Obituaries (April 10)

Sally Ann (Beecher) Flint

Northern Christian Advocate, Auburn, NY, April 3, 1850

Mrs. Sally Ann Flint, daughter of Hon. S. and Sally Beecher, deceased, and wife of the Rev. C.N. Flint, died March 2, at her residence in Lenox, Madison Co., N.Y., aged 43 years and 10 days.  Sister Flint was distinguished by her mildness of manners, and the prudence of her deportment, warm in her attachment to the service of the Church, at whose altar she had bowed for near thirty years, and firm in her belief of the truths there preached. She was always remarkable for the gentleness of her treatment to all around her, and for the care she exercised never to injure the feelings, or question the motives of those who differed from her.  She died as the righteous die, in peace, hope and triumph. when the last hour had fled, and the last moment came, the angels appeared, and her enfranchised spirit fled to its native abode.   J.P. Newman,  March 31, 1850

A Dark Crime - Murder on the Highway

Robert A. Peaslee shot and Instantly killed by Samuel P. Hill

Sidney Record, September 16, 1886

On Friday morning of the 10th instant, this village [Sidney, Delaware Co., NY] was the scene of a cold blooded and apparently deliberate murder.  Samuel P. Hill, a farmer, who resides in the town of Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY], shot and almost instantly killed Robert A. Peaslee, a fireman on Nos. 1 and 2, O.&W. road, who lives in Middletown, N.Y. [Orange Co.]. Both parties have numerous relatives residing in Sidney, and are very well known in the vicinage.  The news of the terrible deed spread with lightning rapidity and threw this community into a state of unparalleled excitement.  In a short time the entire population had heard of the tragedy and everyone was on the alert for the particulars.

Samuel P. Hill is a man of middle age, and owns a farm on the road between this village and Bainbridge, nearly two miles West of Sidney.  He is a man of short stature, ruddy complexion and wears spectacles.  He has lived on his farm many years and he is very well known about here.

Robert A. Peaslee, Hill's victim, was a young man about 31 years of age, in full flush of health and strength.  He had a well knit frame and was powerfully built.  He was a sober, hardworking young man, and with his frank, open ways readily made friends.  His popularity among his fellow railroad employees is unquestioned, and when they learned of his tragic death curses loud and deep were heaped upon the head of his slayer.

The place where the murder was committed is located about five rods from the Ontario & Western crossing, on the road from this village to Bainbridge, and between the residences of Azor and Albert Smith.  Hill was driving from his farm to Sidney and had just crossed the railroad track and was driving past Azor Smith's when Robert Peaslee got in his wagon.  He staid there only a few seconds and was next seen to fall out of the seat on the ground.  Arthur W. Hill, son of Samuel P. Hill, caught him and help [him] to stand up. Arthur asked him if he was hurt.  Peaslee replied, "I am shot through the lungs." Those were the last words of the unfortunate man.  Blood poured from his mouth and nostrils in torrents and he expired almost immediately.

Samuel P. Hill drove on to the village and stopping at the office of Justice Pierce, he surrendered himself saying: "I've shot Bob Peaslee and wish to give myself up."  Mr. Pierce immediately sent for Sheriff Smith who, after carefully searching Hill, made  him his prisoner. Coroner Bundy, of Deposit, was telephoned for and arrived here at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.  Dist. Attorney Samuel Fancher was also present.

The causes which led to this crime were undoubtedly the outcroppings of family broils, the exact nature of which it is very difficult to establish.  Samuel P. Hill's son, Arthur, married Robert Peaslee's sister, and as between Sam Hill and the Peaslees a feud appears to have always existed dating from that marriage, which he did not approve.  From some cause or other the quarrel between Sam Hill and his son's family broke out a few days ago with unusual violence, and the residence of the latter on Clinton St., was the scene of a most scandalous affair, in which it is alleged that words and epithets of the vilest character was used by S.P. Hill.

Peaslee leaves a wife, daughter of James Kinch, and a three year old child.  His wife had been spending a few days with her relatives here and left for Eaton last Thursday evening.  A telegram was dispatched to her and she returned to Sidney on no. 2, Friday noon.  Her husband was insured in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen in the sum of $1,500, and $2,000 in the Equitable of Binghamton.

