Home | Criminal Justice Research Center



Homicides of Adults in New Hampshire, 1881-1890

Class of death:

Class of crime:

Relationship:

Motive:

Intoxication?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days until death:

SUSPECT(s):

VICTIM(s):

Cause of death:

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term of court:

Court proceedings:

Legal records:

Newspapers:

Other Legal records:

Census:

Genealogy:

Suspect:

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Phys char:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Personal history:

Victim:

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Phys char:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Personal history:

[ ] Milton, STR

P

DATE: some years before 1886

CHECKED: not in newspapers locally

NOTE: only Foster's Democrat (not at NHHS or NHStLib) left

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. unk. person

Weapon: unk

Circumstances: A human skull, wrapped in an old coat, was recently found under a bridge in the north part of Milton.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 9/9/1886 (Th): SUSPICIOUS in NH: STR: "A human skull, wrapped in an old coat, was recently found under a bridge in the north part of Milton."

Dover Enquirer, 8/27 - 9/24/1886: NOTHING

Rochester COURIER, 8/27 - 9/10/1886: nothing.

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1881, Jan. 12 Peterborough, HIL

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM \ MURDER \ SUI

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: POSSESSIVE, discussing terms of separation / DEPRESSION over lack of work / MENTAL ILLNESS in the opinion of some who knew assailant well

Intox?: [no]

Day of week: W

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 6pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Patrick [aka Hatch] Walsh m. Ellen (Farrell) Walsh

Weapon: razor. Cut EW's throat, then cut his own. both d. in a few minutes.

Circumstances: in their residence in the rear of the Baptist church. "Notwithstanding all the speculation as to the probable cause for the cruel act, no one here doubts that if he had succeeded in finding work, or raising the $50 he so much desired, the crime would not have been committed. Discouragement and utter despondency chiefly led to a desire to put an end to his existence."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: Had been arrested on complaint of his wife in Nov., 1879 for wife abuse, convicted, & sentenced to 6 mo. in jail. He was released after 2 weeks.

Source:

Newspaper:

RH, 1/12/1881 (W): HOM WIFE / SUI in NH?: Morning of 1/12 (W), Hatch Walsh (40) & his wife found outside the house on the snow, she dead & her throat cut, he with his throat cut & just alive. Razor found in the house. Supposed after cutting her throat he cut his own & both went out. Cause unk.

NHP, 1/20/1881 (Th): XEROX 2:8. Excellent article. [2nd article: the murdered woman's brother arrived fr Lowell to take charge of remains & to remove the 3 ch to his home for the present. "Notwithstanding all the speculation as to the probable cause for the cruel act, no one here doubts that if he had succeeded in finding work, or raising the $50 he so much desired, the crime would not have been committed. Discouragement and utter despondency chiefly led to a desire to put an end to his existence."

Story: married Walsh & lived in Lowell, Mass. for a few years, "when he became intemperate, and spent his wife's money which came from her first husband. In view of his habits, Mrs. Walsh purchased a farm in Greenfield [N.H.], six miles from Peterboro. The house was mortgaged back. The woman worked in the factory, and he did some peddling. . . . Walsh abused his wife more or less, and the day after the presidential election she swore out a warrant against him. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, but was released two weeks later. After leaving jail, he joined his wife in [Peterboro], where he had moved to. Soon after, he commenced to misuse her again. Walsh claimed to be in poor health and those who knew hm intimately claims that he was insane, caused by intemperance, and failed to get work. His wife told him she would support him no longer, when Walsh proposed to leave her. As a last resort he told her that if she would raise him $50, he would put the title of the Greenfield farm into her name and he would clear out. Wednesday afternoon, he made an unsuccessful attempt to raise the money by giving a second mortgage on the farm. Following this circumstance, he returned home and began to abuse his wife, the three small children being present at that time. Mrs. Walsh put on her hat and shawl and Walsh said, 'Where are you going?' and then he grabbed her by the throat, threw her on the bed and then cut her throat with a razor and immediately after cut his own throat. The mother screamed and both together went into the kitchen. They fell down and then got up. 'Father's head hung over, and mother's head dropped on her shoulder,' said one of the children. They then went into the entry, and as they got the the outside door, they both fell in the snow. She died in a few minutes, living long enough to recognize her oldest son, and tell him she was dying. He survived her only a few minutes, and by the most desperate exertion raised himself on his hands and knees, crawled to her on the snow, and kissed her several times after death had its seal upon her. . . . The man had shown symptoms of aberration for several days, in the opinion of some persons." "The woman is generally reported to have been of a pleasant, peaceable disposition and quite intelligent for a person in her station in life."

[[NOTE: aspiration of the wife for respectibility a key factor, and the husband's failure.]]

Genealogy:

Ellen (Farrell) Walsh: a brother lives in Lowell, Mass., whre she was buried in the Catholic cemetery. Her uncle, William Farrell, took the children.

Accused: Patrick (aka Hatch) Walsh

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 40

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Ellen (Farrell)

Children: 3 small children with EFW & a step-son by EFW (18)

Occupation: sometime peddlar; unemployed

Town: Peterborough

Birthplace:

Religion: Catholic

Victim: Ellen (Farrell) Walsh

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Patrick in Lowell, Mass. [her 2nd marriage]

Children: 3 small children with PW & a son (18) from her first marriage.

Occupation: factory worker

Town: Peterborough; had lived before in Lowell, Mass. for several years; & then owned a farm in Greenfield, NH

Birthplace:

Religion: Catholic

1881, July 3 Dover, STR

P (Dover Point)

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: RELATIVE BROTHER-IN-LAW by BROTHER-IN-LAW

Motive: QUARREL

Intox?: yes, both

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 1

HOM: Thomas Devine m. Patrick Fullerton

Weapon: oak stick to head. d. 7/4 at Durham.

Circumstances: "travelling gypsies camped in Chusings grove at Dover Point, . . . engaged in drunken fight. One injured so he died on road the next forenoon."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 9/1881t: ind. for mansl. 2/1882t: ncf.

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 3: 1

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 7/14/1881: Durham: a party of gypies passed through Durham last week, & one died before reaching Newmarket. Buried him in the Catholic cemetery & bore the expense themselves. "There is a rumor that it was a result of injuries received in a fight in Dover."

NHP, 7/21/1881 (Th): HOM: dtl Newmarket, ROC: Sunday, 7/3, travelling gypsies camped in Chusings grove at Dover Point, Strafford Co., engaged in drunken fight. One injured so he died on road the next forenoon. "the wife said he had been sick for a long time, and finally bled to death." Dr. J L Elkins "took it for granted that the woman was telling the truth, and he made no further examination." Body buried by selectmen of Durham. The whole party was ordered by the Dover authorities to leave the city, "the assaulting party going toward Portsmouth, and those with the injured man coming in this direction, with the results as above stated." The assaulting party thought to be a brother to the wife of the victim, "which may account for her reticence on being questioned by the physician in relation to her husband's death."

Genealogy:

Thomas Devine: possibly the brother of the wife of Patrick Fullerton.

Accused: Thomas Devine

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: [w]

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: "travelling gypsies"

Town: New York City

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Patrick Fullerton

Ethnicity: unknown

Race: [w]

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: married

Children:

Occupation: "travelling gypsies"

Town: then commorant "in and at" Dover

Birthplace:

Religion:

1881, July 4 Lake Village, BEL

P

Class: uncertain

Crime: HOM \ MURDER & ARSON -- or CAS B? a LEGAL CHIARIVARI? / a tough call: I see why the inquest brought a verdict of homicide and why the grand jury did not indict. The evidence suggests that the fire started accidentally, but the motives for murder are present / uncertain: 3 children

Rela: RELATIVE CHILDREN by FATHER

Motive: ABUSE / REMARRIAGE to a woman who may not have wanted to care for her husband's children by a previous marriage

Intox?: n

Day of week: M

Holiday?: Fourth of July

Time of day: night

Days to death: 0

HOM: Charles Moody & wife (arrested as suspects) m. their three children (Clara A. Moody, Charles A. Moody, Eddie F. Moody).

Weapon: unknown; bodies burned with the house. d. inst.

Circumstances: at a 2-story tenement house owned by Mrs. Mary Blaisdell, who occupied the house with two other families, one of which was the Moodys.

Inquest: i.d., 7/8ff, David C. Batchelder, cor. Verdict: murder, house burned to conceal the crime.

Inquest:

Indictment: bnf for murder. Insufficient evidence.

Term: 10/1881

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 7/14/1881: CM "had previously born a bad reputation, having been arrested several times, once on suspicion" of murdering Josie Langmaid. 7/21: CM evidence "very contradictory" -- "the tops of all three skulls were gone alike, and four witnesses, including the foreman of the hose, testified that Moody directed them to another room on the opposite side of the house, directly away from the room containing the children, and that had he directed rightly the children would have been saved."

NHP, 7/7/1881 (Th): SUSPICIOUS IN NH / CAS B: Lake Village, BEL: 2 story tenement house destroyed by fire, M night (7/4), Mrs. Mary Blaisdell [78, widow of Capt. Hugh Blaisdell], owned & occupied the [two story] house [at the corner of Elm & Summer streets] with 2 other families. 3 ch of Chas Moody, colored, (boys, 4 & 6, & a girl, 10) perished. Loss: $900, insured. Cause unk.

NHP, 8/11/1881 (Th): HOM: inquest concluded that the children were murdered & the house burned to conceal the crime. Chas Moody & wife arrested, jailed.

NHP, 10/6/1881 (Th): HOM: bnf. Insufficient evidence. Sup Co, Belknap Co.

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 7/9/1881: FULL TEXT OF INQUEST: 4 families occupied the house: Mrs. Mary Blaisdell, Mrs. Harriet Mason, & "two colored communities" -- one of which was that of Chas H. Moody [the other the family of CHM's brother-in-law]. CHM's family occupied only one room, a small one at the ne corner on the 2nd. floor: & there lived CHM, his wife, their four children, & his wife's mother (a white woman named Betsy Ash). Fire lst seen by the telegraph operator at Laconia around midnight, who called the fire dept. The portion of the bldg occupied by CHM was in a blaze. CHM, his wife, & "an infant which they have had in their keeping two or three weeks" were away at the time. [they were boarding the child]

Suspicions raised because CHM told the firemen that his children were in a front room in the house--where they had never lived. Firemen tried with ladders to rescue the children there, rather than in the Moody family's apartment. (the reporter notes, however, that the children were doubtless dead by the time the fire engine reached the scene) Further suspicions: the Moodys disappeared from the scene & returned the next morning.

"Suspicions of foul play were at once aroused. Moody's persistent misinformation as to the location of the children looked bad. But this was learned before the bodies were recovered, the woman herself, in response to sharp questioning, acknowledging that they had all been in the same room, and that she had stepped over them as they lay upon the floor, in her escape.

There are bad spots in the past history of the Moodys. They are among the lowest of the low. Some months ago Moody's first wife died, under most suspicious circumstances, and the probabilities of her being unfairly put out of the way were freely discussed. Before the clergyman officiating at the funeral had left the house on that occasion, Moody requested him to marry him (Moody) then and there, to the present wife. The clergyman refused, of course, but the parties were married shortly after."

Inquest: test:

Charles H. Moody: "First I knew about the fire, I was woke up by my wife. . . . She says 'For thunder's sake (or Lord's sake) let's get out of this; we are all burning up." CHM sprang out of bed -- she grabbed the child, & he grabbed her & pushed her down the burning stairs. Went back up to the head of the stairs, but could not get through the flames & had on only two short shirts & parts of the roof had already begun to fall down on him. Went downstairs, told his brother-in-law to help him get his children out. He said "'It is impossible for any living man to get through these flames to where those children are.' We tried but in vain." His children had been sleeping at the foot of their bed. The room had a sloping roof & only one window.

Went to bed 9pm. Had been away from home during the day at the Weirs on a boat that afternoon, & got home 5pm. Had supper 6pm. Went to Mr. Swasey's store & bought 10 cents worth of pork -- not out of the house after that. "My children were not whipped by myself or my wife that day. If there was any outcry by children, it must have been when I wan't there. My wife told me there had never been better children. My wife was playing with them about house and yard."

Denies having told anyone his children were in the front attic. "I staid at fire till I got chilled through, and so did my wife, then we went down to my uncle's. Have no recollections of climbing up ladder and looking into front window--I might, by being frightened." Did not smoke in bed. Wife had no pipe or matches. Had kerosene lamp on the floor. "My wife saved only a print skirt. My wife's grandmother slept on floor below us."

Drank only lemonade on July 4. Has not had an intoxicating drink for "a long time." "The children were unruly sometimes. Never scarred them in my life. Never locked them into any room or closet when we went away. Never knew my wife to take their clothes off, so they couldn't go out, when she went away."

CHM has an older son, Wm Henry Moody, who does not live with them. CHM's wife's mother walked to Franklin the day of the fire & returned the next day. Only CHM's family & his wife's brother were at home at time of fire.

George F. Haskell of Laconia (son of CHM's first wife (by another father), half-brother to the three children who died). "My mother died last December." CHM "married present woman about a week after mother died. Have not been to house very often since--been occasionally to see the children. Think my father misued mother. Never would let him abuse children while I was around. Was there the Saturday week before fire. Never heard her tell father he must get rid of children. Had heard that she had told him she would not live with him unless he got rid of children. Couldn't tell why; didn't make much impression on me at the time."

Philenda Moody (30). m. last winter, no children of her own. Married 13 yrs ago to Henry Norton, deceased. Her maiden name was Wallace. On the 4th, went up in boat at 2pm, got back at 5pm. "Went up into woods for wood, with husband and brother, after we got back. Children were at home with grandmother." ditto her husband's testimony, precisely -- nothing but the "usual" outcry by the children, family ate dinner together at 6pm, all went to bed at 9pm. Beds filled with hay. "never told my husband I would not live with him if he did not get rid of the children--I though everything of them." Ditto on awakening to fire, on husband pushing her down stairs, of him going back upstairs to try to rescue the children as strangers arrived. She went out the back door. "Mr. Jenkins was up and partly dressed." Heard her husband tell people the children were in bedroom upstairs. Saw her husband climb a ladder to attic window on front side of house. [[might have been the best way or only way to the back bedroom by that time]]

Says that the child she carried out of the fire "was Mr. Moody's. The mother is living at Laconia, where we used to stop. Didn't save any of my own clothing."

Men from the Fire dept. testify that CHM misdirected them to the room at the front of the house.

George A. Sanders: one of the first on the scene. When he arrived, CHM was pleading for "some one" to save his children. "I asked him why he didn't go in himself; he said he couldn't get in. I went in and started to go up stairs," but came back after he could go no farther. Heard 2 of the children "cry out." Floor was on fire at head of stairs; smoke too thick.

Fred C. Gilman (27): lst thing he saw was GS on ladder, Mrs. Blaisdell was passing out "stuff" to him. Next saw CHM & wife come out of the L part. "He had on nothing but shirt. He went round and put his hands on a shutter, and said 'Save my children,' and said they were in attic on front end. I went around to L. Geo. Sanders and Smith Dockham were two-thirds of the way up stairs, Moody said, 'They aren't there, they're in the attic.' If we had known they were there then, we could have got them out."

"Three days after the baby was buried [about a month ago], children were to play in yard by pump, and I heard Mrs. Moody halloo and tell them to go in or there would be a chance for another funeral."

Physicians: autopies. d. of suffocation. No marks on the bodies other than burns.

William Appleton (fire dept.): "I spoke to Moody first about the children. I think I could have saved the children if I had known where they were. Moody didn't show any feeling in regard to his burning children. Have seen Mr. Moody strike children on head with umbrella."

Smith E. Dockham (one of the engineers): in his opinion, fire started at the head of the stairs. CHM misdirected them twice as to the location of the children; could have rescued them if they had known where they were.

Charles J. [Jenkins] Madderson (lives with widow Blaisdell -- seems to be PM's brother): CHM woke him & alarmed him about the fire. Wanted him to go up & save the children -- dressed & tried to go up, but couldn't get through. "Saw I could do nothing for children, and began looking out for my own goods. They used to abuse and neglect those children. I did not hear the children cry out while I was at the head of stairs."

Mary Blaisdell (owner of house, 78): "Heard children crying before I went to bed--between 9 and 10. Seemed to be mostly the girl, and at last the cries seemed to stop all of a sudden, and I heard the others running as if for safety. After the cyildren were still I heard them going up and down stairs several times. Used to lick them almost every night. I took particular notice of the cry that night--it seemed like a scream as if she had been hurt badly.

He had threatened that night after coming home, that he would break their d--d heads and would kill them if they didn't behave. They were rather unruly children."

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 7/23/1881: inquest continues. complete testimony.

