Murder by Sleepwalker
SEASON 4 : EPISODE 48
JUNE 11, 2025
Hello everyone, welcome to season 4 of A Good Night for a Murder, a Victorian true crime podcast.
My name is Kim, tonight’s story might leave you a little uneasy as you prepare to climb in to bed tonight.
This is the story of Sally Cochran, who was murdered by sleepwalker.
Follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @agoodnightforamurder.
The bonus content on Patreon for this episode is another case where sleepwalking was used as a defense.
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ARTICLES
The Somnambulism Defense: The Sleepwalking Murderer of Pembroke, N.H.
1836: Abraham Prescott, homicidal somnabulist
History Matters: The sleepwalking murder of Sally Cochran
Picking Strawberries and a Side of Mystery in Pembroke
VICTORIAN SOCIETY TIP
The Victorian night routine that could help improve your sleep
Segmented Sleep: A common Phenomenon Before the Industrial Revolution
The Evolution of Sleep: How Sleep Has Changed Through History
What Is Segmented Sleep and Is It Healthy?
Did we used to have two sleeps rather than one? Should we again?
The forgotten medieval habit of 'two sleeps'
How our ancestors used to sleep can help the sleep-deprived today
Sleeping 'like a Victorian' could help cure your insomnia, claims expert
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INTRO
Hello everyone, welcome to season 4 of A Good Night for a Murder, a Victorian true crime podcast.
My name is Kim, tonight’s story might leave you a little uneasy as you prepare to climb in to bed tonight.
This is the story of Sally Cochran, who was murdered by sleepwalker.
But first, a Victorian society tip.
TIP
With an episode focused on sleep, plus a Patreon bonus content episode covering a second sleepwalking murder, it seemed like an appropriate time to talk about some Victorian era sleep hacks
Now as we’ll soon learn, and as I actually see quite often, Victorians had a lot of the same problems we do when it comes to sleep and sleeplessness.
One way that we do differ though, is the practice of segmented or biphasic sleep
Segmented or biphasic sleep means splitting up your nightly sleep in to two chunks of sleep, with an awake period in the middle
And this was super common up until about 150 - 200 years ago
It was in fact considered the norm for… centuries, probably!
Anthropologists have found evidence in diaries, medical texts, literature, and more, that segmented sleep was a way of life all over the world
What is looked like was that usually, when the sun when down, people went to bed
There wasn’t much work or socializing that could be done in the dark - candles and oil for lamps was expensive after all
So people would go to bed about 6 or 7 pm or so!
Sleep for like 4-ish hours, then, wake up, and go about their business around their house!
This wake window was also referred to as “the watch,” or “the watching…”
Which sounds spooky and I love it…
They would spend about an hour or two awake before going back to bed and sleeping until dawn
So what were people doing, up in the middle of the night like this?
For the most part they did quiet, calm activities like read, pray, sew, write letters, dream journal…
They might also visit with neighbors, spend time with family, or have sex
Because what else is there to do in the middle of the night, right!?
Some also used the watch as an opportunity to commit crimes though
These court reports are one of the ways we know segmented sleep was super common
They would frequently reference things like “the watch” or “the first sleep,” which never required any follow up explanation
I personally am undecided if I think I would enjoy segmented sleep or not, but one thing that’s for certain, is that society has long since shifted to one uninterrupted sleep
At least that’s the goal for most people anyway
And that shift came about during the Industrial Revolution which started roughly about the 1760s and lasted through and 1830s, with a second wave beginning in the 1870s and lasting until about the 1920s
During this time, alternatives to candle light like kerosene, coal gas and electricity lit up factories, businesses and homes, allowing people to work, socialize and patronize businesses much longer in to the evening hours
But, it’s the Industrial Revolution remember, so you still had to be up early for work
These gradual changes compressed the hours available to sleep to be later in the evening, leaving no room for a 1 - 2 hour awake period in the middle of the night
Interestingly, this is the same time that sleep disorders, like insomnia, started to become widespread
Have you ever been so tired you can’t wait to go to bed? Only to lie awake unable to fall asleep, becoming more and more stressed out thinking about the sleep you’re losing?