The following jury was summoned:  S. Thornton, T.G. Smith, H.W. Clark, Wm. Wanzer, Ira E. Sherman, Richard Smith, Delos Fosbury, O.F. Harper, A.V. Strait and Arthur Bird. They immediately proceed to view the body and returned to Hodgin's Hall to hear the testimony.

When the shroud was removed, Robert's fine, muscular body could not have escaped the attention of the jurors.  It seemed very sad to see a man of such fine physique so suddenly cut off in the very flower of his manhood.  A black spot on his right breast revealed his death wound. The bullet penetrated through the right breast and evidently passed through the left lung into the region of the heart, lodging right of spine. Death must have been instantaneous. After leaving the Kinch residence the jury and the officers proceeded to Hodgin's Hall to hear the testimony.

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The Sidney Murder

The following additional circumstances connected with the murder of Peesley [sic] by Hill are furnished by Sidney correspondents:

Hill, who lives about two miles below this village [Sidney, NY] on the river road to the town of Bainbridge, was coming to the village with some vegetables which he was going to sell when he met his son, Arthur Hill, near the railroad crossing.  While talking with him, a train was coming from Norwich.  Peesley jumped off from the train and approached Hill and his son.  A few words passed between Hill and Peesley when the latter jumped into the wagon. A scuffle ensued and soon the report of a revolver was heard.  Peesley was seen to jump out of the wagon, walk back a few steps, when Arthur P. Hill took hold of Peesley and laid him down.  Peesley died in a few minutes. The bullet struck him in the right breast going toward the heart.

After the shooting Hill drove immediately to the office of William H. Pierce, Justice of the Peace, and said to him:  "I have shot a man and I want to give myself up."  The justice asked Hill whom he had shot.  Hill replied Robert Peesley, and related the facts as follows:

"I was coming to town to deliver some potatoes and sweet corn which I had sold.  When near the crossing my son stopped me and we were talking when this train came along.  Peesley jumped off from the train and coming up to my wagon asked me if I had said certain things about his mother.  I replied I did.  Peesley then said, 'I will take it out of your hide if I have to take your hearts blood to do it' and he jumped in my wagon and taking me by the throat pushed my head backward.  I thought he was going to choke me to death and getting my revolver, pulled it out and shot him.  I could not tell Peesley to let go because he had his hands around my neck and was choking me so that I could not speak. What I did, I did in self defense.  I am very sorry it had to happen."

Justice Pierce called Deputy Sheriff Leroy Smith and put Hill in his charge. Peesley was a fireman on the Ontario & Western railroad, and had lived here [Sidney, NY] until quite recently.  He moved to Middletown a short time ago.  He was married, and had one child.  His wife was daughter of James Rinch [sic], of this place. Arthur P. Hill, the son of the homicide, married Eva Peesley, a sister of Robert, the man who was shot.

A telegram was sent to Samuel Fancher, the district attorney, who replied that he would come on the first train. Coroner Bundy, of Deposit was also telephoned to and authorized the justice to impanel a jury.

The railroad men are greatly excited and talk of lynching Hill is freely expressed. An inquest is being held at Hodgein's hall.

The Middletown Argus has the following in its Saturday issue:  "A coroner's inquest on the body of Robert Peesley was held Friday afternoon.  Hill was placed on the stand, and claimed that he shot Peesley in self defense, stating that the latter attacked him, but as the affair was witnessed by several persons who saw no attempt made by Peesley upon the person or life of Hill, and as he had no pistol upon his person, this statement is not believed.  Even Hill's own son testified that his father and Peesley met and both appeared friendly, and his father asked Mr. Peesley if he was going up town and invited him to ride, and that Peesley had no sooner settled himself in his seat than his father pulled out the pistol and without the slightest provocation, shot him twice. The young man regretted the necessity of testifying against his father, but remarked that the crime committed by him was uncalled for and inexcusable, and therefore he told the story of the crime as it occurred.

"There was no family quarrel as we were informed Friday, but it is said that Hill has always disliked Peesley and all his family since one of his son's married Peesley's sister.  But this, of course, was no excuse for the crime, and Hill will doubtless suffer the penalty unless he finds a lawyer who can prove him to be insane, which some of the more charitably disposed people of Sidney believe him to be."