, and were set at lib- erty. At the October Term of the Court in Manchester, some few of the many witnesses in the case were sent before the Grand Jury, and no bill was found against them, and thus the affair ended, the murderer of Parker being still at large.
The act of the legislature of Dec., 1844, providing for the appointment of a board of Engineers for fire departments, was adopted by the town this year, and went into operation for the first time. The board appointed by the selectmen, consist- ed of Daniel Clark, Chief, and Richard G. Smith, William Shepherd, David Gillis, Walter French, Jacob G. Cilley, Wil- liam C. Clarke, John A. Burnham, and Oliver W. Bayley, Assis- tants. The board was organized, and published their regula- tions, which are of record.
The Independent Democrat, was first published in this town May 1st., 1845, by Robert C. Wetmore. In a few weeks it was removed to Concord, where it is now published.
On Sunday evening, June 8, 1945, died at his residence, the Hermitage, near Nashville, Tenn., Gen. Andrew Jackson, in the 78th year of his age. His death was noticed in this town by public exercises on the 12th of July, in which the people of the town participated without distinction of party.
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625
HONORS TO GEN. JACKSON.
The day was ushered in by the tolling of bells and the firing of minute guns. The national flags were displayed at half mast, and those suspended over Elm street, beneath which the pro- cession was to pass, were appropriately trimmed with mourn- ing. At mid-day, the stores and shops throughout the village were closed, and the shops upon Elm street, were shrouded in mourning. Our citizens, without distinction of party seemed to vie with each other in assisting in appropriate tributes to the memory of departed worth. The people were flocking in from the neighboring towns, so that by the tin e of forming the procession, in spite of the extreme heat of the day-the thermometer at 99 in the shade-the streets were thronged. At 2 o'clock, according to previous announcement, the proces- sion commenced forming at the Methodist Church, under the di- rection of the Chief Marshal, E. Hill Esq., and his deputies, amid the tolling of bells, and the firing of minute guns. The escort, consisted of those excellent companies. the Stark Guards, the Granite Fusileers and Manchester Rifles. Next followed the "Torrent," Fire Engine Company, No. 5. in uniform and full ranks, and their engine appropriately trimmed. Then followed as in the order of the Chief Marshal, the President, Orator, Chaplains and Committee of Arrangements of the day, with a Fast concourse of citizens from this and the neighboring towns ; among which as the most conspicuous, were some hundreds of ladies, whom the burning sun could not deter from uniting in a tribute of respect to the illustrious dead.
The procession passed the several streets, the Manchester and Nashua Brass Bands alternately playing dirge music, to the Grove, where the exercises were to take place. A more beau- tiful place could not have been selected for the ceremonies of the occasion. It was a deep ravine about a hundred rods from our village, covered with a primitive growth of pine, hemlock, and birch, whose thick foliage was impenetrable to the rays of the sun ; the bottom cleared of under-brush, and traversed by a clear and beautiful stream of water, and its sides, steep banks some eighty, or ninety feet high, descended by steps scooped out of the surface of the ground. At the bottom of this ra- vine were erected the speaker's stand, trimmed in mourning, and seats for the military ; while the eastern bank of the ravine, here taking an elliptical form, was fitted up with ranges of seats and the declivity of the western bluff, was furrowod with seats scooped in the surface of the same, the whole presenting a great, natural amphitheatre of the most imposing appearance, and
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1
626
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
when filled with spectators forcibly reminded one of the amphi- theatre of ancient times. This place so appropriate, was filled with an audience who evinced by their noiseless carriage, that they were deeply impressed with the solemnities of the occa- sion. The Marshal then announced the order of exercises from the stand, which announcement was followed by music from the Band.
The Rev. Mr. Moore read a selection from the scriptures, fol- lowed by the Rev. Mr. Cilley, in a prayer. The President of the day, Hon. James McK. Wilkins, then made a few appropri- ate remarks upon the occasion of the meeting, and introduced to the assembly the orator of the day-George Barstow, Esq. Mr. Barstow touched upon all the prominent incidents in the life of the departed Hero, from his cradle to his death bed, in an appropriate manner.
The ceremonies were as a whole, a credit to our Town, County and State. They were alike creditable to all our citizens, without distinction, for they were all willing, at the grave of the Hero, to let the pall of charity cover all else, save the recol- lection of the virtues of him who "had filled the measure of his country's glory."
The first of September, of this year, the publisher of the American, started the Semi-Weekly American. It was con- tinued until about the middle of April, 1846, when the Ameri- can establishment passing into the hands of J. O. Adams, Esq., the Semi-Weekly American was discontinued.
On the 23d of September, a Town meeting was held at the Methodist Church, at which the selectmen were authorized to pay the reward offered for the detection of the murderer of Parker ; the act of the Legislature was adopted for the sup- pression of Bowling saloons ; and that part of the Old Falls road was discontinued betwixt Union and Pine streets.
The fourth and last land sale of the Amoskeag Manufactur- · ing Company, took place September 30, 1845. The lands sold were situated beween Elm and Union streets, and Lowell and Orange streets. They averaged much higher prices than at any previous sales.
The Saturday Messenger was started the last of November of this year, by Mr. Charles H. Chase. It was united with the American in June, 1852.
On the 29th of November, a town meeting was held for the
627
GROWTH OF THE TOWN IN IS45.
first time in the new Town House. At this meeting, that part of the Old Falls road, betwixt Orange street on the north, and Bridge street on the south, and betwixt Union street on the east, and Chestnut on the west, was discontinued.
The growth of the town in 1845 was unprecedented. A news- paper* of date, May 21, 1845, thus speaks of its progress.
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