Mrs. William Appleton: lives opposite side of street. Testified that CHM had saved his trunk (full of clothing) but not his children. "I asked him why he didn't save his children instead of the trunk, and he said he couldn't for the rafters were between him and the children. I felt provoked at him, and din't say anything more. I noticed there was clothing of all kinds in the trunk.

Have noticed the ill treatment of the children every day. Would pick up sticks and strike them, and would hear the children scream. Children were lively but not unruly as I thought -- I took quite a fancy to them."

Luther Reynolds: lived in front basement of the bldg that burned. "Have heard the Moodys threaten the children."

Charles Whicher (lives on Belvidere St.): "Worked on brakes with 5's, and was not at buildings till next morning after fire. Have heard them abusing the children almost every day. 23d day of May heard her threaten to cut their 'd--d heads right off them.'"

Alice Page (testifies without taking the oath): on morning of 7/5, sitting on Mrs. Brown's steps, overheard CHM & wife as they passed by. She said "You cut their heads off." He said "By Jesus, I did[n't]." She said, "I put them to bed all right." They were walking, & wit. didn't hear any more. Was just after breakfast. "She acted as though she was a little mad with him." [[the "did" appeared wrongly in the newspaper & was corrected later at the request of AP]]

Philena Moody recalled: the trunk was behind the kitchen door. She took it down the day before the circus at Concord. "Minnie and I brought it down. Nothing in it at time of fire but some pieces and clothes of Eddie's." Said she tried to rescue the children after she had brought the baby to safety.

Susan G. Gilman: 2 or 3 weeks after the baby died, PM "came over to my house and told me Moody had got to get rid of the young ones or she wouldn't live with him."

Philena Moody recalled: the trunk was behind the kitchen door. She took it down the day before the circus at Concord. "Minnie and I brought it down. Nothing in it at time of fire but some pieces and clothes of Eddie's." Said she tried to rescue the children after she had brought the baby to safety. Admits that she might have told some neighbors that she wouldn't live with CHM if he kept the children, but denies saying that to "Mr. Moody." Contradicts AP's testimony: says that she only told her husband that one of the children's arms had been burned off. Did not try to leave town on the train on the morning of 7/5.

Charles Moody recalled: his wife's trunk was by the kitchen door, but his was upstairs, & it was destroyed in the fire. Only has one enemy he knows of, Mrs. Harriet Nason. "I had her arrested and it cost her $14 or $15."

Simeon Whiting: the morning of the fire he met CHM at Hibbard's corner, Laconia, "and he asked me to go and stop his wife going away; thought it wouldn't look well; he went and said he couldn't do anything with her. I spoke to her and she said she was going to leave, and I told her she should not. It was two hours after that before they came up to Lake Village."

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 8/6/1881: MORE TESTIMONY.

John Chattle (lives at Weirs). Testified to abuse of the children & the first wife.

Polly Frost (83, Mrs. Moody's grandmother): lives with Moody now; her home is in Franklin. At home at time of the fire; would have perished, had not her grandson, John Wallace, & PM have awakened her & rescued her. "Moody and wife treated the children well; he always brought them home something good every night. They had plenty of food."

Betsey Wallace (PM is her daughter, CM her son-in-law): in Franklin the day of the fire. "Moody was a good provider, always plenty to eat. Haskell [John Haskell, colored, lives at Weirs with Mr. Wiklinson in Gilford] lied when he said the children went without food two days." "Guess I know Haskell": lived with him 8 yrs, kept house. Acknowledges the children might have been hungry at times, while their parents were away at Laconia after food. "Mrs. Blaisdell made such a fuss about the children that Philinda told Moody he must send them to the orphans' home or the poor-house, or she would go back to Franklin and go to work in the mill: she told him so several times. I went over and got Philinda's trunk the day of the other hearing. [[seems that PM left town & moved in with her mother in Franklin]] Moody was cross. Philinda told him he was pretty independent. She said she would take the train and go back home."

Tucker--Didn't she tell him he was pretty independent, and a damned sight more so than he would be when the facts of this case got out.

Ans.--Yes, that was pretty near what she said. . . . Don't know who set the house on fire--Mrs. Blaisdell had said if Moody would not move she wouldn't care if the house was burned, if the children would be burned up with it. Mrs. Blaisdell used to whip the children, often."

John Wallace (25, in Salisbury for 6 mo., before that in Franklin). CM, "my sister" (PM), & wit. went to the Weirs on a steamboat on 4th of July. Got back at 4pm; left children at house with wit's grandmother. They drank a tumbler of cider, no more, that day. ditto CHM's testimony: CHM did try to go up the stairs & rescue the children.

Mrs. Melissa Chase: after CHM & PM & Wallace had testified, overheard them on the street. W said "You know that when I first woke up, you called for a butcher knife to cut her throat." Mrs. Moody said "There! There!" and they stopped the conversation.

Mary E. Dockham (lives on the "Island"): 2 or 3 yrs ago lived across from CHM. Recounted "many cases of brutal abuse" by CHM of his first wife & children. "Moody told his first wife he should marry Philinda whether she lived or not--he wasn't going to live with an old nigger wench--he wasn't a nigger himself, but was only colored by working in the dye house." When his wife was being laid out, he came in cryhing, "I aint to blame, be I?" "I told him I thought he was." Asked CHM how long she had been dead--the body was still warm, covered with sweat. Philinda said 3 hours. Asked them to call a doctor, but CHM wouldn't, saying "she's dead." CHM told her "I wish you would take that yuoung one, for I don't want it; I don't know what I can do with all these children." Also said, "Do you think it would be any harm to marry my maid, so I could keep my family together?" "I told him he had better wait till his wife got cold. He wanted me to take the baby, but I told him I wasn't able. Two or three days after the funerqal I was in there and George Haskell pointed to the bed; it was made up; he said 'That is the sheet mother died on; it hasn't been washed, and father and Philinda lay under it last night."

CHM: denies MED's accusations.

Testimony closed.

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 8/13/1881: verdict: CHM set the fire "and by his conduct at and during said fire, did prevent by misleading the firemen, said children from being rescued." PH an "accessory" to the crime.

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 10/8/1881: no further mention of the Moody case. The grand jury only reported two indictments during the October term, none of which involved the Moodies.

Genealogy:

Accused 1: Charles Moody

Ethnicity: nb Prot

Race: b

Gender: m

Age: 35

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children: three children (4, 6, & 10)

Occupation:

Town: Lake Village

Birthplace:

Religion:

Accused 2: Mrs. Charles Moody

Ethnicity: nb Prot

Race: b

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Charles

Children: three children (4, 6, & 10)

Occupation:

Town: Lake Village

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim 1: ___ Moody

Ethnicity: nb Prot

Race: b

Gender: f

Age: 10

Literate:

Marital Status: [child of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Moody]

Children: n

Occupation:

Town: Lake Village

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim 2: ___ Moody

Ethnicity: nb Prot

Race: b

Gender: m

Age: 6

Literate:

Marital Status: [child of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Moody]

Children: n

Occupation:

Town: Lake Village

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim 3: ___ Moody

Ethnicity: nb Prot

Race: b

Gender: m

Age: 4

Literate:

Marital Status: [child of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Moody]

Children: n

Occupation:

Town: Lake Village

Birthplace:

Religion:

1882, Jan. 8 Hopkinton, MER

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: RELATIVE BROTHER by BROTHER

Motive: INHERITANCE

Intox?: unknown

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day: night

Days to death: 0

HOM: Perley W. Beck m. Calvin H. Beck

Weapon:

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

BFP 2/24/1890 (M): CAS FRO in NH / HOM in NH: MER: H. W. Green of Hopkinton, admin. of estate of Perley W. Beck, who was recently found frozen to death in his house in Hopkinton, "states that he has discovered evidence of an undisputed character showing that Calvin H. Beck who mysterious disappeared eight years since, was murdered. Mr. Green found in Perley's house Calvin's best clothing and other property which he would have taken had he started on any journey or visit. Calvin's body, Mr. Green thinks, may never be found on account of the great length of time that has elapsed since his disappearance." [[NOTE: this discovery made during the sensation over the Sawtelle murder.]]

NHP 2/6/1890: letter from J. M. Connor of Hopkinton, 2/3/1890, to editor: upset with "sensational reporters." Will not "offer any extenuation for such a life as Mr. Beck lived." JMC knew PB from boyhood: well educated, a preeminent writer--did not live an upright life, but not a "bad man" or a criminal in the opinion of those who knew him. Agrees with John F. Currier, one of PB's neighbors: PB "makes no trouble in the neighborhood, is not quarrelsome, but wants to be let alone." "True, there are grave suspicions connected with his brother Calvin's whereabouts." The brothers "were known to disagree and property matters became so complicated that it is reasonable to suppose they might have come to blows and in self-defence or otherwise, Calvin became the victim in the contest. It is further charged that Perley murdered Calvin's wife and then set her up in front of the stove and set her clothes on fire." All the neighbors who saw her body before it was moved agree her death was accidental. Clear that the reporter for the Boston Globe "had help from some one who had old grudges to pay off." The selectman who approved the rapid burial of her body was not negligent. PB was not cruel to his animals, thoguh they were "kept thin in flesh, but, to their shame be it said, scores of farmers can be found in every town whose stock are kept as poor as his were." Mrs. Enoch Danforth denies having made the statements attributed to her.

NHP 2/13/1890: letter from B. F. C. of Northfield, 2/11/1890: says that PB was cruel to his cattle. Body found at most 2 days after PB's death, & many sheep & cattle found dead, & they could not have died simply for lack of food for 2 days.

NHP 6/18/1891: On 1/25/1890, PWB found dead on a bed in the front room of his rambling old farm house, built in early 19th C. in nw corner of the Henniker and Contoocookville crossroads, 2 mi. w of Hopkinton village. Had lived in the house a quarter century, "most of the time alone," & carried on "the productive farm on which it stood." "a recluse and a miser," d. "amid surroundings of indescribable squalor, misery and filth." When found, had not been seen outside his house since previous Th. Lying "upon a ragged and revoltingly dirty bed, his stockingless feet overhanging the edge."

In 1880, "a woman, who was supposed to be the wife of Calvin Beck, Perley's brother, but who it was subsequently discovered had never been married to him," was burned to death in the house. PWB "gave out that it was through an accident." A neighbor had arrived at PWB's request & found her "sitting upright in a chair before the stove, the upper part of her body being burned to a crisp." After her death, Calvin went from New York, where he had business interests & where he had been living, to live with PWB.

On 1/8/1882, CB said he was going to New York to collect some notes due him. That evening, he told Mrs. Hoyt, "from whom he obtained two shirts she had laundered for him, that he should walk to Concord the next morning, and that after visiting Loudon, to collect a note that was due from his cousin, he should go to New York to collect money owed him and settle up his business there." The last time CB was seen in public. The neighbors became suspicious the longer CB was away, esp. because of PWB's "character and habits."

On PWB's death, John. Herman W. Greene of Hopkinton "at once caused the most rigid investigation to be instituted" to clear up the mystery "that enshrouded the two deaths described." Convinced that PWB had concealed CB's body on the place. Looked in many places, but could not find the body.

The Beck farm was sold recently by Mr. Greene, the administrator, who ordered the "unsightly" sheds b/w the house & barn torn down. On M forenoon, J. F. Hoyt & G. F. Scribner were clearing them away when they disturbed the earth in the nw corner of the shed & found a pelvis bone.

The bones were gathered & placed in a box. The skull revealed that the victim had been murdered. Two indentations in the front of the skull. Appeared to have been caused by a hammer. They: PWB killed his brother the night before his intended departure, while CB slept in his bed. Prob. thought his disappearance would not arouse suspicion.

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: Perley W. Beck

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: [s]

Children: [n]

Occupation: farmer

Town: Hopkinton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Calvin H. Beck

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: [s]

Children: [n]

Occupation: laborer

Town: Hopkinton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1882, Jan. Nashua, HIL

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: LEGAL SUSPECT by POLICE OFFICERS

Motive: JUSTIFIED

Intox?: unknown for victim

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: police officers of Nashua m. Pat J. Devine

Weapon: drowned

Circumstances: drowned in the Merrimack River while trying to elude police officers who were shooting at him.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none. Threat of civil action by friends of the deceased.

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 1/12/1882 (Th): MANSL or CAS DRO: Nashua, HIL: "The friends of Pat J. Devine, supposed to have been drowned in the Merrimack while trying to elude Nashua officers, are going to proceed against the officers for murder on the ground that by shooting at him and pursuing him unnecessarily, they caused his death."

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: Police officers

Town: Nashua

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Pat J. Devine

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1882, Aug. Somersworth, STR

P (Great Falls)

Class: probable

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL unknown cause

Intox?: unknown

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 1 or more [5]

HOM: Napoleon Berube & ___ Bergeron m. F. X. Bibeau

Weapon: beating. d. a few days later, Friday, 8/18.

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none. Bergeron and Benche [Berube] went to Petero's [Bibeau's] father and paid him $5 to have no trial in the matter.

Source:

Newspaper:

GREAT FALLS FREE PRESS AND JOURNAL, 8/25/1882: F. X. Bibeau, a French lad, was pounded by Napoleon Berube and a fellow named Bergeron, so that the next day he was taken "severely ill" and d. last Friday (8/18). Inquest: S. S. Chick, Esq., acting coroner; Drs. Auger & Swasey performed an autopsy. "but according to all reports, nothing of importance was discovered."

NHP, 8/24/1882 (Th): MANSL in NH: Great Falls, other day, 3 French Canadians named Benche, Bergeron, & Petero, employed in Great Falls cotton mills, had a dispute. Benche & Bergeron started beating Petero (17). P unable to rise. Carried home, d. F, 8/18. "The day after the beating Bergeron and Benche went to Petero's father and paid him $5 to have no trial in the matter."

DOVER ENQUIRER, 8/31/1882: NOT THE SAME CASE: a MAINE CASE: "The man who was reported to have died in South Berwick from injuries received in a drunken row at York Beach is not dead at all, and does not live in South Berwick. He is a resident of Salmon Falls, and is slowly recovering from the effects of the brutal pounding given him by his drunken companions." [read through 9/7/1882 issue] [nothing in the GREAT FALLS FREE PRESS AND JOURNAL on this particular report]

ROCHESTER COURIER -- nothing -- & no indictments for such an assault at the 9/1882t SCJ in Strafford Co.

Genealogy:

Accused 1: Napoleon Berube

Ethnicity: French Canadian

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: employee at cotton mills at Great Falls

Town:

Birthplace: b. Canada

Accused 2: ___ Bergeron

Ethnicity: French Canadian

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: employee at cotton mills at Great Falls

Town:

Birthplace: b. Canada

Victim: F. X. Bibeau

Ethnicity: French Canadian

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 17

Literate:

Marital Status: [s]

Children: [n]

Occupation: employee at cotton mills at Great Falls

Town:

Birthplace: b. Canada

1882, Oct. 21 Thornton, GRA

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: TAVERN CUSTOMER by CUSTOMER

Motive: QUARREL unknown cause

Intox?: prob. both

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 13

HOM: Thomas Gillespie m. Eugene Sullivan

Weapon: knife to wind pipe & neck. d. 11/3

Circumstances: fight at the Grafton House. Alcohol involved.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 11/1882t: ind. for mansl. ncf [[appears that TG escaped from custody & was never recaptured]]

Source:

Gra. Co. CF: 11/1882t

Newspaper:

WHITE MOUNTAIN REPUBLIC, 10/28/1882: Woodstock town notes: ES, a section boss on the Valley RR, was stabbed in the neck with a jack-knife by TG [typographical missetting: the article is cut off]. 11/4/1882: Thornton town notes: stabbed in a fight at the Grafton House, hoped he will recover. TS "was allowed by--somebody, to escape. A 'little something to drink' was what caused the trouble." 11/11/1882: d. 11/4. "The murderer is still at large."

GRANITE STATE FREE PRESS, 10/27 - 11/10/1882: nothing.

Genealogy:

Accused: Thomas Gillespie

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: [w]

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Campton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Eugene Sullivan

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: [w]

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: section boss on the Valley RR

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1883, Feb. 2 Loudon, MER

P

CT

Class: probable

Crime: poss CAS GUN \ prob HOM MURDER or MANSL

Rela: RELATIVE STEPMOTHER by CHILD

Motive: [QUARREL]

Intox?: no

Day of week: F

Holiday?:

Time of day: 2pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Charles W. Ordway m. Mary E. Ordway

Weapon: gunshot to the head from a few feet away. d. inst.

Circumstances: at house of Willard Ordway [husband of victim, father of assailant], who was working in Concord at the time. Only CWO, CWO's younger brother, & MEO at home. The boy alleges the shooting was an accident, but his story of how the shooting occurred does not hold up, & he had previously threatened his stepmother's life.