Yeah, it’s a pretty common experience that apparently started during the Industrial Revolution!
So, seeing as this was a problem Victorians also faced, let’s talk a little bit about how they’d overcome it
First, you could try counting sheep!
The idiom of counting sheep to help you fall asleep actually originated about the 1860s - 1870s, although they meant it quite literally
Apparently it was kind of a common hazard of being a shepherd, that one would fall asleep from boredom watching ones flock of sheep pass through a gate one by one
It was such a common problem that the mental exercise of “counting sheep” to help one fall asleep became a thing
And I mean, you can try it! Have you ever tried it? My mom used to tell me to mentally count all the shoes in my closet - kind of the suburban version of counting sheep I suppose
But what about some Victorian sleep hacks we can really use today?
Well, it much of the advice being doled out by Victorian sleep experts sounds a lot like what we’re told today
The importance of having a routine was stressed, including exercising in the fresh air daily
Avoiding large meals late in the evening was discouraged, as well as the use of caffeine too close to bedtime
One book called Sleep and How to Obtain It, advised: “Persons who complain of insomnia should put a padlock on the teapot, and never, on any occasion, use it late at night.”
They also encouraged a healthy skin care routine, which some Victorians took way too far with the use of caustic chemicals on their faces!
One more mild recommendation though, was what they called a giving your face a Russian bath every night
It was done by washing your face with water as hot as you could stand, then immediately splashing it with cold water
This was said to ‘shock’ your skin, causing tightening and blood flow to your face, resulting in a youthful glow
Other advice had to do with ones bedroom
It was advised that the bedroom should be kept cool at night, and covers should be loose
Feather mattresses were discouraged as they could cause a person to sleep too hot and become sick
A mattress of horsehair or straw was the better choice
It was also not recommended to lay a carpet so it would go under bed as this could promote dust and fleas
Dark and sombre decor in a bedroom was also discouraged
One should opt for lighter colors with bright floral patterns for a better sleep
The use of a substance called choral to help one sleep was discouraged
Chloral hydrate is a sedative that is prescribed today for the short-term treatment of insomnia, anxiety, inducing sleep before surgery, pain after surgery and alcohol withdrawal - and it is habit forming
But in the Victorian era, you could get it at the corner store, and people did use it in ways that would be considered very dangerous and reckless today
The safer option was herbal remedies - another commonly advised sleep aid today
Namely, catmint and lavender
It was common for housekeepers to use lavender water to scent bed linens to aid in sleep
Also, Victorias loved a sachet
These were little fabric pouches of fragrant dried herbs said to help induce sleep and ward off illness
A favorite for a good night sleep included rose petals, lavender and lemon verbena
Chamomile could be added to ward off nightmares,
Or, add calendula flowers to promote psychic dreams!
Mint, lemon verbena, sweet marjoram, and hops are other herbs to consider for a deep, restful sleep
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CONTENT WARNING
A Good Night for a Murder is a true crime podcast that does cover stories including death, violence, sexual assault, and other adult themes.
Please take care while listening.
