As Police Officers Henry Johnson and Eli Veazie were leaving
the Chelsea, Massachusetts City Marshal’s office on the evening of February 17,
1872, they were approached by a man, intoxicated and in a state of agitation.
“I have had my revenge. I want you to go with me,” he said, “I
suppose I have killed him and shall have to suffer for it.”
The man, Arzo B. Bartholomew, led them to a men’s furnishings
store on Pearl Street, where a crowd had gathered in front of the building. Officer
Johnson went upstairs to an apartment on the second floor and found the body of
Charles Storer lying face down inside the doorway, stabbed through the heart.
The police were well aware of the animosity between Bartholomew
and Storer, but did not take it seriously. Storer was 45 years old, Bartholomew
was 61, and both were in love with the same woman.
The three-room apartment was occupied by Dr. Sydney B. West
and Mrs. Susan D. Gilbert. The third room they used to manufacture a patent
medicine called Dr. West’s Medicated Candy. Dr. West had formerly practiced medicine
in Boston and had moved to Chelsea about a year earlier to produce his
medicated candy in partnership with Mrs. Gilbert. A few months later, Charles
Storer, a well-known builder in Chelsea, joined the firm.
Susan Gilbert was about 40 years old. She was tall and slim
with a fair complexion. According to the New York Herald, “She may have been
very comely in youth and is not by any means repulsive in appearance now.” She
and Dr. West shared an apartment, but they maintained that their relationship
was a business partnership, not romantic. The same could not be said of Susan
and Charles Storer, who developed a “mutual admiration.” Although he had a wife
and four daughters, Storer’s attachment to Susan Gilbert grew much warmer, and
he spent much of his time at her apartment.
Arzo Bartholomew lived a sorrowful life. His wife died two
years earlier from a fall down the stairs in their South Boston apartment. He
had recently been swindled in a property deal, and his furniture was stolen. As
a young man, he was a police officer but was dismissed for cowardice. He went
with another officer to quell a disturbance, got frightened, and left his
partner to go it alone.
Bartholomew met Suson Gilbert in the spring of 1871 at a Spiritualist
meeting in Boston. He probably wanted to communicate with his dead wife, whom
he referred to as the “dear departed.” At the meeting, he and Susan formed a
strong attachment that, for Bartholomew, grew into an absolute infatuation.
They met again at a Spiritualist camp meeting in Concord, Massachusetts.
Charles Storer was also at the camp meeting, and the two men had a lively quarrel,
which Susan pacified to prevent injury.
In the 1870s, many Spiritualists also advocated free love, prompting
the New York Herald to headline their story, “Free Love and Murder.” The Congregationalist declared, “Liquor and
free love doctrines have to answer for this crime.”
Back in Chelsea, Bartholomew visited Susan often. He claimed
that he and Susan were engaged to be married; an assertion that she would neither
confirm nor deny. Storer did everything he could to keep Batholomew away. He
would sit on the steps in front of the apartment to prevent Bartholomew’s
visits. Sometimes he would stay as late as 2:00 AM, and more than once the
police chased him home. Bartholomew entered a complaint with the City Marshal, saying
that Storer had threatened to shoot him if he did not stay away from Susan. The
officers, aware of the situation, advised him to stay away.
On the day of the murder, Bartholomew arrived at the apartment
heavily intoxicated. Seeing his condition, Susan did not want to talk to him.
He persisted, saying he wanted an interest in the medicated candy business or
employment with the firm. She told him he had to go.
Bartholomew said he would end all trouble, then he took
something from his pocket and made a motion as if stabbing himself. He struck
Susan in the breast with his fist or the handle of a knife. Dr. West interfered,
and Bartholomew pushed him away violently. Knowing Storer would be there soon,
Susan tried again to persuade him to leave.
In the midst of the confusion, Storer arrived and said, “I
have got something to say about this.”
Bartholomew turned his attention to Storer, and the men immediately
clinched. Storer threw Bartholomew to the floor, and Susan begged him not to
hurt Bartholomew as he was drunk. Storer got up and said he was going for the
police. Bartholomew rose and followed him out the door. Susan and Dr. West went
after them and stumbled over the body of Storer on the entry floor. They moved
him inside. He was apparently unconscious; they saw no blood.
After two or three minutes, he sat up and exclaimed twice, “What’s
the matter?”
He sank down, then up again, saying, “What’s the matter?”
His eyes became fixed and glassy, and he fell dead. They saw
the fatal wounds, two downward gashes in the left breast, one of which
penetrated the heart.
News of the murder travelled quickly through Chelsea.
Charles Storer’s eldest daughter pushed her way through the crowd that had gathered
outside the building. When she saw her murdered father, she threw her arms around
his neck and cried bitterly, unable to accept that he was dead. The Boston Morning Journal said, “Her grief
was so poignant and so demonstrative that it touched the hearts and moistened
the eyes of the few spectators present.”
The police arrested Dr. West and Susan Gilbert as witnesses
and took them to the jail where Bartholomew was already in custody. They were
held on $5,000 bail to make sure they would be available to testify.
Bartholomew said that Storer had dogged him for
weeks. As he was talking with Susan, Storer came in and called him an “extremely
hard name” then grabbed him by the collar and threw him on the floor. He could
not remember anything after that. On the advice of his counsel, Bartholomew did
not testify at his arraignment, where he was indicted for manslaughter.
At his trial the following March, the prosecution entered into
evidence a letter from Bartholomew to Susan showing the extent of his
infatuation (as well as his inability to spell):
Boston, January 14, 1872
Dearest darling Susie, my sweete angil, I could not goe to
bed with out writing you a few lines dareling Susie, you are my dareling sweete
bird. I was sorry that I could not staid with you longer to day dareling, but
we will be together more soon I hope sweete dareling. God in heaven and the
angils will bless ours dareling dout not
enny more sweete susie, my loved one you are all the hopes that I have in the
world Susie dareling you alone make me
happy. why should I not ask your hand and heart to be mine dareling presious
sweete one? say yes dareling God bless your soul a
thousand kisses for you.
I shall be there about half past 9 o’clock wensdsay night if
nothing happens my cold is very bad I am all stuft upt to-night this is
from your true lover dareling A. B. Bartholemew
good buy dareling angil birde
The jury found Bartholomew guilty of manslaughter. After a failed
appeal, the judge sentenced him to six years in the State Prison.
In 1876, after serving three and a half years of his sentence,
Azro Bartholomew was pardoned.
Sources:
“Affecting Scene and Poignant Grief ,” Illustrated Police News, February 29, 1872.
“Brieflets,” Boston Evening Transcript., June 20, 1876.
“Chelsea,” Boston Daily Journal, February 20, 1872.
“The Chelsea Homicide,” Boston Daily Evening Transcript., March 21, 1872.
“The Chelsea Tragedy,” BOSTON HERALD., February 19, 1872.
“The Chelsea Tragedy,” BOSTON HERALD., February 20, 1872.
“The Chelsra Tragedy,” Boston Daily Journal, March 22, 1872.
“Crimes and Criminals,” CONGREGATIONALIST., February 22, 1872.
“Free Love and Murder,” New York Herald, February 19, 1872.
“New-England News-Summary,” Boston Cultivator., March 30, 1872.
“Sad Tragedy in Chelsea,” Boston Morning Journal., February 19, 1872.
“Sentenced for Manslaughter,” Boston Evening Journal, December 9, 1872.
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