Inquest: i.d. 2/3/1883, Joseph A. Cochrane, acting coroner. Verdict: murder, malice aforethought.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 4/1883t: ind. for mansl-2: negligence, "wantonly, negligently, and in such an improper manner . . . caused . . . death." Held on $1000 bond. Then discharged, the atty-general expressing opinion that no good result could come of a trial, & that the "preponderance" of the evidence points to an accident.

Source:

Mer. Co. CF: 4/1883t

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 2/8/1883: no known trouble in the family, "had always lived happily together."

NHP, 2/8/1883 (Th): MANSL / STEPMOTHER AND POSSIBLE CHILD MURDER in NH: MER: Loudon: F last (2/2) "LOUDON. A shocking tragedy was enacted in this town on Friday last, at the house of Willard Ordway, a man in indigent circumstances, who was absent from home at the time, having gone to Concord, leaving his young wife, and two boys, about twelve and six years of age, his sons by a former wife. The wife was a young woman in her teens, a daughter of Taylor Haines, whom Orday is said to have married last fall under pressure of a suit for seduction, she having kept house for him for a time previously.

The twelve-years-old boy, Charles W. Ordway, early in the afternoon, about two o'clock, took down an old gun which was kept in the house, and, either purposely or accidentally, as the case may be, shot his step-mother through the head, killing her instantly. She fell to the floor and lay weltering in her blood. The boy then got an old quilt from a bed, partially covering the dead woman, and, taking along his little brother, started out through the storm to meet his father as he came home from Concord, stopping to tell none of the neighbors of what had happened. The boys proceeded some six miles before they met their father, and it was not till about six o'clock that they returned, and information was given of the tragedy.

The boy stoutly maintains that the shooting was an accident, that he did not know the gun was loaded, He saw a cap on the nipple but supposed it was an old one that had been exploded. He says he had been running bullets in the forenoon, and that he put one of these in the gun but could not get it clear down, and that he was holding it by his side and had snapped it several times, when it went off and killed his mother. Circumstances, however, do not tend to substantiate the boy's story. It is apparent that the charge from the gun could never have struck the woman as it did, if the gun had been held in the way the boy says. Moreover, it is said the boy bears a bad reputation, and had heretofore threatened to shoot his step-mother.

Whatever the final outcome may be, a coroner's jury was empanelled on Saturday, Joseph A. Cochrane acting as coroner, with Robert A. Ray of Concord and Robert L. West and Jeremiah Clough of Loudon as jurors, and an inquest holden, and on Monday morning a verdict was filed with the clerk of the court at Concord, by which the jurors find, in substance, that the deceased, Mary E. Ordway, was murdered by Charles W. Ordway with malice aforethought. It is worthy of remark in this connection that the conduct of the husband and father, Willard Ordway, has been characterized throughout, with the utmost stolid indifference. Whether this fact has any bearing upon the merits of the case remains to be seen. On Tuesday, a formal investigation was commenced at Loudon, the boy, who had been arrested and taken to Concord, being taken back to Loudon, where Judge Dana, before whom he was arraigned, also proceeded for the purpose. The investigation is being continued in Concord, and the result is not foreshadowed at time of writing, but that the boy will be held for trial is scarcely to be doubted.

The funeral of the murdered woman occurred at the house, Tuesday morning."

NHP, 2/15/1883 (Th): HOM / STEPMOTHER? AND A POSSIBLE CHILD MURDER in NH: preliminary investigation concluded W. Held on $1000 bonds, jailed, on MANSL-2. "The finding occasioned considerable surprise, as the general supposition was that he would be holden for murder or discharged. It is understood that Judge Dana based his action upon the ground of criminal carelessness in the handling of the gun on the part of the boy."

Facts relating to the Ordway and Haines families: "Willard Ordway moved from Loudon village to the northerly part of the town some four or five years since, and rented a farm then owned by Hazen I. Bachelder for one year, after which he rented the farm owned by James A. Cate, known as the Joseph Leavitt place, for five years. His family consisted of himself and five or six children, among whom is the boy of thirteen who fired the fatal gun. His wife left him while living at the village, she being his second or third. Ordway is a strong, robust man, six feet high, and weights nearly one hundred and eighty pounds. He is about sixty years old, with a pleasant countenance, good disposition, a capable laborer, and carried on the saw and grist mill for Capt William Holt at the village for a while. Taylor Haines is a man of more than eighty years, has always been a resident of Loudon; is by trade a wheelwright, owns a small farm adjoining the Bachelder farm, and but a short distance from the Joseph Leavitt farm. Haines has had three wives, and by the third had four children, among whom was Mary the victim of the shooting affair, aged about eighteen years. These families, living as neighbors, became acquainted, and an intimacy grew up between them which led this girl to absent herself from her father's and make her home with the Ordway family. In the summer of 1882 some talk was made about the matter, when they reported themselves as married. Some months afterwards Ordway was arrested by Sheriff Locke of Concord upon the charge of adultery and taken to jail. The matter was compromised and he was released upon his promise to marry the girl and soon after they were married by Rev A. D. Smith of Canterbury, living together until her death. The Haines children have the reputation of being at times troublesome to neighbors and at school. Their education is very limited and they are undisciplined and almost wholly uncontroled. (sic) Of the four children, two are now dead. The youngest boy died a few years since under very suspicious circumstances, having upon his head the print of the face of a hammer as though he might have received a blow that caused his death. These families seem to have lived for the last few years almost outside the bounds of common civilization, and the results are such as may be ordinarily expected."

RH, 4/5/1883: grand jury found a bill agst Chas Ordway for M-2 for killing his mother. Boy claims it was an accident; the state that the child was "put up to the deed by some other person."

RH, 4/11/1883 (W): Ordway indicted for killing his stepmother in Loudon, but released on his own recognizance, as the woman's death appears to have been an accident.

NHP, 4/12/1883: Mer. Co. Court: "on motion of the attorney--general and Solicitor Leach, discharged on his own recognizance, it being apparent that no good result to anybody could come of a trial. The attorney-general expressed the opinion that the preponderance of evidence is to the effect that the shooting was purely accidental."

Genealogy: [see newspaper article: great details]

Mary E. Ordway: teenaged daughter of Taylor Haines. m. fall, 1882 to Willard Ordway [under pressure of suit for seduction].

Willard Ordway: m. fall, 1882 to Willard Ordway [under pressure of suit for seduction]. Father of Charles W. Ordway (12) & of another son (6), & 3 or 4 other children, all by his former wife.

Accused: Charles W. Ordway

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 12

Literate:

Marital Status: [son of Willard Ordway (50); stepson of MEO]

Children:

Occupation: [his father is a poor but respected farmer] [indigent, father away in Concord, working]

Town: Loudon, living on a rented farm in northern part of town, owned by James A. Cate.

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Mary E. Ordway

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 18

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Willard Ordway for six months

Children: stepmother of CWO & of CWO's brother (6) & of WO's 3 or 4 other living children

Occupation: [indigent, husband away in Concord, working]

Town: Loudon, living on a rented farm in northern part of town, owned by James A. Cate.

Birthplace:

Religion:

1883, March 21 Nashua, HIL

P

INQ

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE

Intox?: unknown

Day of week:

Holiday?: no

Time of day:

Days to death: 6

HOM: Michael Winn m. Anna Winn

Weapon: hatchet to head. d. 3/27. Pieces of her skull in the case file, but no testimony. [newspaper says boot heel to head]

Circumstances: [home v & a]

Inquest: i.d. 3/27/1883, B. B. Whittemore, cor.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 5/1883t: ind. for mansl. pNG. fG of mansl-1. 20 yrs. Pardoned, 1/1891.

Source:

Hills. Co. CF: 5/1883t: inquest. no testimony

NHStPriReg: #2166

Newspaper:

NHP, 3/29/1883 (Th): MANSL WIFE in NH: HIL: "Mrs. Patrick Winn of Nashua was found on Friday [3/23], suffering from serious injuries about the head. Subsequent investigation proved that her skull had been badly fractured, and there is every indication that the injury, which has already terminated fatally, was inflicted with a heavy boot heel. It appears that the woman's husband was alone with his wife at the time of the injury. He was subsequently found in hiding at a friend's house, and taken into custody. A coroner's jury found that the woman met death at her husband's hands, and he has been held for trial." [RH, 3/28/1883]

NHP, 5/10/1883: HOM of WIFE: indicted for Manslaughter. fG. 20 yrs.

Genealogy:

Accused: Michael Winn

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m 5'4"

Age: 45

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Anna

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Nashua

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion: Cath.

Victim: Anna Winn

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Michael

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Nashua

Birthplace:

Religion:

1883, April 27 Pittsfield, MER

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: MARITAL HUSBAND by THIRD-PARTY [BROTHER-IN-LAW by BROTHER-IN-LAW]

Motive: PREEMPTIVE ATTACK ON ABUSIVE [but no specific evidence of violence] SPOUSE / CLAIMS SELF-DEFENSE

Intox?: no

Day of week: F

Holiday?:

Time of day: evening

Days to death: 17

HOM: Harold L. Mason m. Ransom S. Tilton

Weapon: 32-cal., self-cocking revolver; shot to breast. d. 5/14.

Circumstances: 1.5 mi. each of the village, at the home of the victim. The victim's wife had left him the day previous (Thurs.) & had moved to the home of her brother, Walter Mason, in Pittsfield village. The assailant had gone to the victim's house (in the victim's absence) on Friday to remove some of his sister's personal belongings. The victim came home & confronted HLM. HLM claims self-defense & says victim was trying to strangle him. RST says the attack was premeditated & unprovoked. Assailant went immediately after the shooting to summon medical aid.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 10/1883t: ind. for murder. 5/1884t: pNG. fNG.

Source:

Mer. Co. CF: 5/1884t

Newspaper:

NHP, 5/3/1883 (Th): HOM / BROTHER-IN-LAW in NH: ANOTHER PREEMPTIVE ATTACK ON AN ABUSIVE SPOUSE: MER: "PITTSFIELD. On Friday evening, the 27th ult., the citizens of this town were startled by the sad intelligence that a tragedy had taken place about a mile and a half east of the village, the parties engaged in the affair being Ransom S. Tilton, a muscular, well-to-do farmer and carpenter, aged 38, and Harold Mason, whose age is a few years past the minority, whose occupation is that of a shoemaker, and who, of late, has been an employee in Lancaster's shoe factory, except while taking a whaling voyage at sea last year. Each belongs to a respectable family, and has an irritable temper and has borne a fairly good, but not unblemished reputation. About four years ago Tilton married Miss Ida Mason, a daughter of Jesse M., and a sister to Harold Mason. Their married life has not been free from infelicity, and on Thursday of last week Mrs Tilton, feeling her husband's treatment unendurable, left home and came to her brother's home--Walter Mason's--at the village. Young Harold, on the following day, removed, in Tilton's absence from home, some of her personal effects and, borrowing a 32-calibre, self-cocking revolver, started with a team in the afternoon for an interview with his brother-in-law at the latter's residence. When Tilton reached home, Mason began using abusive language to him and as the former subsequently asserted in his statement before C. S. George, esq., of Barnstead, he ordered Mason to desist, but he still continued, and Tilton coming from a sink room, where he had been washing his hands, threatened to remove him from the house. Approaching him with the last-named intention, when Tilton was about six feet distant, Mason discharged the borrowed reolver. The ball entered the left side, just below the nipple, passed through the lung, and lodged one and a half inches from the spine, just below the shoulder blade and a half of an inch under the skin on the back, from which place it was removed on the following day by Dr. G. P. Conn of Concord, and surgeons of this place. Mason made a second discharge of the revolver without effect, unless it caused a flesh wound on one of Tilton's hands. When Tilton had got his antagonist so far as the entry, he began to faint, and Mason then ran to the near residence of Rev. George W. Kinney, and after summoning him rapidly drove to the village for medical aid. Dr. John Wheeler, accompanied by a student--Levi Clark--was the first to arrive, and after dressing the wounds Tilton's condition was as comfortable as could be expected with his seriuos wounds, but he breathed with great difficulty and raised considerable blood. Young Mason was immediately taken charge by the police and Solicitor Leach telegraphed for. He arrived on Saturday and the time of the examination was fixed for Wednesday, May 2. Mason claims that he came near being strangled by Tilton, and that the shooting was done in self defence, and as no other person was in the house at the time the terrible tragedy was committed, circumstantial evidence must largely be relied upon."

NHP, 5/10/1883: HOM: HSM arraigned in police court W last week, on AIK. Held on $1000 bond for next term of Co court. "Tilton was doing well at last accounts."

NHP, 5/17/1883 (Th): HOM: RST d. M last (5/14) fr wounds. Will undoubtedly be indicted for murder at next term of court.

NHP, 5/24/1883 (Th): FUNERAL FOR RST / MORE EVIDENCE / GREAT COMMENTARY ON DIME NOVELS: F afternoon, "more numerously attended than any funeral that ever occurred" in Pittsfield. "The respectable places of business wre closed during the services, and there appeared a strong desire to participate in paying the last tribute of respect to the virtues and worth of the murdered man." A short service at the homestead, 2 mi e of village, & public services at the Freewill Bapt chh, "where for many years the father of the deceased officiated as deacon." Rev. Mr. Eastman, the pastor, preached & impressive Masonic burial service held at the cemetery by the Corinthian lodge, "of which the deceased was a worthy and respected member. The indications are . . . that the deceased was the victim of one of the worst premeditated, malignant murders that ever disgraced the state, and it is an open question, whether or not, at least one other person had knowledge enough of Mason's intentions to shoot Tilton, to make him an accessory. Each year brings additional evidence of the fact, that reading dime novels, Police News and loafing around saloons, is one of the quickest ways to fill a community with criminals, and render life and property unsafe."

NHP, 10/11/1883 (Th): Mer Co Sup Ct: Indicted for M-1. pNG

NHP, 5/15/1884 (Th): HOM: trial of Harold L Mason of Pittsfield (whose defense argued self-defense) for murder of his brother-in-law, Ransom S. Tilton. Trial resulted, "much to the surprise of the community at large, in a verdict of not guilty, the jury being out but a short time. Nine of the twelve were for acquittal on the first ballot, and three for conviction of a lesser crime than murder in the first degree. The trial of the case occupied ten days. The counsel on both sides ably discharged their duty, and the court--Judges Smith and Allen--perhaps held the scales of justice with an impartial hand. There is a feeling, however, in some quarters that they erred on the side of mercy, in admitting testimony against the character of the murdered man, tending to prejudice the jury, and to excite sympathy with his slayer."

RH, 5/9/1884 (F): Verdict based "principally upon evidence indicating that the deed was committed in self defense and with no premeditation upon Mason's part. The defense admitted the shooting, but pleaded great provocation. The verdict is a surprise to the citizens generally who believed the man should have been convicted of manslaughter."

RH, 5/12/1884 (M): "Just Indignation." "The excitement in Pittsfield . . . continues. At a meeting held in the town hall last night resolutions were adopted eulogizing the character of Tilton and condemning the jury's verdict."

Genealogy:

Ranson S. Tilton: m. about four years ago to Miss Ida Mason, a daughter of Jesse M. Mason, and a sister to Walter & to Harold Mason.

Accused: Harold L. Mason

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 25 [approx.]

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: shoemaker, of late employed in Lancaster's shoe factory, except while taking a whaling voyage at sea last year.

Town: Pittsfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Ranson S. Tilton

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 38 muscular

Literate:

Marital Status: m. 4 years ago to Ida Mason; she had just separated from him the day before

Children:

Occupation: farmer & carpenter

Town: Pittsfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations: a Mason

Religion: probably Free Will Baptist [his father was a deacon]

1883, June 24 Durham, STR

P (Packer's Falls)

Class: do not count

Crime: CAS GUN [do not count as hom: state argues from the beginning that it is a case of criminal negligence, JG being well acquainted with firearms]

Rela: NONDOM

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?:

Time of day: 4:30am

Days to death: 0

HOM: James Glidden m. Perry P. Long

Weapon: Springfield rifle, buckshot to face, d. inst.

Circumstances: in loft of the barn of the Glidden's place, where the boys were sleeping after returning from a late evening at Newmarket.

Inquest: inquest, Coroner Pray of Dover. Verdict: murder.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: Arrested. Held on $3000 bond for the grand jury. bnf.

Source:

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 6/28/1883: "Accidental Murder." JG shows much remorse & anguish. Testimony:

James H. Long (father of deceased): JG knocked on the door immediately after the shooting & said "I have shot Perry in the barn! . . . I have shot him dead!" JG appeared frightened. JG & PEL were "intimate" friends.

John D. Long (cousin of PEL): went with them to Newmarket, stayed till 11:15pm. They drank tonic. Wit was not drunk. JG had one alcoholic drink. On the way home, they talked about a row that "Long" [which one?] had had with a "French fellow."