EPISODE
This story starts with the Cochran family of Pembroke, New Hampshire
After the death of his father, Chauncey Cochran had taken over the family farm at the age of 16
In November of 1828, when he was 27 years old, Chauncey married 23 year old Sarah, or Sally, Cofran, also from Pembroke
The following year, Sally gave birth to daughter, and the year after that the couple welcomed a son
The family lived on the farm along with Chauncey’s mother, as well as hired farm hand Abraham Prescott
Chauncey had hired 15 year old Abraham around the time their son was born
At the time, in the year 1830, Abraham was described as having “limited intellect” and having a “downcast eye” - meaning he had trouble making eye contact
Many would take this to mean he could not be trusted
But, by today’s standards, we can infer from this description that Abrham was probably a person living with a developmental disability - likely autism
This is something Abraham was been born with,
But, in the early 1800s, it was painfully misunderstood
As a child, Abraham had been made to endure a number of bizarre medications and treatments, including regular ice baths
To the Cochran’s though, Abraham was like a member of their family
He was a hard worker and good at following directions
It was likely a relief to Abraham’s family that the Cochran’s not only employed him, but also let him live at the farm
Things took a strange turn though, one evening in January of 1833, 3 years in to Abraham’s employment with the Cochrans
That night, while fast asleep in bed, Sally awoke to painful gash being ripped open across her cheek
She immediately reached for her husband asleep beside her to find she could not wake him
It seemed he, too, had suffered a head wound and was unconscious
That was when Sally noticed someone else in the room with them
It was Abraham!
And, he was holding an ax
When Sally spotted him he turned and ran from the room, but not to flee as you might think…
But to rouse Chaucey’s mother and ask her for help
The elderly Mrs. Cochran did indeed summon help and it would turn out her son and Sally were both okay - the blows had only been glancing and had been delivered with the blunt end of the ax…
Abraham though, had some explaining to do…
He appeared very upset, and said that he had been asleep, then the next thing he knew, he was standing in the Cochran’s room with the ax
He must have been sleepwalking
And then - life at the farm went on
No legal action was taken
In fact the Cochran’s didn’t blame Abraham at all
They viewed the incident as an unfortunate accident, so out of character for young Abraham that yes, sleepwalking must have been the only explanation…
A few months later - early summer now - things had been calm at the farm
Abraham had been in a bit of a sour mood the past few days or so, likely due to a scolding from Chauncey about whipping the cows too hard
On June 23rd, 1833, Sally informed her husband that she was taking Abraham with her to go pick strawberries in Chauncey’s brother’s field
Chauncey opted to stay behind and bid the pair farewell
He had no qualms about his wife going off alone with Abraham
“The accident,” with the ax, as they referred it to, was long in the past by now, and the field they’d set out for was no more than 300 feet away from the Cochran farm, and in full view of at least 3 or 4 of the neighboring houses
Not long after though, Chauncey heard peculiar sounds coming from the barn
When he went to investigate, he found Abraham, alone in the barn, crying
And… he was covered in blood!
What had happened!? - Chauncey demanded of Abraham
Whose blood was this? And where was his wife!?
All Abraham could remember though, was that he had laid down in the shade in the strawberry field to rest as he had a toothache
He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, he was standing over the bloody body of Sally Cochran!
That’s when he ran all the way back to the barn
Stricken with terror, Chauncey ran as fast as he could to the strawberry field where he discovered his worst fear:
His wife Sally was dead - beaten to death with a fence post
This time, Abaham was indicted for - quote - “feloniously, willfully and with malice aforethought having taken the life of Sally Cochran.”
Abraham did not deny that he had killed Sally, but upheld that he had done so when sleepwalking, and pleaded “not guilty.”
The trial began in late 1834
Having no prior experience defending someone due to sleepwalking, or “somnambulism” as the medical texts call it, Abraham’s attorney would attempt an insanity defense
Remember that historical sources point out that Abraham was likely on the autism spectrum, which was extremely misunderstood and mistreated in the 1800s, so the first thing attorney’s did was establish a history of insanity
They spoke to his family and confirmed a familial history of mental illness
His grandfather had been described as “deranged” and he had an uncle who was a “drunkard” that had been appointed a state guardian
Abraham had apparently suffered “fits” as a child
And yes, he had been known to sleepwalk at times
Numerous doctors - who had not examined Abraham - testified that insanity was inheritable and could account for sleepwalking
Abraham’s own doctor, though, said he did not known of an history of insanity in Abraham
Rather, his issues were due to his head being too large
Chauncey, though, stated:
“I believe the devil got full possession of him.”
