The Town Farm as it appeared in 1897, shortly after a scandal that implicated Samuel Murphy and his wife of abusing and possibly murdering their wards. Sewell Blake, Mrs. Lovejoy, Charles Howard, and Mrs. Berry all died under suspicious circumstances atop that windy knoll on the outskirts of town during the years 1875-1881. Several local citizens testified against the Murphys. According to Mary L. Rollins: "Mrs. Lovejoy complained of ill treatment ... I also saw Mrs. Stafford, at one time, with her head bleeding, and learned that Mrs. Murphy struck her with a long-handle dipper." Mrs. Sovina Grover testified: "Mrs. Lovejoy was unwell Saturday and on Sunday did not get up during the day. In the afternoon she wanted something and Murphy called her a damned lazy bitch and told her to get up and get it herself. About nine o'clock Mrs. Murphy came up to me and said Mrs. Lovejoy was dying. I went in to see her, and she did not appear to be dying, her pulse was strong. Mrs. Murphy wanted me to give her some tea that was there in a cup. Mrs. Lovejoy did not want to take it, and I refused to give it to her. Mrs. Murphy went in and made her drink it. In two hours she was dead. Her pulse was strong till a few minutes before she died. I believe she was helped out of the world. Mrs. Lovejoy thought the tea was poisoned, and wanted to know if she should drink it and go peacefully." Formal charges were never brought against the Murphys and they returned to their family home of Mars Hill under a dark cloud of suspicion.

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