NHP, 6/28/1883 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / POSS HOM IN NH: STR: "A shooting affair occurred in the town of Durham, at that point known as Packer's Falls, on Sunday morning last [6/24? 6/17?]. Perry P. Long, aged 17, son of James H. Long, employed in the Wisewell paper mills, and James Glidden, aged 19, son of James [David?] Glidden, a carpenter and farmer, comrades, went to Newmarket the evening previous, as was their custom on Saturday nights. They did not return home until midnight and on reaching Glidden's house both went up in a hay loft and slept there. At 4:30 o'clock in the morning, according to Glidden's story, he awoke, and feeling chilly, got off the hay and walked around the loft. While so doing he observed a Springfield rifle hanging on the side of the loft, and took it down, not knowing it was loaded. At this moment Long awoke, and seeing Glidden with the rifle, said 'Shoot.' Glidden had one of his fingers on the trigger, and, before he was aware, he pulled it, and the contents of buckshot struck Long in the face, killing him instantly. The contents entered underneath the right cheek bone. The selectment were notified, and Coroner Pray of Dover was sent for and an examination was made. The charge had taken a downward course and was embedded in the beck. County Solicitor Burleigh ordered Glidden arraigned in the Dover police court, Monday, for a full investigation. Sheriff Greenfield put Glidden under arrest Sunday night. Glidden's story that Long was awake and sitting up when the shooting occurred was not believed, for Long was found on his back, with his hands folded across his breast. He was holden in $3000 for appearance before the grand jury."

RH, 6/25/1883: ditto.

Genealogy:

Perry P. Long:son of James H. Long, employed in the Wisewell paper mills. Has 2 older sisters & 1 younger brother.

James Glidden:son of James [David?] Glidden, a carpenter and farmer.

Accused: James Glidden

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 19

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Durham

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Perry P. Long

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 17

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Durham

Birthplace:

Religion:

1883, Aug. 18 Deering, HIL

P

INQ

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM [NEIGHBOR by NEIGHBOR]

Motive: FEUD unknown cause

Intox?: unknown

Day of week:

Holiday?: no

Time of day:

Days to death: 2

HOM: Nathan H. Brown m. Edmund Wood

Weapon: shotgun to head. d. 8/20.

Circumstances: ambushed as he walked down a road. not robbed. suspect is a neighbor "with whom" the victim "had trouble."

Inquest: i.d. 8/21/1883, Bernard B. Whittemore, cor.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 3/1884t: ind. for murder. pNG. Hung jury, 7 for acquittal & 5 for conviction. Admitted to $2500 bail. Not tried again.

Source:

Hills Co CF: inquest. Xeroxed.

Newspaper:

NHP, 8/23/1883 (Th): SUSPICIOUS: HIL: "At about 4 o'clock, Saturday afternoon [8/18], Edmund Wood, while on the road from Hillsboro to his home in the northern part of Deering, and within a few rods of the house of Nathan Brown, was shot in the head and mortally wounded. The perpetrator of the crime is unknown. A shot gun loaded with 3 B shot was used: five of the shot entering the left side of his head and seven his shoulder and back. He lingered in an unconscious state until yesterday afternoon when he died. Mr Wood was some 60 years old, and leaves a wife and eight children. The dastardly deed could not have been committed for the purpose of robbery, as his watch and money were found on his person." [COULD HAVE BEEN ROBBER WHO PANICKED.] [RH, 8/21/1883: brief notice. Suspect a neighbor "with whom Woods has had trouble"]

NHP, 9/6/1883: coroner's inquest to be resumed at Deering Center, 9/12.

NHP, 1/24/1884 (Th): HOM: HIL: Nathan Brown of Deering, an old man (85) who lived alone in a small house near point in the road where Edmund Wood was shot last August "and against whom suspicion was directed at the time, was arrested on Monday on charge of the murder of said Wood." pNG, jailed. "It is claimed that new evidence implicating Brown has been discovered."

NHP, 2/14/1884 (Th): HOM: HIL: Sandwich: "Citizens of this town are greatly surprised to learn of the arrest of Nathan Brown of Deering, charged with the crime of murder. When living in this town he was an industrious, peaceable citizen, and we cannot think him the guilty party."

NHP, 5/29/1884 (Th): HOM: trial ended in hung jury, 7 for acquittal & five for conviction. Admitted to bail of $2500, "and will probably never be brought to trail again. The evidence against him was wholly circumstantial, and not very strong at that."

NHP, 6/12/1884 (Th): "Nathan Brown of Deering, recently acquitted on the charge of murdering Edmund Wood, has returned to his old cabin in that town."

Genealogy:

Accused: Nathan H. Brown

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 85

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: [lives in small cabin] [farmer]

Town: Deering

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Edmund Wood

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 60

Literate:

Marital Status: married

Children: 8 children

Occupation: [farmer]

Town: Deering

Birthplace:

Religion:

1883, Nov. 24 & 25 Laconia, BEL

P

CT

TRACT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM: 2 adults & 1 infant

Rela: NONDOM INFANT and ADULTS by ADULT

Motive: QUARREL unknown cause / THEN HIDING THE CRIME

Intox?: TS & JF were drunk

Day of week: Sat & Sun

Holiday?:

Time of day: 9am on Sat.; 4:15am on Sunday

Days to death: 0

HOM: Thomas [aka Samuel] Samon m. Jane Ford & Frank Ruddy (infant) & James Ruddy (& aik on Rosa Ruddy)

Weapon: Jane Ford: stamped, kicked, beat, threw to floor, instrument unknown; her ribs broken & her heart ruptured. d. inst. The Ruddys: blows with axe to their necks, then burned their house. d. inst. [except for AIK on Rosa Ruddy]

Circumstances: LVT, 12/1: Ruddys killed at the their house, a "cottage" located near the upper end of Winter St. TS had come with a trunk, c. 1pm Sat, asking the Ruddys to look after it, saying that his wife "was at Plymouth" & that "he was breaking up housekeeping." Left trunk in a wheelbarrow in the yard. At 5pm, asked if he could stay the night, & the Ruddys being acquainted with them, agreed. TS returned at 9pm & they ate supper. TS & JR had previously carried the trunk into the house. TS asked if he could sleep in their bedroom, & the Ruddys said yes, & they & their little boy went to sleep in the front room. About midnight, heard TS rustling -- JR & RR dressed, RR found JR sitting on the bed in TS's room talking to TS, & the ax from the wood box was on the floor. "Samon appeared quite strangely, and he looked wild in his eyes. Samon said that he thought he had heard somebody pounding on the house, and that he was terribly nervous." JR went to the kitchen with TS & talked to TS to quiet him, & RR went to sleep again. RR heard "heavy fall" in the kitchen, went out, saw her husband slumped dead in a chair, & TS came after her, "cutting my left hand nearly off, it only hanging by the skin." She ran to the front room & he hit her from behind in the head, felling her to the floor. "My little boy began to cry and Samon went into the front room, and I heard the blow which he struck the child." She pretended to be dead, as TS carried the boy's body into the kitchen, brought a straw bed, & tried to burn the bodies. Poured kerosene oil over all three of them & set the two beds on fire. After he left, she ran screaming & jumped through a pane of glass, breaking the window.

The trunk contained the body of Mrs. Jane Ford, who TS had murdered earlier. Had been "a respected woman, a regular attendant upon church, a teacher in the Sunday School, and a member of the Laconia Ladies' Aid Society. Her downfall was recent and rapid." Recently, JF "observed to be on intimate terms with Samon, who rented a tenement in the same house. They walked together on the streets evenings and would visit saloons. At last it turned out that Mrs. Ford had taken to drinking. During this time there was no proof whatever of any criminal intimacy between the two: in fact Mrs. Ford's friends, while condemning her imprudence, still believed her virtuous." Within a few days she "became so inebriated that she had to be assisted home. Last Friday night [Mr.] Ford remained at Lake Village. On the afternoon of that day Samon and Mrs. Ford went on to Lake Village and talked with him. On Saturday morning, about 7 o'clock, Samon and Mrs. Ford were seen out on the street in Laconia, and that was the last that was known of Mrs. Ford being alive."

Mrs. Ruddy getting stronger, though still weak, her hand set & may be saved. Told Atty Gen. "I want to get well, but with my husband and little boy in the grave, I have not much to live for. I would like to look once more upon Samon and identify him." Told her that she would get that chance when she was "a little stronger."

"Much sympathy is expressed for Mrs. Samon, who is bowed with grief and shame for the misfortune which has overtaken her. She has no doubt of her husband's guilt, and her face bears the look of deepest despair."

LT, 12/8: TS's confession. "Saturday morning Mrs. Ford came upstairs to my room; I was in the front room, not in bed; I was dressed; I had drank the day before rather freely of whiskey and beer, and also drank beer that night, and was not myself; Mrs. Ford was intoxicated also; could not tell the time, it was in the forenoon; she asked me if there was any more lager; I told her no, there was no more for anybody; could not really say what she said afterward; I was then in the entry, going into my kitchen; I flung her on the floor and put my foot on her breast; she never spoke; I don't think she lived ten minutes; she never moved; didn't bleed nor make any sould; when I flung her on the floor I felt mad and discouraged, but had no thought of killing her." . . .

Had no plan what to do, became increasingly frantic, & circa 3am, "it occurred to me that I might kill the whole of them and burn the house; when I carried the oil there nothing of the kind was in my mind; the very moment the thought struck me that I might kill them and burn the ouse, I struck him; I don't suppose he saw me; it killed him instantly." Ditto Mrs. Ruddy's testimony from there. Bewildered, rushing to & fro, but did open the trunk & dump JF's body on the floor & pour kerosene on it so it would burn as well.

"I had no feelings toward Mrs. Ford the night before, could not say whether she had been in bed," but she had changed her clothes since Friday night. // "Friday night Ford and wife and I sat down at his table after we came home from where he worked at Lake Village; she had ham and eggs, and I guess there was a piece of steak; she and Ford had some words over the ham.; I left the table and went up stairs Friday night, leaving Ford with his wife; I have not seen Ford since." Did not see Mrs. Ford again until Sat. morning, after he had been up & dressed at least 1.5 hrs.

Editor: the authorities "are not willing to have published the subject of dispute which led to angry words, and finally resulted in the accidental death of Mrs. Ford. It is generally believed, however, that the virtue of the woman was not involved in the dispute." Quarrel was supposed to be in relation "to an old matter, and probably would not have led to any difficulty had not both parties been intoxicated." // "It appears that during the dispute that Samon attempted to push Mrs. Ford away from him, and taht she fell to the floor; to prevent her getting up Samon stepped on her breast, and the result was her accidental death."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 3/1884t: ind. for M-1 & AIK. pG to M-1 on James Ruddy. DEATH. Hanged: 4/17/1885. [other cases not carried forward]. & arson charge for burning the house of James Ruddy: ncf.

Source:

"Particulars of the New Hampshire Horror, with Sketches of the Murderer and His Victims." Laconia, NH: J. J. Lane & Co., n.d. (at Harvard University Law Library) McDade #850

Bel. Co. SCJ, K: 177-182

NHStPriReg: #2211

Newspaper:

Lake Village Times (Lakeport), 12/1 & 8/1883 [other issues not searched yet]

NHP, 11/29/1883 (Th): HOM in NH: Laconia, murder of James Reddy family by Samuel Samon. XEROX 4: 3-6.

NHP, 12/6/1883 (Th): HOM: XEROX 5:2-3.

NHP, 12/13/1883 (Th): HOM in NH: BEL: TS brought before Judge Jewett in jail office, Th last, pG to murder. Jailed to await action of grand jury in March. "Under the law it will be impossible to bring about the execution of the wretch for nearly sixteen months."

NHP, 12/20/1883: HOM: Mrs. Reddy, the surviving victim, improving, recov. probable.

NHP, 1/4/1884 (Th): HOM in NH: BEL: ed. recommends that the $300 reward be paid to Mrs. Reddy, who recovered & identified the murderer. "Mrs. Reddy is recovering from her terrible injuries, and is now able to sit up two or three hours per day. There is some hope that she will recover the use of her mangled arm."

NHP, 1/17/1884 (Th): HOM: "Samon, the laconia murderer, prays four or five times a day, and is growing fat in jail. He expects to swing from the gallows into glory."

NHP, 3/13/1884 (Th): HOM: BEL: "Some of the women at Laconia are reported to be engaged in visiting Samon, the murderer, in jail, and ministering to his spritual consolation. On the whole it might be as well for them to spend their time in looking after the temporal welfare of poor and suffering people outside the jail."

NHP, 4/17/1884: HOM: Drs J P Bancroft of Concord & Geo F Jelly of McLean Asylum, Boston, experts called to examine TS, pronounced him sane. Sentenced to DEATH 4/17/1885. "After sentence he was granted an interview with his wife, which is said to have been most affecting. He also saw Ford, whose wife was his first victim and implored his forgiveness, which was granted. He was conveyed to state prison on Saturday, a large crowd watching his departure at the laconia station, and his arrival at Concord. He declares the sentence just and says the year cannot pass any too soon for him."

NHP, 6/5/1884 (Th): SOUVENIERS OF MURDER: [* copied to HOM file] "The trunk in which Samon, the Laconia murderer packed the body of his first victim, Mrs. Ford, has been received by John F. Jones of Contoocook, it being sent by D. B. Story, to be laced in the rooms of the N. H. Antiquarian society."

NHP, 4/23/1885 (Th): EXECUTION: of Samon. Surprisingly brief article. Orderly, TS acknowledged his guilt, died w/o flinching, paid the price of his crime, etc.

Genealogy:

James Ruddy: has a brother in Allston, Mass., & another in Clinton, Mass. Buried in the Ruddy family lot at St. Joseph's cemetery in Laconia.

Accused: Thomas Samon (X)

Ethnicity: "English" (as described in newspaper)

Race: w

Gender: m 68.75" (prison record)

Age: 45, 5'10", "hair-lip, wart at end of his nose and has a bad impediment of speech. He is not prepossessing in appearance, an of late indulged in bad habits."

Literate: no

Marital Status: married (his wife remained at Plymouth, employed as a launderess at the Pemigewasset Hotel)

Children:

Occupation: cook, but unemployed recently because of poor health. Had worked as a cook at Pemigewasset House, Plymouth; Mount Belknap House, Lake Village; & during last year, Bay View House, Laconia.

Town: Laconia, on Oak St. (roomed in same house as JF).

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion: Cath.

Victim 1: Jane Ford

Ethnicity: English

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 50, medium height, "rather attractive"

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Mr. Ford (her 3rd marriage); had gone to Cuba, where she married a Mr. Scales. They came to Laconia 14 yrs ago. He d. 6 yrs ago. She spent 5 yrs. as a widow with "a good reputation" -- working in tailor shops. m. Mr. Ford, a carpenter, last year. Her first 2 husbands buried in Greenwood Cemetery, New York.

Children: tailoress; her husband a carpenter

Occupation:

Town: Laconia, on Oak St., in same house as TS

Birthplace: b. England

Victim 2: James Ruddy

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 45

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Rosa 2 yrs ago

Children:

Occupation: day laborer, carpenter: respetable, upright

Town: Laconia; house on end of Winter St.

Birthplace: b. Canada [came to NH 10 yrs ago]

Religion: Catholic

Victim 3: Rosa [McDonald] Ruddy

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. James 2 yrs ago

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Laconia

Birthplace:

Religion: Catholic

Victim 4: Frank Ruddy

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 1

Literate: n

Marital Status: [child of James & Rosa]

Children: n

Occupation: none

Town: Laconia

Birthplace:

Religion: Catholic

1883, Dec. 29 Dover, STR

P

Class: probable

Crime: poss NAT / prob HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE

Intox?: yes, prob. both

Day of week: Sat

Holiday?: no

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: Michael McLaughlin m. his wife

Weapon: marks of violence on her body. d. same day.

Circumstances: May have been a drunken quarrel.

Inquest: i.d. 12/30 & 31/1883: Dr. Pray, cor. Finding: d. from "some cause unknown, probably heart disease."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 1/4/1884 (Th): HOM of WIFE in NH: STR: "Michael McLaughlin, reported the death of his wife at the police station in Dover on Saturday [12/29]. Marks of violence were found on the body of the deceased. It is supposed that there was a drunken quarrel between McLaughlin and his wife and that her death resulted therefrom."

DOVER ENQUIRER, 1/4/1884: Sunday morning, 9am, Michael McLoughlin went to Dr. Ham's office & asked him to go to MM's house of Paine St., where his wife died about 1.5 hrs earlier. Examination: found her "lying on the floor with a cloud around her head." Had been dead since 3am. Cold & stiff. "The face and lips were blue, as though death was caused by strangulation." Notified Marshal Libbey that he suspected foul play. Called an inquest.