And had never noticed or had knowledge of any previous incidents of sleepwalking
Prosecutors offered a more familiar story though, which came from the jailer who had locked Abraham up
He said that Abraham confessed to him that he’d made improper advances towards Sally, and that she intended to tell Chauncey about it, so he killed her
And Abraham said, yeah, I said that!
But only because the jailer had been badgering him so much, he just made it up to get him to leave him alone
All in all, Abraham stood by the sleepwalking story
A look back at trial testimony shows that Abraham may have believed that if Sally and Chauncey both died, he would inherit the farm
The Cochran’s had said multiple times that Abraham was “like family” to them, and he did help run the farm
It’s easy to see how someone with limited understanding of the situation might mistake that for being literal family that stood to inherit the house and property
In the end though, the jury did not buy the somnambulism defense, and they found Abraham guilty
However, it came out that the jurors had discussed the case publicly with one another while out drinking at a bar and at a barber shop!
So on that grounds, Abraham’s lawyers were able to win him a second trial
The case was heard again in 1835, but the results were the same.
Abraham was guilty and would hang for his crime
The execution was scheduled for December 23rd of that year, and public opinion was running hot both for and against Abraham
Governor William Badger was in a tough spot
He wanted to respond to those opposed to the verdict, which also aligned with his own personal beliefs
But he also didn’t like the idea of overturning the verdict of two juries…
So, down to the wire now, he ordered a stay of execution until the executive council could meet the following month and discuss the case
Word of the stay did not reach the public though, who still turned out enmasse on December 23rd expecting to see a hanging
When they learned there would be no execution that day, a mob of supporters for the hanging stormed the jail and demanded Abraham be turned over to them
When that did not happen, the hanged Abraham in effigy from a tree limb in front of the Perkins Hotel
At a January 6th meeting, the executive council determined it would not intervene in Abraham’s case, and the sentence would be carried out
Abraham was afraid his body would be donated to medical science since he didn’t have money for a burial
So, the local townspeople took up a collection and arranged for a proper burial in the nearby town of Rumney
I could not find records of a final burial location though
It’s said that a large crowd turned out, in a snowstorm, nonetheless, to witness the execution of Abraham Prescott
Chauncey remarried two years later, and moved to East Corinth, Maine
He and his second wife would have 7 more children, including two sets of twins, though not all survived to adulthood
In Maine he opened a general store and would represent his district in state legislature
Chauncey is buried there in the Corinthian Cemetery in Corinth, Maine along with his second wife and children
This monument also lists Sally as being buried there in Corinth, Maine, but there is also a headstone in the Old North Pembroke Cemetery in New Hampshire with the inscription:
Sacred..To the memory of Departed worth. Here sleeps the remains of Mrs. Sally Wife of Chauncey Cochran. Who was inhumanly murdered on the 23 day of June 1833, in the 28 year of her age."
So, to my cemetery wandering friends, I’m not quite sure where she is…
Interestingly, I did also find an article the describes a granite marker in a hemlock stand in Pembroke with the year 1833 on it, which is the year Sally was killed
This allegedly memorializes the actual spot where she was murdered
I’ve linked all of my sources in the episode blog on my website if you’re interested in looking in to all of this further
So, I am curious to know what you think of this case though
Did Abraham commit these crimes while sleepwalking?
Or was the sleepwalking just a cover story?
And what do you think his motives could have been?
This case has the added complexity, of course, of Abraham’s mental state, and overall it’s just a sad, sad story
If you’re listening on Spotify, you can comment on the episode there
Or if you head on over to Instagram, TikTok or YouTube @agoodnightforamurder, you can let me know what you think there as well.
I’ve also posted some photos of the memorials associated with the case and more.
You can also see the photos and source links for this episode on the episode blog on my website at agoodnightforamurder.com
Believe it or not, the bonus content for Patreon members for this episode is another case where sleepwalking was used as a defense
Listen through the outro music to hear a short preview of this Patreon bonus content
To subscribe to Patreon and learn more about the podcast you can visit agoodnightforamurder.com.
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Thank you for listening,
And I will talk to you again soon