Murder of Sarah M. Fitch, December 1874

Murder of Sarah M. Fitch

Oxford Times, Oxford, NY, December 30, 1874

A most terrible affair happened in Guilford [Chenango Co. NY] on Sunday morning last, about 10 o'clock, which resulted in the death of an estimable lady, and has stricken a large circle of friends and relatives with profound grief.  From Dr. McFarland, who was called to attend the victim we learn the particulars.

The murder was committed at the residence of John P. Hall, who resides near Guilford Centre; the victim being Mrs. Fitch, his wife's aunt, who was spending the holidays with the family.  Sometime that morning Hall entered the house with an axe, which he placed by the kitchen stove to warm, as he said at the time.  About 10 o'clock, Mrs. Hall, his wife, arose and left the room, leaving Mrs. Fitch seated in a rocking chair by the stove reading.  Mr. Hall was seated on the opposite side of the stove a little to her left.  Soon after Mrs. H. and the inmates of the other rooms, (another family occupy part of the house), heard a noise as of a blow, and presently Hall came to them and said, "Aunt fitch has had a fit."

On entering the room Mrs. Fitch was found in her chair bleeding from a wound on her head.  Mrs. Hall asked if she was hurt, and she replied that she did not know, and on being asked who did it, meaning the wound, made the same reply. Dr. Clark of Guilford who happened to be in the neighborhood was quickly summoned and he sent for Dr. McFarland of this village.  The lady was passed human aid, and soon became unconscious, dying in her chair in about half an hour after the arrival of Dr. Clark and before the arrival of Dr. McFarland.

It is said that Hall, after informing the family that Mrs. Fitch had a fit, wiped the blood from the axe and went to splitting wood.

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, December 31, 1874

On Sunday afternoon last, our community was shocked by the announcement that Mrs. Sarah M. Fitch, an aged and much esteemed widow lady of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY] had been killed with an axe by her nephew, John P. Hall at the residence of his family in Guilford on Sunday morning.  The particulars of the sad affair are furnished us by a gentleman residing in the vicinity of the scene of the tragedy and are given below.

Deceased was the widow of Eleazer H. Fitch, formerly a prominent and wealthy businessman of Guilford, who resided upon the farm where the homicide of Sunday was committed and who also kept a country store near the homestead. After his death which occurred about twenty years since, his widow removed to this village where she has since resided, respected and esteemed by the entire community and beloved for her many Christian graces and benevolent deeds.  Her age was seventy-four years and she left no children.

Since the removal of Mrs. Fitch to Norwich, the farm has been occupied by Mrs. Hall, her niece and adopted daughter, with her family, to whom it was deeded.  On Thursday of last week, she went to Guilford for the purpose of spending the holidays at the old homestead.  Her sad and terrible death at the hands of her nephew casts a gloom over a large circle of friends and relatives.

Hall, who was well known in the community, was a passionate and improvident man, addicted to the free use of ardent spirits and quarrelsome in his family.  He had no control of the property and for a time resided away from his home. What induced him to commit the deed may never be known, as he denies all knowledge of the manner of Mrs. Fitch's death, and the general theory is that he was insane at the time he struck the fatal blow.  His family, consisting of his wife, four sons and three daughters, are of the highest respectability, and receive the heartfelt sympathy of all.

Having been placed under arrest soon after the deed was accomplished, Hall was brought to this village e on Monday and lodged in jail.  He still denies any knowledge of the affair and is apparently cool and self-possessed.

Hall is a man fifty-five to sixty years age form New York, where he had failed in business as a merchant.  He was a man of education and good address when sober, and at one time was considerably respected by our townsmen.  After coming to Guilford, he received considerable assistance from his uncle, the late Eleazer H. Fitch and his family, until his increasing intemperance rendered it necessary that restrictive measure should be employed.  Upon the death of Mr. Fitch, his wife deeded the farm now occupied by Hall's family, to Mrs. Hall and her children, and this and similar protective measures, it is supposed, produced an estrangement towards his family and Mrs. Fitch in particular, which by long harboring has resulted in this awful deed.

For some time, Hall has been in poor health and has been comparatively temperate, and at the time of the commission of this deed, was said to have been free from the influence of liquor.  Nothing unusual had occurred of late to awaken his animosity, or lead to the perpetration of such an act.

A Coroner's jury was immediately summoned by Coroner Spencer which rendered a verdict in accordance with evidence as substantially stated above, that Mrs. Sarah M. Fitch came to her death from a wound inflicted by an axe, at the hands of John P. Hall.

Hall was arrested upon the warrant of the Coroner, and taken into custody of officers who have today (Monday) lodged him in our County jail to await the further action of the Grand Jury.

Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, January 7, 1875

We last week gave the particulars of the sad death of Mrs. Sarah M. Fitch of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co. NY] at the hands of her nephew, John P. Hall, in Guilford on Sunday morning, the 27th ult.  The Jersey City Evening Journal give the following history of the persons connected with the melancholy affair.

"About the year 1822(?), Sarah Mead, a young lady of great personal and mental attractions, was married in the city of New York to E.H. Fitch, a young merchant, who settled in Guilford, Chenango County [NY], engaging in mercantile business.  the immediate family consisted of Mr. Fitch and wife, Mrs. Purdy, a sister of Mrs. Fitch and her daughter Sarah Purdy.  

Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, having no children, adopted in 1826 a youth of six years, whom they watchfully cared for during the years of youth to those of manhood.  For this child's welfare they cherished the kindliest feelings through life, the surviving widow regularly paying him a visit, the last in her seventy-fifth year hundreds of miles from home.

About the year 1848 Mr. Fitch died, leaving her a widow, wealthy and possessed of all the elements of a truly noble and Christian woman.  A few years before this Sarah Purdy was married in New York to a young man of culture and refinement, a merchant named John P. Hall.  He was not prosperous in business, failed and came to want.  Mrs. Fitch ever generous, invited them to her home.  This home consisted of nearly 200 acres of well cultivated land and a stately mansion, shaded by trees planted by the fair-haired youth mentioned above, whose head is now frosted by the touch of fifty-five winters.  She gave a deed on this property to Mrs.  Hall and purchased a home for herself nearby and left the home of her married life.

On Sunday last, December 27th, Mrs. Fitch was with her sister and niece and family on a holiday visit.  In the middle of the day the sister and daughter left the room.  Mr. Hall, while professing friendship and without warning, struck Mrs. Fitch on the back of the head with an axe.  She fell to the floor unconscious and died in an hour.  In a few minutes Hall went into the other room and told the sister that Mrs. Fitch had fainted.  He then coolly wiped the blood from the axe and commenced to split wood.  This murdered woman was his guardian angel, his lifelong support and friend.

Reference has been made to the adopted youth.  Thirty years ago, he settled in Hoboken.  He has filled many official positions, such as Superintendent of Public Schools for several terms, Chief Magistrate of the city, Health Commissioner, and various other offices, with fidelity and marked ability.  His early life was not free from obstacles and many temptations which would have diverted and disheartened many a young man.  To Mrs. Fitch he was chiefly indebted for his success i life.  This man is Dr. L.W. Elder, a highly respectable physician now living in Hoboken.

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Mrs. Sarah M. Fitch, the victim of the recent tragedy in Guilford, was born in Fairfield County, Conn. in the year 1800, and was the wife of Eleazer H. Fitch. Early in the years of their married life, they came to Guilford and settled at the Centre, near the scene of the terrible murder, committed on Sunday morning, Dec. 27th, 1874. For many years, Mr. Fitch was engaged in mercantile pursuits, amassing a large fortune.  He built the house in which Mrs. Fitch met her terrible fate, it is finely situated and surrounded by trees and in former days was the scene of much pleasure and unbounded hospitality. They were among the earliest members of the Episcopal Church in Guilford and were ever her staunch and liberal supporters. Soon after the death of Mr. Fitch, which occurred in 1852, Mrs. Fitch presented the farm and house to her niece, Mrs. Hall, and removed to Norwich, where she had resided up to the time of her death. She has always manifested a lively interest in Guilford and its Chruch, presenting it only a short time since with a costly Communion Service, and other valuable articles.  On the 24th Dec., she came from Norwich to spend the Christmas tide, among the old friends whom she loved. She was present at the Christmas Eve services and afterward participated in the Sunday School Festival; on Christmas day she attended Chruch and received her last Communion, in the little Church she loved. She was buried form the Chruch on Wednesday the 30th, the burial rites being said by Rev. H.V. Gardner and Rev. Mr. Loveridge of Norwich.  Thus, a Christian woman of wealth, benevolence and intelligence has passed swiftly to her reward, honored, lamented and esteemed, by a large circle of relatives and friends in whose minds the memory of her good life and noble deeds will ever remain.

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Chenango Union, Norwich, NY, November 25, 1875

HALL:  At the insane Asylum, in Auburn, Nov. 10th, Mr. John P. Hall of Guilford, aged 65 years.

A dispatch received in this village on Saturday, announced the death of John P. Hall of Guilford, which occurred in the insane department of the Auburn State Prison on the day previous.

The tragedy which took place in Guilford on the morning of the 27th of December last, is still fresh in the minds of most of our readers.  On that Sunday morning, Mrs. Sarah M. Fitch, of this village, who was visiting with the family of her niece, Mrs. John P. Hall, sat in the kitchen, reading when Hall struck her in the head with an axe making a fearful wound from which she soon after died.  Hall claimed not to know that he had committed the deed.  He was brought to this village and lodged in jail.

In April last, an examination as to the sanity of the prisoner was held before the Commissioners appointed by the court and a number of witnesses were sworn, who testified to his singular conduct during previous years, and at the time of the homicide.  Afte hearing the evidence, the Commissioners reported that in their opinion, Hall was insane.  Subsequently he was removed to the Asylum at Auburn by order of Judge Balcom to await his examination by the court.  A wreck, bodily and mentally, when he was taken to Auburn, he continued to fail, until Death released him from his imprisonment and removed his case to a higher tribunal.

The certificate of the Asylum physician states that he died from exhaustion consequent upon brain disease which confirms the decision of the Commissioners.  His remains were taken to the family residence in Guilford Centre where funeral services were held on Tuesday.