Genealogy:

Accused: Michael McLaughlin

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Dover

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: ___ McLaughlin

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Michael

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Dover

Birthplace:

Religion:

1884, Feb. 19 Somersworth, STR

P (Great Falls)

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: RELATIVE THIRD-PARTY by FATHER and SON

Motive:THIRD-PARTY who was trying to stop a drunken fight between a father & son he did not know, who had quarreled

Intox?: yes, both assailants

Day of week: Sat

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 8pm [inquest]

Days to death: 0

OM: Primer [aka Premier] Boudoir and Desire Boudoir m. Edwin E. Grant

Weapon: iron tea kettle to head. d. inst.

Circumstances: in the basement of a French tenement house on Market St. "EEG, on his way home from a grocery store, heard a scuffle in a French Canadian tenement house. Two Frenchmen, drunk, were engaged in a desperate struggle. Grant went in to separate the belligerents. One of them seized a kettle and hurled it at Grant's head, striking him in the temple, felling him to the floor and killing him instantly. . . . Grant, who was an inoffensive young man, was acting the part of a peacemaker." // ENQUIRER: a row in the kitchen of the basement apartment that attracted attention of passers-by: "missles were thrown out through the glass; people on the outside saw the row on the inside, also saw a man [Primier Beoudoir] strike a woman [with his left hand]." Two men, a woman, and a little child were in the apartment at the time of the row. EEG was the first man "to go in to stop the row." k. inst. EEG's last words: "I'm going in to stop the row."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 2/1884t: both ind. for mansl. PB: pNG. fG of mansl, but ncf. DB: pG to mansl. 3 yrs. & c.

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 3: 506, 516

NHStPriReg: #2206

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 2/29/1884: complete inquest testimony / examination. PRECIPITATING EVENTS:

Charles Lovejoy (19, a French boy): lived in the tenement house where EEG was killed. Was in the right hand tenement; heard the kettle hit something; heard PB say "They commenced the row, and if they touch me, I will fix them." [[PB seems to have thought that EEG was someone else involved in the earlier row]]

"the boys and girls in Beoudoir's part wanted to dance; Beoudoir was trying to quiet them: it was half an hour after this squabble that I went out and saw some of the French boys outside; there were five or six of them who came out of Beoudoir's; Owen Lavoir came into our part an hour before the kettle was thrown; he did not go out again until after the kettle was thrown; he came in with the girls at 7 p. m.; I did not see Dezera, the son of P. B.; Johnny Paron was punching in the front door when I went out; there were ten or twelve outside on the side walk; Owen Lavoir was in Mrs. Kisto's room; we held the two doors; Owen was holding the back door of Kisto's kitchen; after the door was locked he stood and talked with me for some time before the kettle was thrown. . . .

John Peron and Dezera and Beoudoir had trouble in Beoudoir's part; they all went out doors then; Beudoir said if there was any punching to do it could be done right out; Paron then went away; it was fifteen minutes after I came into the house; I heard the kettle; iI heard a woman cry, 'Let me go, you are hurting me;' it was an hour after the fight before the kettle was thrown; they wanted to fight."

Many people were outside in the street & saw the family row clearly. Many witnesses & names appear in this article, plus a diagram of the basement apartment. EEG was killed in the doorway, just as he entered the kitchen to stop the family row.

DEFENSE: says that G was not killed by B; "that some boys and girls wanted to have a dance there but were forbidden; the prisoner came outside of the house; that English speaking people were outside throwing stones and other things; the prisoner's son was inside the house, drunk, and he threw the kettle which hit and killed Grant; that it was not thrown for the purpose of killing any one, but to keep out intruders, and he was justified in doing so."

Majorigm Vachon, who lives nearby, supports the defense version of the story. Heard someone in the crowd say "let us go in."

Alfred Amyothe, who lives nearby, was returning from the doctor, saw DB pick up the kettle & throw it, not PB.

Philomine Beadoir (wife of Desire): we lived with PB's father in law. Owen Lavoir was one of the crowd that came in to dance. PB would not let them. [Johnny] Payron [who was also drunk] quarreled with DB because DB would not let JP dance; "they both struck; P. Beoudoir tried to separate them; that she remained in Beoudoir's kitchen until after Grant was killed; that her husband was drunk and broke a chair; the prisoner was not drunk; her husband broke the glass; she tried to quiet him down but could not; he knocked his mother down; English people them came and broke in the door; her husband then took a kettle from the stove and threw it towards the English people who were trying to break down the door; the prisoner was near the table when my husband threw the kettle; I am positive about it; ice and stones were thrown into the kitchen from the street; I saw Grant when he stepped in and saw him fall; a chunk of ice thrown in from the street broke the lamp; as soon as Grant fell I carried my little girl up stairs; I do not know where my husband is." CROSS-EXAM: stones & ice were thrown in through the window a little before EEG was killed.

DOVER ENQUIRER, 3/7/1884: DB returns & turns himself in. pG to killing EEG. "I could not go into eternity with the extra charge of sending my father to prison for a crime of which he is innocent."

NHP, 1/24/1884 (Th): MANSL / THIRD PARTY TRYING TO HALT VIOLENCE: STR: "At 9 o'clock Saturday night, at Great Falls, Edward Grant, a young man of 22, when on his way home from a grocery store, heard a scuffle in a French Canadian tenement house. Two Frenchmen, drunk, were engaged in a desperate struggle. Grant went in to separate the belligerents. One of them seized a kettle and hurled it at Grant's head, striking him in the temple, felling him to the floor and killing him instantly. An alarm was given and both Frenchmen were taken in custody. Grant, who was an inoffensive young man, was acting the part of a peacemaker. The event caused much excitement in Great Falls, where the population is largely French. An angry mob gathered around the Frenchmen as they were being conveyed to prison, and threatened lynching, but better counsels prevailed. In the police court, Monday, one of the Frenchmen, maned Boudoir, was held for manslaughter and the other discharged."

NHP, 2/21/1884 (Th): MANSL: Premier Boudoir of Great Falls indicted for mansl, pNG.

NHP, 3/6/1884 (Th): MANSL: AND VIGILANTE USE OF THE LAW TO ATTAIN JUSTICE: fG of MANSL, "notwithstanding several witnesses for the defence as well as the prisoner himself swore that his son Desire Boudoir, who subsequently left for Canada, struck the fatal blow with the tea kettle which killed Grant." Sentence deferred, however, at request of defendant's counsel, & the son, Desire, returned Monday & "declared his guilt" at Dover police court, held for trail at Sept term, "and measures will be taken to secure a pardon for his father."

NHP, 4/3/1884 (Th): MANSL: STR: special grand jury indicted Desire, who pG & was sentenced to 3 yrs. PB granted a new trial & released on his own recognizance, "which means that he will not be again molested."

Genealogy:

Premier Boudoir: father of Desire & Joseph & Marie Boudoir.

Accused 1: Primer Boudoir

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children: yes: at least one son, Desire

Occupation:

Town: Somersworth: tenement house in Great Falls

Birthplace: b. Canada

Accused 2: Desire Boudoir

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m 5'9"

Age: 20

Literate: no

Marital Status: m. Philomine Beadoire

Children: at least one, a little girl

Occupation:

Town: Somersworth: tenement house in Great Falls

Birthplace: b. Canada

Religion: Cath.

Victim: Edwin E. Grant

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 22

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Somersworth: Great Falls

Birthplace:

Religion:

1884, May 2 Nashua, HIL

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / prob ROBBERY OF A CORPSE / prob NAT

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: ROBBERY

Intox?:

Day of week: F

Holiday?:

Time of day: morning [probably early am, before sunup]

Days to death: 0

HOM: Patrick Giblin [aka Smith, aka Murphy] m. Alphonse Leduc

Weapon: unknown

Circumstances: found dead on the railroad track, a short distance below Nashua.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: Held for hearing before the grand jury on charge of larceny from a dead body.

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 5/8/1884 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / POSS HOM in NH: HIL: "A man named Leduc was found dead on the railroad track, a short distance below Nashua, Friday morning [5/2], by a tramp named Patrick Giblin, alias Smith. There are suspicions of foul play against the latter, however, as he has not told a straightforward story. He had the dead man's watch in his possession, which he says he found lying open, about three feet from the dead body and picked up, but did not touch the corpse. It is said that he spent money freely in a saloon, Friday night, though he claimed to have had but eighty cents. He denied that he ever saw the dead man before. He is held for appearance before the grand jury in September, on charge of larceny from a dead body."

NASHUA TELEGRAPH 5/5/1884: Police Court: PG [aka Smith, aka Murphy] held on $2000 b. for robbing the dead body of Alphonse Leduc of a silver cased watch. PG ran away from the Lowell House of Correction on Thurs. He took the Boston & Lowell RR track & when journeying to NH "he discovered the body of Leduc in a culvert and robbed it." His defense: he found the watch 3' from the body. "Following the arrest it was reported upon the street that Leduc was murdered and the police had captured the murderer. The report created quite a sensation."

Genealogy:

Accused: Patrick Giblin [aka Smith, aka Murphy]

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: tramp

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Alphonse Leduc

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1884, June 27 Somersworth, STR

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: MENTAL ILLNESS

Intox?: no

Day of week: F

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 9am

Days to death: 0

HOM: John G. Hill m. Ursula Hill

Weapon: unknown sharp instrument to forehead

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 9/1884t: bnf for murder: insane. Committed to NHStHosp

NOTE: record of Dover Jail [according to DOVER ENQUIRER] shows that JGH was jailed on 4/11/1857 for threatening bodily injury to his wife, UH. She had him arrested & jailed. "Upon signing the temperance pledge, giving bonds to keep the peace, and a promise of good behaviour," he was released on 4/25/1857.

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 3: 636

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 7/4/1884: blood found on JGH's slippers & pants. Has been in the habit lately of carrying a revolver & hatchet & "has threatened her life at times. . . . they have not lived together very pleasantly for some time." UH a "respectable woman." At hearing the next day, 300 attended. JGH saids "Ten thousand worlds like this wound not cause me to kill my wife, and I am not guilty. If I did it, I don't know it."

NHP, 7/3/1884 (Th): HOM in NH: STR: "John G. Hill, formerly a prominent business man at Great Falls, murdered his wife in that place early on Friday morning last [6/27], mangling her terribly with an ax. Thirteen wounds were inflicted on her head, any one of which would have been fatal. They had been married 35 years, had two children and lived happily. Four years since Hill commenced to show evidence of weakening of the brain, and occasionally since he has had bad spells. That morning he arose as usual and angrily found fault with his wife's management of household affairs. At noon a lady boarder [Miss Baker] came to dinner and found the dead body of Mrs. Hill at the foot of the stairs horribly mangled. She at once gave the alarm. The woman is supposed to have been dead three hours. When the officers arrived they found the husband in the bedroom. He denied all knowledge of his wife's death, and was at once taken to the police station. Meanwhile an inquest was held, resulting in a verdict that Mrs. Hill was murdered by her husband. He was arraigned in the police court Saturday and pleaded not guilty. He was committed to jail at Dover to await the action of the supreme court next September. In the meantime it is understood he will be sent to an insane asylum for a term sufficient to test his degree of insanity. By his request he was allowd to visit his home Saturday morning and view the remains of his wife. Bending over her he kissed her fervently and said with a solemn oath he knew nothing of her murder. It is generally believed that he is insane, though it is said that he had been endeavoring of late to induce his wife to give up the property which he had placed in her hands years ago, but to no effect."

NHP, 9/11/1884 (Th): HOM WIFE: bnf, insane, by grand jury at Dover.

RH, 6/28/1884 (Sat): Ditto: Hill was a prosperous business man worth $20,000. A newsdealer for many years & also in clothing business. "Hill denies emphatically the killing of his wife and says he has not seen her today. He has prepared a line of defense, saying she must have been tripped up by a carpet and fell down stairs, breaking her neck. He is 70 years old and a complete mental wreck. The ax with which the deed was done was found in a closet, blood-stained."

Genealogy:

Accused: John G. Hill

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 70

Literate:

Marital Status: m. for 35 years to Ursula

Children: two children

Occupation: retired businessman (prosperous, worth $20,000); newsdealer, clothing business

Town: Somersworth (Great Falls, on Washington St.)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Ursula Hill

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 55 [approx]

Literate:

Marital Status: m. for 35 years to John G.

Children: two children

Occupation: housewife

Town: Somersworth (Great Falls, on Washington St.)

Birthplace:

Religion:

1884, Aug. Farmington, STR

P

Class: probable

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: NEGLECT

Intox?: yes, assailant, for weeks

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: [14]

HOM: Thomas Arnoux m. ___ Arnoux (his wife)

Weapon: TA was drunk for two weeks & neglected his sick wife. "surmised that she died of neglect and starvation."

Circumstances: inhabited a house on the outskirts of Farmington.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

MANCHESTER DAILY MIRROR 9/6/1884: dlt Dover, 9/6: M. last a neighbor called & found Mrs. A "very low." Evening of 9/5, "somebody sought admission to the house. Effecting entrance the body of the woman was found on the bed. She had been dead some days. Her husband was found by the police. He is now in custody. It is surmised that she died of neglect and starvation."

DOVER ENQUIRER 9/12/1884: ditto. "The authorities have the matter in charge." NOTHING MORE through 10/3 issue.

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: Thomas Arnoux

Ethnicity: [French Canadian]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Farmington

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: ___ Arnoux

Ethnicity: [French Canadian]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Thomas

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Farmington

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1884, Sept. 5 Manchester, HIL

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: UNK

Intox?: unknown

Day of week: F

Holiday?: the last day of the county fair

Time of day: circa 2am

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. person [the family suspects the police] m. Michael Bresnahan

Weapon: beaten, 7 wounds in the head. skull fractured by a blunt instrument (club, hammer, handle to shovel, etc. "might do it"). d. same night.

Circumstances: found at the foot of a stairway leading to the basement of Elliott & Means' block, clothing torn as if in a struggle.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 9/11/1884 (Th): HOM in NH: HIL: "Michael Bresnahan of Manchester was found dead by the police, at the foot of a [casement] stairway leading to the basement of Elliott & Means' block [or the Dispatch Block], early Friday morning. [9/5] Examination revealed seven wounds on the head, and the clothing torn as if in a struggle. Suspicions of foul play are entertained. The deceased leaves an invalid wife and four children. He was 50 years old."

MANCHESTER DAILY MIRROR 9/6/1884: Cor. Jacob F. James to hold an inquest. The inquest was requested by MB's relatives and by the officers "against whom some person has circulated charges that they were instrumental in occasioning Bresnehan's death."

MANCHESTER DAILY MIRROR 9/8-11, 9/13, 9/17/1884: inquest. No clues to identity of murderer.

Dr. Pearson: death by concussion of brain as result of injuries received on the morning of the death. Some, but not all of the head injuries are consistent with hitting his head on the stone steps -- some blunt instrument was also used. Only one fracture, to the skull, which caused death. "blows" to the head.

Dr. W. W. Wilkins: ditto. "blows" to the head.

Officer Leroy M. Streeter: saw MB staggering in the street at 2:20am Friday. MB fell, got up, staggered on. LMS assumed MB was drunk. Did not suspect he was injured.

Officer George A. Lovejoy: helped when MB was found. Did not smell liquor of MB -- "would not say" MB was drunk or had been drinking.

Fred L. Locke of Manchester (bartender for John H. Groux): MB came to "our saloon on the fair grounds," 2pm, Thurs., with Mr. Chamberlaijn. Stopped 5 min. & went away. Came back about 4:30pm with Dan Connor, & again at 6pm. Had just 2 drinks of beer. When he came back the last time he was "very drunk and we refused to let him have anything to drink; he was so drunk that he did not know either of us; he stood there about five minutes in front of the bar, and while he was there he stood sideways and fell backwards upon the ground." Wit. & a man from Boston "with an elective battery" helped him up & told him to get home. Struck his head on a board when he fell, can't tell how badly. Not quarrelsome, never saw him drunk before. MB showed wit. that he had a special policeman's badge inside his vest.

Andrew J. Mayhew (51 Canal St., Manch., special police officer): has known MB 25 yrs.

John Brown (Manchester, drives team for the Stark Co., has known MB well for 30 yrs, except the four when MB was away at the war): saw MB at 8pm Thurs. did not appear drunk.

Joseph Murray (Manchester, mason): knew MB since 1865, lived on same block with him. Saw him 5pm Thurs. at fairgrounds; MB was sober. "He always seemed to be good-hearted and was always ready to chip in for charitable purposes."

Mrs. Polly A. Truell (lives in south entrance of the Wells Block): heard good deal of loud talk at the entrance on F morning b/w 12am & 1am. Awoke to "a loud scream" from a person. Followed by "loud talking."

Mrs. Susannah Towne: ditto, but at 2:30am.

Genealogy:

Assailant: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Michael Bresnahan

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 50

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to an invalid wife

Children: 4 children

Occupation:

Town: Manchester (for at least 30 yrs)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations: Civil War veteran, served 4 yrs

1884, Sept. 22 Troy, CHE

P

DATE: a guess of the date, from in i.d. date

Class: probable

Crime: poss NAT / prob HOM

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL unknown cause

Intox?: yes, both

Day of week: M

Holiday?: no

Time of day: night (or evening)

Days to death: 1

HOM: William H. Stone m. Ezekial Haskell

Weapon: beaten badly. d. next night

Circumstances: in a drunken fight at night.

Inquest: i.d. 9/24. Mr. Holt of Keene, cor. Autopsy. Verdict: d. from heart disease.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: Stone & White (as a witness) were arrested pending the inquest, then released. No court action.

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 10/2/1884 (Th): POSS MANSL in NH: CHE: "Ezekial Haskell of Troy was found dead in his bed one night last week. He had been badly beaten in a drunken fight with William Stone the night previous."

NHSent, 10/1/1884: last week, "a drunken brawl" b/w EH & WHS. EH "severely pounded." The next evening, 7pm, EH found d. in bed, apparently "having been dead several hours." Inquest held W afternoon. "Thus we see the effects of intemperance."

Genealogy:

Accused: William Stone

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Ezekial Haskell

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Troy

Birthplace:

Religion:

[1885] Ossipee, CAR

P

DATE: exact date unknown

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / body thought found in lake / prob CAS DRO

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. unk. person

Weapon: unk.

Circumstances: woman's hair & shred of flesh found in Patch Pond.

Inquest: no body found, despite dragging the pond. A mystery

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper: THE SAME HOMICIDE?

NHP, 12/24/1885 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / POSS HOM in NH: CAR: "Considerable excitement has been occasioned at Ossipee by the discovery of indications of foul play. While three young men were fishing through the ice in Patch pond, about half a mile from Bear Camp station in that town, one of them brought up with his hook a tress of woman's hair and shreds of human flesh. It is apparent that a body has been sunk in the pond, and an investigation is to be had."

NHP, 1/7/1886 (Th): SUSP in NH: CAR: see 1885 notes. "The Patch pond mystery in Ossipee is still a mystery. The pond has been thoroughly dragged and no trace of a body can be found." [COULD HAVE BEEN AN ANIMAL?]

GRANITE STATE NEWS: missing at NHHS for 12/1885 & 1/1886

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 12/19 & 26/1885: nothing. Missing, Jan. 1886.

Genealogy:

Accused: unk person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: unk person

Ethnicity:

Race: [w]

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1885, June 25 Hinsdale, CHE

P

Class: probable

Crime: poss SUI / prob HOM

Rela: SPOUSE HUSBAND by WIFE

Motive: ABUSE / ON VERGE OF SEPARATION

Intox?: the alleged victim (though he may have been asleep at the time of the assault)

Day of week: Th

Holiday?:

Time of day: 11pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: A. Estella (Handy) Hunter suspected of m. of Charles E. Hunter

Weapon: revolver, 1 shot, d. 4pm F.

Circumstances: in bedroom of their home, after they had gone to sleep for the night. CEH intemperate "and at times had trouble with his wife."

Inquest: i.d. 6/26, H. F. Horton, Esq., jp & acting cor. Verdict: gunshot from person unknown.

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: Arrested by demand of public opinion. 10/1885t: bnf.

Source:

Newspaper:

NHSent, 7/1/1885: Inquest testimony.

EH: the day before the shooting, they had moved to the tenement where the "accident" occurred. Her husband had been drinking "more or less during the day and early in the evening requested her to get him some cider from a neighbor's, and upon her not complying, grew angry and made some threats as to what would happen to her before morning. They went to bed at dark without lighting a lamp, he undressing and she lying down upon the outside of the bed without removing her clothes, but as a precaution she put a revolver loaded and cocked under her pillow with the muzzle pointing towards her husband's pillow. She fell asleep, but was awakened in the night by a noise of some sort; found her husband out of bed; she spoke and he did not answer, and, without stopping to light a lamp, she hurried to the adjoining house of H. B. Streeter, who owned the tenement, and begged him to come and see what the matter was with her husband." He came & found him "lying upon his face and chest on the floor beside the bed, breathing heavily and unconscious." A messenger [Ora Holton] dispatched for the doctor & CEH lifted & put on the bed. Admits she bought the revolver 3 or 4 weeks ago in Keene "as a means of defense; she put it under her pillow in such careless fashion not because she was afraid of her husband, but for fear some one from outside would come in to do her harm as he had threatened her to this effect." Did not hear a gunshot, did not know he was shot until she returned with Mr. Streeter. The revolver was found lying "just below the pillows."

H. B. Streeter: ditto.

Henry E. Hunter (brother of CEH): ditto on the condition of the body when he arrived at the scene.

Dr. C. M. Dix (attending physician): bullet wound to temple, bullet followed upward course of 50 degrees; contusion to head from the fall to the floor.

Dr. W. S. Leonard (autopsy): suspicious wound to the temple -- no powder burns, & there should have been if the wound had been self-inflicted.

Mysteries: no blood on pillows or sheets; two slight powder stains on one of the pillows, "as if a pistol had been fired over and near it, but the sheet under the stained pillow was not scorched or blackened at all." These & the fact that they "had lived unhappily together, had frequently quarrelled, that the wife had only the day before sent away her two oldest children to stay permanently and had found places for the other two and had been endeavoring to hire a tenement on her own account in an adjoining village, and had bought a pistol so recently, all gave some color to the very strongly expressed conviction on the part of a great majority of the community that there has been foul play."

NHP, 7/2/1885 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / POSS HOM HUSBAND: CHE: inquest in Hinsdale on Chas E Hunter, "supposed to have committed suicide, has developed the fact that Hunter was intemperate and, at times had trouble with his wife. Mrs. Hunter went to Keene about a month ago and bought a small calibre pistol. When she returned she lay down on the bed with her clothes on and placed the cocked revolver under her husband's head. She did not hear any pistol shot and first saw her husband on the floor at midnight. The pillow was smoked with powder. He was found on the floor opposite where he laid down when he retired. The inquest was not concluded at last accounts."

NHP, 7/16/1885 (Th): HOM HUSBAND in NH: CHE: "Sheriff Rice of Hinsdale, arrested Mrs. Estella Hunter, Tuesday afternoon, charged with the murder of her husband, Charles E. Hunter of Hinsdale. He was shot on the night of June 25, the first appearances indicating suicide. There were strong suspicions against the wife, however, as she had not lived happily with him, and had bought a pistol a month before in Keene. The position of the body when found led to an investigation by a coroner's jury, who, after a long deliberation, returned a verdict that the deceased died from a pistol shot, at the hands of a person unknown. Public feeling, however, was strong against her, which led to her arrest. Richmond was her former home, and her maiden name was Handy. She has four children, the eldest, 13 years old. She was taken to jail in Keene, and will be arraigned soon."

[NOTE: LEGAL VIGILANTISM AGAIN!!!]

NHP, 7/30/1885 (Th): HOM HUSBAND: Mrs. A. Estella Hunter held for trial, jailed T in Keene.

NHP, 10/29/1885: bnf by grand jury.

NHP, 9/23/1886 (Th): HOM HUSBAND IN NH: CHE: Mrs. Estella Hunter of Hinsdale, held for murder of her husband, & finally released for want of evidence, died T, "as supposed from remorse. Her health had been declining ever since her arrest."

Genealogy:

Accused: Charles E. Hunter

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Estella (Handy)

Children: 4 children (oldest 13)

Occupation:

Town: Hinsdale

Birthplace: [to be buried in Enfield, Mass.]

Religion:

Victim: A. Estella (Handy) Hunter

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Charles E.

Children: 4 children (oldest 13)

Occupation:

Town: Hinsdale; formerly of Richmond

Birthplace:

Religion:

1885, Oct. 16 Rochester, STR

P (Gonic)

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL refused to quiet down

Intox?: both had been drinking. JM: intemperate.

Day of week: F

Holiday?:

Time of day: evening

Days to death: 0

HOM: James McKee m. Michael Crannan

Weapon: knife to abdomen. d. inst.

Circumstances: The assailant & victim, both young men, were with a small party returning from Rochester village, where they had attended a theatrical entertainment [by the Boston Comedy Co.], and indulged in drinking beer at a saloon after the show was over. MC, "one of his companions, tried to persuade him to keep quiet, as they had reached the village, but he would not be persuaded, and finally got so angry with Crannan that he took a sharp knife and plunged it into C's abdomen.

Inquest: no inquest deemed necessary

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 2/1886t: ind. for mansl. pG to mansl-2. 7 yrs. & c.

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 4: 255

NHStPriReg: #2291

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 10/23/1885: Quite a # from Gonic went up to the performance, & one of them, JM, "got ugly drunk" & was "exceedingly noisy," walking back home with the other boys & young men. As they got near the village, opposite widow Gray's house, MC, "one of his companions, tried to persuade him to keep quiet, as they had reached the village, but he would not be persuaded, and finally got so angry with Crannan that he took a sharp knife and plunged it into the bottom of" C's abdomen, "ripped it open nearly to his stomach, so that the entrials dropped out and the man died in about 10 minutes." JM did not stop to see what he had done, but went to where he boarded & went to bed. Arrested there. // The trial, on Sat. afternoon, was full of spectators: 200 boys & 50 women among them. Held without bond for the Sup. Ct.

NHP, 10/22/1885 (Th): HOM in NH: STR: "James McKee, who fatally stabbed Michael Cranin at Gonic Friday night [10/16], was committed to jail at Dover, Saturday. The murderer and his victim, both young men, were with a small party returning from Rochester village, where they had attended a theatrical entertainment, and indulged in drinking beer at a saloon after the show was over. The murderer had been in the country but a few months."

NHP, 2/18/1886 (Th): HOM in NH: STR: grand jury indicted James McKee of Rochester for M-1 for stabbing death of Michael Crannon of Rochester.

NHP, 2/25/1886 (Th): pNOLO. 7 yrs.

Genealogy:

JM: son of Kate McKee, Dover, NH

Accused: James McKee

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m 63.5"

Age: 18 "young man"

Literate: read only

Marital Status: s

Children: no

Occupation: worked in the mill in Gonic

Town: Rochester [came to the U.S. 6 weeks ago] months) [Gonic: boards with Philander Varney]

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion: Cath.

Victim: Michael Crannan

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 16

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children: no

Occupation: worked in the mill in Gonic

Town: Rochester [Gonic, lives with his mother, opposite the church]

Birthplace: b. Ireland [in U.S. for 6 yrs]

Religion:

1886, March 7 Portsmouth, ROC

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / CAS INTOX

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?: yes, victim

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?:

Time of day: early am. before sunup

Days to death: 0

HOM: ___ m. Edwin A. Roundy

Weapon:

Circumstances: found near a neighboring tavern, after having been at a drinking party with his brother, George, who was so drunk he cannot remember what happened. Suspicious circumstances.

Inquest: i.d. 3/8: S. C. Whittier, cor. Verdict: by suffocation.

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

PORTS CHRON 3/8/1886: "A FATAL CAROUSE." Sat evening, 4 men employee on the Hayes farm at the Plains (2 of them brothers, George (37) & Edwin (26, his wife d. 10 weeks ago) Roundy of East Vassalboro, ME, woodchoppers by occupation) went to the Hotel Pickwick at the Rockingham Trotting park "on a time." Played cards & drank for a while, but "one soon tired of it and went away, and was shortly followed by another," leaving the Roundys till 10pm, "when after taking a tumblerful of whiskey each, to top off with, they started for home."

According to GR's story, he remembers leaving the house at 10pm, but nothing more until he awoke 4am Sunday morning & found himself lying on the ground 30' inside the park gate, "with his coat sleeve frozen to the ground and his cap gone." Saw his brother lying face down some yards nearer the house. GR got help, removed ER to the house, where efforts to revive him failed, & he died 2 hrs. later.

Inquest: Coroner S. C. Whittier. "the vital organs" of the deceased found "in a normal condition." "The face of the deceased was cut and bruised, and the chest bruised, but nothing more than might be caused by falling on the frozen ground and ice, and struggling to rise. There was considerable blood where the body laid, and the print of the face could be seen where it had melted into the ice. So far as is known there was no quarrel among the carousers, and there seems no reason to suspect foul play."

PORTS CHRON 3/9/1886: Coroner's verdict: by suffocation. "got helplessly drunk" & fell on the ice, "face downward, and being too stupefied to turn his head was suffocated, the flow of blood from his nostrils probably aiding.

As a specimen of what a skilled sensational reporter can do in the way of erecting a heart-rending monument of words on the slenderest foundation of fact, the report of this affair in the Boston Globe of Monday was a marvel."

NHP, 3/11/1886 (Th): SUSPICIOUS IN NH/ POSS FOUL PLAY: ROC: "Edwin A. Roundy, who works for his brother on a farm near Portsmouth, was found dead Sunday morning [3/7] near a neighboring tavern under suspicious circumstances. He had been drinking with a party at the tavern and had started for home. His brother, Geo. Roundy, who was with him claims to have been so drunk at the time that he did not know what had occurred."

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Edwin A. Roundy

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: farm laborer, works on the farm of his brother, George E. Roundy

Town: Portsmouth

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, March 16 Walpole, CHE

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL / delayed ATT SUI

Rela: MARITAL THIRD-PARTY OFFICER (Sheriff) by HUSBAND

Motive: WIFE ABUSE / Dep. Sheriff intervened & was killed

Intox?: CAJ: intemperate

Day of week: T

Holiday?:

Time of day: afternoon

Days to death: 37

HOM: Charles A. Jennings m. John S. Walker

Weapon: axe wounds to head & left arm, blood poisoning set in. d. 4/22

Circumstances: CAJ was drunk for several days & JSW, a deputy sheriff, went to CAJ's house "to protect" CAJ's wife, "at which Jennings became enraged."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 10/1886: ind. for M-2. 4/1887: pG to mansl. 12 yrs. 12/1891: transfered to Insane Asylum.

Source:

Che. Co. SCJ, 33: 178-9

NHStPriReg: #2352

Newspaper:

NH Sentinel, April & 5/18/1887 : nothing on Co. Court

NH SENTINEL 3/24/1886: in Walpole, Chas Jennings assaulted Dep. Sheriff John S. Walker of Langdon with an axe. "Mr. Walker was not acting in an official capacity: he was severely injured, both bones of the forearm being fractured just below the elbow joint." Jailed till grand jury next month.

NH SENTINEL 4/14/1886: indicted for AIK by grand jury.

NH SENTINEL 4/28/1886: notice of Walker's death. Trial set for Oct 1886.

NHSent, 3/24/1886: Short article on the assault: "Walker was not acting in an official capacity." [the NHS has little news of the matter -- NHP coverage superior] 4/28: report the dead of Walker & that his wife forbid an autopsy.

NHP, 3/18/1886 (Th): WIFE ABUSE / AIK: CHE: Chas A [L.] Jennings of Walpole, at Walpole, T night (3/16) assaulted Dep Sherf. John S Walker of Langdon, serious inj, "cutting the bones of one arm entirely off." CAJ drunk several days & officer went to his house "to protect his wife, at which Jennings became enraged." Escaped into VT, last seen in Westminster depot. JSW state rep fr Langdon, one of best known citizens of that region of the state.

NHP, 3/25/1886: $5000 b.; jailed. "assassin". 2nd article: CAJ arrested in Putney, Vt near Dummerston line, night of 3/17. Walker in serious condition, struck near temple, one elbow shattered. Fears arm will be amputated.]

NHP, 4/8/1886: now hopes of recovery.

NHP, 4/29/1886: HOM: John S. Walker, Esq. of Langdon died. Buried. Services in Universalist church at Alstead village. Wide awake, energetic, public spirited, estimable citizen & neighbor, "and his loss is little less than a public calamity." b. in family lot in Langdon.

NHP, 5/6/1886 (Th): ATT SUI: CHE: Chas S Jennings, who murdered Dept Sher John S Walker of Langdon. Cut throat in the jail at Keene, F evening (4/30), discovered, hopes of his recovery.

NHP, 11/4/1886: HOM: trial on M-2 postponed till April term.

NHP, 4/7/1887 (Th): HOM in NH: CHE: Supreme Ct. at Keene opened. Will try Charles Jennings of Walpole, MA for mansl. of Dep. Sheriff. John S. Walker of Langdon in March, 1886. 4/14/1887: unexpected turn in Jennings mansl. case at Keene. pG to lst degree mansl. "Counsel Eddy pleaded the prisoner's good family and preivous good record. The prisoner had turned over all his property to the widow of his victim." The lattered d. 5 weeks after the deed from blood poisoning via the wound at the elbow. "There were grave doubts as to whether death was not due to the mistakes of the attending physicians." No premeditation. Prisoner "was defending his own property at the time." 12 yrs. & c.

Rutland Weekly Herald, 3/16 & 4/29/1886: tells the story.

Genealogy:

CAJ: William A. Jennings of Walpole (brother)

Accused: Charles A. Jennings

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 70.5"

Age: 31

Literate: yes

Marital Status: married [prison rec. says single]

Children:

Occupation: farmer

Town: Walpole

Birthplace: b. Walpole

Religion: Prot.

Victim: John S. Walker

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: deputy sheriff

Town: Langdon

Birthplace:

Religion: Universalist

1886, Apr. 17 Manchester, HIL

P

Class: probable

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / prob HOM

Rela: UNK [NONDOM]

Motive: UNK possibly possessive, sexual assault, or quarrel

Intox?: yes, victim drunk

Day of week: Sat

Holiday?:

Time of day: night

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. man m. Annie Donohoe

Weapon: skull frac. d. same night.

Circumstances: out with a companion, excessive drinking, left drunk in the stairway at Mounument House. Found, caried to a room, & left on the bed, where she died.

Inquest: At first thought she died of alcohol poisoning. But inquest, disinterred body, skull found fractured. Stomach analyzed: no poison found in stomach.

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 4/22/1886 (Th): POSS HOM in NH or CAS INTOX: HIL: Manchester: Annie Donahoe (16), out with a companion, Sat night (4/17), excessive drinking, left drunk in the stairway at Mounument House. Found, caried to a room, & left on the bed, but died before morning fr "effects of the debauch."

NHP, 4/29/1886 (Th): POSS HOM: "The remains of Annie Donahoe, found dead the other morning in the Monument house at Manchester, were disinterred, Saturday, and investigation revealed the fact that death resulted from a fracture of the skull, instead of excessive drinking, as at first reported. An inquest is to be held with a view to fixing the responsibility." [2nd story: "Poor Annie Donahoe was carried to the grave in a job wagon, and buried with no religious exercises. A rich man, rum, and a blow on the head did it."]

NHP, 5/6/1886: Coroner's jury refused to agree to conclusion until the dead girl's stomach analyzed (sent to Boston). "Meantime the facilities for leading young girls to death and destruction, moral as well as physical, are as ample and free as ever in the spindle city."

NHP, 5/20/1886: "The Boston chemist, James F. Babcock, reported no opium or poison of any kind in the stomach of Annie Donahoe."

NHP, 5/27/1886: inquest cost county $600.

MANCHESTER DAILY MIRROR 5/20/1886: Coroner Daniel L. Stevens returned a sealed verdict to the Sup. Ct. in the face, "which has been filed away with other court documents."

MANCHESTER UNION 5/18/1886: glad that the inquest was pursued. Verdict: death caused by frac. skull from fall down the stairs of the Monument house. "We do not yet believe that the whole truth has been brought out in this case, but one thing is certain, the public know much more about the disreputable business than the authorities intended they should." The verdict is "conclusive proof" that the charge of the authorities & several physicians that she died "from over indulgence of liquor was not true, but was a base slander, either made to cover up the real truth, or through unheard of ignorance." "in cases of this kind hereafter public sentiment will not be satisfied with the 'hushing' process so well grounded in Manchester, but on the other hand will demand the fullest investigation." This "will tend to check crime." Ed. hopes it "will become natural to mete out justice to evil-doers rather than to charge somebody's great wrong upon hapless victims, like the Donahue girl, or poor Michael Bresnahyan. It has established the principle in this city that unnatural deaths should be properly investigated instead of charging it to the wholesale use of liquor."

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race: [w]

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Annie Donahoe

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 16

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Manchester

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, May 30 Stark, COO

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / CAS B

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?:

Time of day: early am before sunup

Days to death: 0

HOM: m. Mrs. Deborah Boudle

Weapon: burned

Circumstances: her house burned early Sunday morning, lived alone, her charred remains found in the house.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

COOS CO DEM, 6/2/1886: in Groveton town notes. NOT THE LEAST HINT OF FOUL PLAY. [[clearly an erronious report]] The article says it was "suspected" that her remains would be found in the ruins of the house, & they were "or part of them" in the cellar. No signs of arson noted.

COOS CO DEM, 6/9/1886: ARSON in Groveton: around midnight, 6/2, the dwelling house, ell, four barns, shed, & carriage house of E. F. Bucknam of Groveton. Clearly the work of an incendiary. The barn door was left open & the tracks of two persons led away. Much livestock & tool destroyed. The selectmen of Northumberland offer $300 reward for the capture of the arsonists. $5000 loss, $1800 in insurance. [[no link made in the newspaper between this event & the fire at DB's house.]]

NHP, 6/3/1886 (Th): ARSON? MANSL? FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED or CAS B: COO: Mrs Bond of Stark, widow lady, burned in her house, which was consumed, Sunday morning, her remains found in cellar. (5/30) "Foul play is suspected."

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Mrs. Deborah Boudle

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 72

Literate:

Marital Status: widow

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Stark; lived alone

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, Aug. 30 Freedom, CAR

P (Shawtown)

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: MARITAL estranged HUSBAND SHOT BY THIRD-PARTY

Motive: POSSESSIVE RAGE

Intox?: BFG: temperate

Day of week: M

Holiday?:

Time of day: night

Days to death: 16

HOM: Valentine Jenness (& Benjamin C. "Clark" Godfrey Jr. & Mary M. Durgin, aid & abet) m. James M. ["Munroe"] Durgin

Weapon: pistol shot in the neck, through the windpipe & came out the other side. d. 9/15 [firing on both sides – probably a revolver]

Circumstances:

Inquest: i.d. 9/17, John Parsons, j.p. [no coroner in the county].

Indictment: yes, mansl

Term: 10/1886

Court proceedings: 4/1887t: BCG: pG to mansl-2. 3 yrs. Others: np

Source:

Car. Co. CF: A-557

NHStPriReg: #2362 (B. F. Godfrey)

Newspaper:

Lake Village Times, 9/4 (11 missing) - 11/6/1886: some issues missing. Nothing.

NHP, 4/28/1887 (Th): HOM in NH: HIL: [[why in the Hillsboro Co. notes?]] Benj. C. Godfrey, "the last Carroll county murderer," got 3 yrs for mansl.

GRANITE STATE NEWS (Wolfeboro), 9/13/1886: "a shooting affair" in the upper part of Freedom, M night. Munro Durgin's wife had left him, "and that he was up and around the house where she was stopping, on said night, and got a shot through the neck." "We hear that there was firing on both sides, we don't know who was the most to blame, but we think it would have been better if Durgin had staid at home." // 9/20: Testimony at inquest: of Mrs. Durgin (JMD's wife), Alonzo Durgin (JMD's son), & Clark Godfrey (alleged to have fired the fatal bullet).

JMD married Mrs. Mary Cummings 2 yrs ago, with whom he had lived but 6 mo., when "on account of some disagreement" she left him & returned to her home, Shawtown. "He went there to see her occasionally, but she firmly refused to return with him and declared she would never live with him another day in the world. He evidently became very jealous upon discovering that one T___ Jenness was making her house his headquarters, and had been seen watching around her house on several occasions prior to the fatal night. Just what his intentions were that fatal night we will never know." But on 8/30, he took his gun & his son with him, hitched his horse nearly 1 mile from the house & they proceeded the rest of the way on foot and "hang around till night comes on, when they approach the house, peep in at the windows and perhaps fired a charge of buckshot through a window, as one is minus several panes of glass and the panel of the bedroom door answers to 67 buckshots. He then burst open the door and entered, where he got his death-wound. Mrs. D claims that knowing he was around she was afraid of her life and got these men, T. Jenness and Clark Godfrey, to stay with her. There was a large number of people present who were greatly disappointed at not having an opportunity to hear the proceedings, which were strictly private." The verdict will not be made public until the October term. "Durgin was buried without any religious rites whatever--not even a prayer--he making the sixth one in this family who have been buried in this worse than barbarous manner."

GRANITE STATE NEWS, 10/25/1886: court term opens. all pNG. no further mention of the case.

Genealogy:

BFG Jr.: BFG Sr. of Freedom, NH (father)

Accused 1: Valentine Jenness

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Freedom

Birthplace:

Religion:

Accused 2: Benjamin C. Godfrey

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m 65.75"

Age: 21

Literate: yes

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Freedom

Birthplace: b. Eaton

Religion: Prot.

Accused 3: Mary M. Durgin

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f wife of JMD; separated

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. JMD, estranged

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Freedom

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: James M. Durgin

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: m husb. of MMD; separated

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. MMD, estranged

Children:

Occupation:

Town: [Freedom]

Birthplace:

Religion: none: prob. a free thinker

1886, Oct. 17 Franklin, MER

P

INQ

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL \ VICTIM DEFENDED HIS WIFE, WHO WAS TRYING TO DEFEND THEIR FRIENDS

Intox?: yes, assailant. FB: intemperate

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 3:45pm

Days to death: 2

HOM: Fred "Bodo" Bourdon m. John Galligan

Weapon: kick to the groin & abdomen. d. 10/19.

Circumstances: in the kitchen of the Galligan's home.

Inquest: i.d. 10/20/1886: Edward G. Leach, j.p. Verdict: "by means of being kicked in the groin by F. B. . . . without design to cause death & while engaged in an assault upon J.G." Died of traumatic peritonitis. Mansl.

Indictment: yes, mansl

Term: 4/1887

Court proceedings: pG to mansl-2. 4 yrs.

Source:

Mer. Co. CF: inquest in "Supreme Court (State) 1885-1887." See also Civil Cases of 1887, 12/1876 - 6/1880, Law Term.

NHStPriReg: #2363

Testimony:

Catherine Galligan [X, wife of John Galligan, the victim]: She & her husband were sitting in the kitchen by the stove in their house. Fred Galligan & Mrs. Mary Hickey were there, as were Eugene Taylor and Alex Rand [aka Rayno], who were talking by the sink. When FB came to the door [he had been in the kitchen before, but CG did not know his name], he called ET & hit him in the face & struck him down. Others pounded on FB, but he decked them. "James" Mooney & another mason called "Fred come along & took him off," but he pounded them. CG told ET to flee, & he did. FB came after CG. She hit him twice with a wooden whip. FB kept coming. JG stepped between them & said "You shan't murder my wife." JG was beaten; a chair was thrown, doors broken, etc. John got a stick. "You shan't slaughter all of us if I lose my life." FB fled. Then JG grabbed his stomach and said "I'm done. He kicked me in the stomach." JG went to bed & died there.

James Nolan of Manchester (X, brick mason): good friend of JG. Saw Alex Rayno [aka Rand] & FB talk "about what good fighting men were about." The next thing, he saw ET & FB on the floor, fighting & rolling. [[ditto CG's testimony hereafter]] "Bodo [aka Bourdon] acted crazy -- think he had been drinking." Saw him drink three times that morning. JN got his liquor that morning at Fred Galligan's bar room. FB said "I am going to lick somebody & Galligan said come I don't want any noise in here - I won't have it." Then FB & JB went at it.

Eugene Taylor of Franklin (signed): did not know the crowd well or at all. FB was drunk or crazy. FB attacked wit. without cause or provocation.

Fred Galligan of Franklin (signed, 14, son of John Galligan): FB chased wit. down the street "& said if he caught me he'd murder me. . . . he hollered. It sounded like a war hoop."

Anna Hessen (lives at Galligans): close to Catherine Galligan's account in details & quotes.

Mary Hickey of Franklin (X): close to Catherine Galligan's account in details & quotes.

Newspaper:

NHP, 10/21/1886 (Th): MANSL in NH: MER: "Fred Bourdand, a mason by occupation, was arrested at Franklin, Tuesday afternoon, for the murder of John Galligan, by Officers Bassett and Boyes. Bourdand assaulted Mr. Galligan, Sunday [10/17], in such a manner that he died this afternoon from the effects of the assult. Galligan was about 60 years of age, and was well known in Franklin."

NHP, 10/28/1886: FB waived exam, jailed for trial.

NHP, 4/7/1887 (Th): MANSL in NH: MER: Fred Bourdon of Franklin indicted at Merr. Co. Supreme Court.

Genealogy:

FB: Godfrey Bourdon of Manchester, NH (father)

Accused: Fred Bourdon

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m 67.75"

Age: 25

Literate: yes

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation: brick mason or tender at Sulloways

Town: Franklin

Birthplace: b. Canada

Religion: Cath.

Victim: John Galligan

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m 5'6", not well nourished

Age: 60

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Catherine

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Franklin

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, Nov. 9 Portsmouth, ROC

P

CT

DATE: uncertain: PC says she was taken to hospital on 12/8

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE

Intox?: DC: intemperate [prob. both; both alcoholics]

Day of week: T or W

Holiday?: election night

Time of day: evening

Days to death: 11

HOM: Daniel Crowley m. Mary Crowley

Weapon: Beat his wife, threw kerosene oil on her & burned her. d. 8am, Sat, 11/20 of burns & infection.

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 4/1887

Court proceedings: pG to M-2. 1.5 yrs.

Source:

Roc. Co. CF: D: 4020

NHStPriReg: #2356

Newspaper:

NH SENTINEL 4/27/1887: Daniel Crowley, also for Ports, convicted of causing the death of his wife by pouring kerosene oil over her and setting fire to it, sentenced to 18 months. "The seeming inequality of the punishment of these two crinimals has attracted considerable attention."

PORTS CHRON 11/12/1886: ditto: arrested Th afternoon, 11/10. His wife being treated at Cottage Hospital.

PORTS CHRON 11/13/1886: "The story told by Mrs. Crowley to Marshal Norton is . . . that on election night she was sitting in a chair when her husband came in, and pulling the chair from under her, let her fall on the floor; and before she could recover sufficiently to rise he poured kerosene on her dress from the can, and set it on fire. Her cries called in the neighbors, who put out the fire, but not before she was badly burned from the wait down, on the backs and legs." Taken to Cottage hospital on Monday, 12/8. Critical. DC's story: "his wife was drunk on the evening she was burned, and would not go to bed; that her clothing took fire while he was not in the room, and that he hastened to her aid on hearing her screams. Both husband and wife have the reputation of being perpetual drunkards." MC too weak to appear at the hearing. DC jailed in default of $1000 b.

PORTS CHRON 11/22/1886: notice of MC's death. DC jailed in default of bond to appear on charge of AIK.

NHP, 11/18/1886 (Th): HOM WIFE in NH: ROC: Daniel Crowley (60), beat his wife, an aged woman, T (11/9), poured kerosene oil on her clothing & set it afire. Terribly burned, wil prob. die. "Crowley denies setting her afire and says it was accidental." Arrested Th night (11/11).

NHP, 11/25/1886: HOM WIFE: ROC: d. Sat morning, 8am, after 2 weeks of suffering.

NHP, 4/21/1887 (Th): HOMS in NH: ROC: indicted by Supreme Court at Exeter: M-1: Daniel Crowley.

Genealogy:

DC: John Lynch, 22nd Reg. Solan [?] East Indies (half brother)

Accused: Daniel Crowley

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m 67.5"

Age: 70

Literate: no -- cannot read or write

Marital Status: m. Mary [Prison record: single]

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Portsmouth (on Rowell St.)

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion: Cath.

Victim: Margaret Crowley

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: [65] "aged"

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Daniel

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Portsmouth

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, Nov. Bartlett, CAR

P(Thanksgiving)

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / CAS EXPOSURE

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?: yes, victim

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day: evening

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. person suspected of m. Samuel Kennerson

Weapon:

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 6/16/1887 (Th): SUS: CAS EXPOSURE or HOM in NH: STR: Samuel Kennerson of Bartlett left home, last Thanksgiving evening, for a neighbor's house. Spent part of evening there & started for Bartlett village. He did not return. Drunk when last seen, supposed he wandered into the woods & died from exposure. On 6/7, fishermen found his body 2.5 mi. in the woods. "Foul play is suspected from the appearance of the body, which must have been placed where found since the high water."

GRANITE STATE NEWS (Wolfeboro), 6/13/1887: ditto. [6/20/1887 issue missing] 6/27/1887: "Bartlett Breezes": "Did Mr. Samjuel Kennison whose remains were found in this place, a few weeks ago, get his rum in No. Conway Village? Will some of in No. Conway or Bartlett answer this or shall I have to say a word more?"

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Samuel Kennerson

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Bartlett

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, Dec. Rochester, STR

P

COPIED: to abortion death and to homicide file

Class: uncertain

Crime: poss HOM / poss SUI / poss ABORTION DEATH

Rela: RELATIVE COMMON-LAW DAUGHTER-IN-LAW by MOTHER-IN-LAW / SON'S PREGNANT FIANCEE by HIS MOTHER [if a homicide, the suspect is the victim's landlady, who was also the mother of the young man with whom the victim was keeping company and by whom she was pregnant. Seems that the suspect, with or without the victim's permission, tried to procure oil of tansy to cause her to abort the baby.]

Motive: RID

Intox?: [no]

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. person [Mrs. Rachel M. Roberts suspected] m. Cora A. Littlefield

Weapon: considerable arsenic in stomach.

Circumstances: died at house of Mrs. Rachel M. Roberts in Rochester, after an illness of but a few hours. Was pregnant at the time of her death.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 1/13/1887 (Th): POSS SUI or HOM in NH: STR: Inquest. a chemist who analyzed the stomach of Cora Littlefield, who died in Rochester recently under "suspicious circumstances," told the jury on 1/4 that arsenic was found "in considerable quantity" in the stomach of the dead girl.

NHP, 2/10/1887 (Th): SUI or HOM in NH: STR: "Coroner Pray of Dover, who conducted the inquest on the body of Miss Cora A. Littlefield, who died suddenly under suspicious circumstances at Rochester, some time since, reports that the jury find she died from a dose of arsenic administered to her by some unknown person. The girl was enciente at the time of her death."

DOVER ENQUIRER, 2/11/1887: CL came to live with Mrs. Rachel M. Roberts in Rochester last April. Hhld. included RMR's son (Mark, 27) & a daughter (circa 30). "Soon after coming here it began to be whispered about the Mark Roberts and Cora were engaged to be married, and on several occasions the latter admitted that such was the fact." The day after the death, RMR told an inquiring neighbor that CL had died of eating molasses candy made from impure molasses bought of G. W. Brown & Co., grocer. "This soon spread, and, coming to the grocer's ears, he demanded that in justice to himself an investigation be had of the girl's death." At the same time, a man living near the Roberts' house told authorities that Mrs. R had sent to his house for some tansy, saying she wanted it for Cora. These stories came to the attention of Dr. H. B. Burnham of Epping, the adminstrator of the estate of Mrs. Hodgdon & custodian of the property left to CL. He asked the selectmen for an inquest.

Autopsy: large quantity of arsenic in stomach. CL had not been out of the house for several weeks before her death, had not visited a store that sold arsenic since coming to town, & was "in the best of spirits" up to the night before her death, & had told several neighbors that she & MR were soon to be married. "she had kept company with no man except him, and . . . her reputation was beyond reproach."

VERDICT of coroner's jury: death from arsenic, either self-administered or administered by some person unknown.

Mrs. RMR's testimony: CL slept at night with Mrs. R's sister. CL made molasses candy on 12/2, while Mrs. R & sister were out shopping; that night about midnight, CL roused Mrs. R, said she had pains in her head & chest. Soon in convulsions. Summoned Dr. F. E. Wilcox. d. 5pm Friday, in convulsions. Said that the story that she had sent to a neighbor for tansy was false. Says the arsenic must have come from the embalming fluid: denies having poisoned CL.

[note: nothing in the DE article mentioned that she was pregnant. The NHP article notes that she was pregnant, and it seems that the inquest and Coroner Pray were the source of that information.]

Genealogy:

CL: her mother died when she was an infant & her father gave her for adoption to Mrs. Hodgdon, who brought her up. A girl "of more than ordinary good looks and of a happy disposition."

Accused: Rachel M. Roberts

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: [52] adult

Literate:

Marital Status: [widow]

Children: at least 1 son (27) and 1 daughter (30)

Occupation:

Town: Rochester

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Cora A. Littlefield

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 25 "young girl"

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children: n

Occupation: Had been employed in a shoe shop in Epping until last April, & had lived in a hotel there; but she was out of work, & so came to Rochester, where she could only find work as a house keeper for Mrs. Rachel M. Roberts

Town: Rochester (lived with Mrs. Rachel M. Roberts)

Birthplace: b. Epping

Religion:

1886, Dec. 25 Portsmouth, ROC

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE

Intox?: yes - assailant. PB: intemperate [MB also intemp.]

Day of week: Sat

Holiday?: Christmas

Time of day: 6pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Patrick Blute m. Margaret Blute

Weapon: beating. knocked his wife down, kicked her into insensibility and threw her down the cellar stairs. d. inst.

Circumstances: at the Blute's home. The couple were both heavy drinkers & prone to quarreling.

Inquest: i.d. 12/26: Coroner Whittier.

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 4/1887

Court proceedings: pG to mansl. 20 yrs. died 1/1891.

Source:

Roc. Co. CF: D: 4014

NHStPriReg: #2354

Newspaper:

NH SENTINEL 4/27/1887: Patrick Blute of Ports, who on Christmas day, during a drunken quarrel, pushed his wife down stairs, causing her death, sentenced to 20 yrs.

NHP, 12/30/1886 (Th): HOM WIFE in NH: ROC: "The facts revealed by the coroner's inquest in the Blute murder case at Portsmouth show it to be one of the most atrocious and diabolical crimes every committed."

"A brutal murder was committed in Portsmouth, Saturday night [12/25], by a drunken wretch named Patrick Blute, who went home drunk, knocked his wife down, kicked her into insensibility and threw her down the cellar stairs. He subsequently went out and informed some of the hands at Eldredge's brewery where he works, that his wife was dead. They called, and seeing the condition of affairs, sent for the police, by whom Blute was arrested without resistance. Both Blute and his wife were accustomed to drink, and have lived in constant quarrels. They have four children, the oldest twelve years of age."

PORTS CHRON 12/27/1886: "CHRISTMAS REVELRY ENDS IN DEATH." PB showed up at the brewery, just before midnight on Christmas & asked for help -- his wife had died. Several men went with him & upon seeing the scene, "instead of meddling," sent for the police. "While the officers were at the house Blute lighted his pipe and offered no resistance to arrest."

"revolting" -- "In the front room of the tenement were two bedsteads, one for the children and the other for the parents, the bedclothes of the latter being saturated with blood, with which also some underclothing was soaked; there was blood on the headboard and on the walls in the vicinityh of the bed, and large splashes of it on the doors and floor. On a lounge in a room adjoining lay the corpse of the woman, the head covered with contusions, and much swollen; under the chin are two deep cuts, and back of the left ear another, and from these cuts she probably bled to death. The body was covered with bruises, and scars of old healed-up wounds." Autopsy being performed.

PB: "a quiet man outside of his home." "The pair have had the reputation of living unhappily together, owing to strong drink." The oldest child witnesses the assault. "no indications of a heavy fall were found on the body, but the children say their mother was thrown down the cellar stairs."

PB acknowleged that he had assaulted his wife. He went home drunk at 6pm, "and finding his wife drunk, knocked her down, kicked her, and threw her down the cellar stairs; then brought her up, and laid her on the bed. Later in the evening he went out, got some more drink, brought half a pint home, mixed a drink for the woman, and then retired." Awoke 11:45pm & found his wife dead "and blood over everything, so he lighted his lantern and went to the brewery."

PORTS CHRON 12/29/1886: INQUEST: testimony.

Mrs. Lizzie Banks (lives with her husband Frank in the tenement adjoining the Blutes'): Heard a noise c. 2pm that sounded as if someone "had been thrown, or had fallen, down stairs." Wit. & her daught. went down into their cellar "and looking through theboard partition saw Mrs. Blute lying at the foot of the stairs. She then saw Blute come down and kick her several times, saying, 'Get up.' This she did not and couldnot do, and he took her by the back of the hair or back of the neck and dragged her up the stairs, and on the way up eclaimed, 'You dirty puke. I'll have your life before night.' When they got to the head of the stairs Mrs. Banks heard Mrs. Blute say, 'Oh Pat, don't; I'm a sick woman.'"

Julia Blute (mother of Patrick Blute): PB came for her about midnight, Christmas, sahying his wife was dead. Wit. was lst to get there. Found Margaret "lying on a bed-lounge in the kitchen." "Knew nothing more."

Thomas Blute (PB's son, 12): "was not sworn, not comprehending the nature of the oath; said he was not present, and knew nothing of the affair."

Timothy F. Riley, Daniel F. Collins, and Wm Cogan, corroborated earlier testimony of Thomas Keating, Mrs. Margaret Keefe, and Mrs. Mary Keating: all were called to the Blute house that evening, "Blute and his mother desiring the women to wash the corpse, and to the young men objecting, and notifying the police."

Dr. Parsons: on the wounds, "new and old," on the body.

City Marshal: gave plan of the tenement. Found blood on the cellar stairs & a piece of broken broom handle with blood on it.

PORTS CHRON 12/30/1886: Verdict: M-1. PB held in default of $100 b.

NHP, 4/21/1887 (Th): HOMS in NH: ROC: indicted by Supreme Court at Exeter: M-1: Patrick Blute of Portsmouth for the murder of his wife on Christmas night. pG to mansl. Evidence tended to show him a man of "good character. He claimed that he came home and found his wife drunk and in nude condition. He threw her out of the room and she fell down stairs, from the effects of which she died. Mayor Eldredge of POrtsmouth testified to his good character." 20 yrs. [[John Blute of Portsmouth indicted for breaking & entering at the same term]]

NHP 2/5/1891: died at state prison in Concord last F (1/30), bured in Catholic cemetery in Ports. Rev. E. M. O'Callaghan officiated.

Genealogy:

PB: John Blute of Kate St., Portsmouth (father)

Accused: Patrick Blute

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m 69" "strongly built"

Age: 42

Literate: yes

Marital Status: m. to Margaret

Children: 4 children (ages 4 to 12)

Occupation: works at Eldredge's Brewery (for past 15 years; a "valued employee"

Town: Portsmouth (101 Islington St.)

Birthplace: b. Ireland

Religion: Catholic

Victim: Margaret [Quinn] Blute

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f 125 lbs.

Age: 35

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Patrick

Children: 4 children (ages 4 to 12)

Occupation: housewife

Town: Portsmouth

Birthplace:

Religion:

1886, Dec. 31 Manchester, HIL

P

Class: uncertain

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / poss HOM

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: INSURANCE MONEY

Intox?: unknown

Day of week: F

Holiday?:

Time of day: night

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. person (perhaps Catherine McQuade) suspected of m. Mary Sullivan

Weapon: [poison]

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

RH 1/6/1887: dtl Manchester, 1/5: "Investigations are being made as to the circumstances of the death of Mary Sullivan" (34) "who died suddenly last Friday night, at the corporation boarding house kept by Prof. C.; A. Trask and was buried the next afternoon. The sudden death and quick burial, and the fact that her friends in Bangor had not been notified of her death aroused suspicions, but so far mothing to indicate foul play has been discovered. There was an insurance running to Catherine McQuade."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: Catherine McQuade

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Mary Sullivan

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 34

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: textile mill operative

Town: Manchester

Birthplace: from Bangor, ME

Religion:

Organizations:

[1887] Hampton, ROC

P

[Skeleton found 7/1898 -- ten to a dozen years old; doubtful that it is Knox's skeleton -- does not fit the testimony.]

Class: probable

Crime: HOM

Rela: UNK [NONDOM]

Motive: UNK

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. unk. person

Weapon: [club] skull frac.

Circumstances:

Inquest: verdict: murder by person(s) unknown.

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none. Never solved.

Source:

Newspaper:

PORTS CHRONICLE 7/20/1898: HOM in NH: ROC: "A GHASTLY FIND." skeleton of a man (40) found under the bank of Great Boar's Head, Hampton, by Arthur P. Tucker of Haverhill. His dog began digging: unearthed the skull & the skeleton. Coroner Rider. "examining the bad indention of the skull decided that the man met his death by foul play." Buried in the embankment beyond the reach of the waves years ago. "There is a suspicion here that they were landed here from some vessel, but careful inquiry among the old residents failed to elicit any information as to anyone in this vicinity mysteriously disappearing in the past ten or a dozen years."

Theory: the bones are those of Knox, suspected to have been murdered by Marshall some years ago [see that case: 1870s]. "The people of Hampton are not backward in expressing their opinion that the bones unearthed on Tuesday were those of Knox." [[no more articles in next few issues]]

CEM, 12/11/1900: in July, 1898, a dog uncovered the bones of a human body under the bank of Great Boar's Head, Hampton. Skull fractured. Inquest declared it a homicide by a person unknown. Never solved.

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, Feb. 4 Lyme, GRA

P

INQ

Class: certain

Crime: HOM / SUI

Rela: HHLD LANDLORD by BOARDER

Motive: MENTAL ILLNESS

Intox?: [no]

Day of week: F

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 9 am

Days to death: 0

HOM: Stephen R. Lamphere m. Charlotte Donalson

Weapon: hom: pistol shot to chest / sui: pistol shot to heart [probably a pistol, since he need another pistol to shoot himself]

Circumstances: CD murdered at her home. SL had boarded in her home the last two years. SL slightly insane. No other motive.

Inquest: i.d. 2/5/1887, Isaac Willard, cor. Verdict: murder, "malice aforethought." sui, "voluntary and felonious."

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 3/1887t: recorded

Source:

Gra. Co. CF: 3/1887t: inquest, autopsies on the trajectories of the bullets.

Newspaper:

NHP, 2/10/1887 (Th): HOM / SUI in NH: GRA: "Mrs. Mark Donaldson of Lyme, about 50 years old, was shot and instantly killed at her home, Friday, by Stephen Lamphier, who immediately killed himself in the same manner. Lamphier was about 60 years old, has boarded with Donaldson for two years, and had been considered slightly insane. No other cause, as yet, is known."

WHITE MOUNTAIN REPUBLIC, 2/12/1887: Lyme town notes: "A worthless fellow named Steve Lamphire, boarding with Mark Donaldson, shot and killed Mrs. Donaldson and then took an old pistol and shot himself. The only solution to the horrible affair is that he was enraged because Mrs. Donaldson had told him that as soon as his engagement was up he would have to leave her house, and, as he was not likely to get another place, he would have to go to the poor house, and he once said that, rather than go there, he would shoot himself. Mrs. Donaldson was a good, respectable, hard working woman."

Genealogy:

Accused: Stephen R. Lamphere

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 60

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: slightly insane

Town: Lyme, boarded with the Donalsons for the past 2 years

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Charlotte Donalson

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 58

Literate:

Marital Status: married, wife of Mark Donalson

Children: 6 children

Occupation: house work; kept boarders at home

Town: Lyme

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, Apr. Deerfield, ROC

P

Class: uncertain

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / poss HOM or poss SUI

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: [ABUSE]

Intox?: [husband intemp., but not clear from account whether he was drunk at the time the suicide or hom. was committed]

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: Joseph Cate m. Sarah Cate

Weapon: paris green in stomach. d. Sunday, 5/1

Circumstances:

Inquest: yes

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 5/19/1887 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / POSS HOM in NH: ROC: "Mrs. Sarah Cate, wife of Joseph Cate of Deerfield, died recently from poisoning by paris green. Her husband is said to have been drunk, and there are suspicions of foul play."

PORTS CHRON 5/11 - 5/21/1887: nothing

ExNL 5/13/1887: Deerfield town column (pseudo. SENEX): d. Sunday, 5/1, "from the effects of taking Paris green." Dr. Towle summoned, gave her an emetic "and thought he succeeded in ridding her of the poison." "I hear many bad stories in regard to this affair. There are rumors of foul play, and I heard today that the body is to be taken up and examined." Reported that Mrs. C's daughters (10 & 12), "slept that night beside their dead mother, there being no other place for them. The father was up chamber, drunk. I am glad the matter is to be investigated." [nothing more on the case through 6/17 issue]

Genealogy:

Accused: Joseph Cate

Ethnicity: [French]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Sarah

Children: 4 ch

Occupation:

Town: Deerfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Sarah Cate

Ethnicity: [French]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Joseph

Children: 4 ch

Occupation:

Town: Deerfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, May 15 Meredith, BEL

P

Class: probable

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / poss CAS RR / prob HOM

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL or ROBBERY

Intox?: yes -- at least the victim

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?:

Time of day: afternoon

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. man m. Michael Conlon

Weapon: beaten, stamped on.

Circumstances: body dumped in a mudhole on the shore of Lake Winnipiscoggee, 2 mi. from the Weirs.

Inquest: Verdict: death "by means unknown." murder.

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 5/20/1887: Victim had been seen in Meredith on Sat. afternoon at a blacksmith shop for 2 hrs, which is prob. why his pants were fastened with a horseshoe nail. // MC evidently "with the whiskey and the heat of the car" fell asleep. He left the train, which stops about 25 minutes in Meredith, to get a drink of water. "Bewildered as he was he lost the train, and wandered around in the vicinity for several hours." Walking toward Meredith Center, Mr. Piper of the Elm House advised him to take the next freight to his destination. This he did about 10:30am, Sat morning, "but with his ragged clothes, long hair and unshaven face looked like a tramp, and not showing his pass was put off by the conductor." Shortly afterwards he set off on foot toward the Weirs. "It is thought that he drank the remainder of his whiskey and being a little ugly got into some kind of a row."

LAKE VILLAGE TIMES, 5/27/1887: No new developments. "The theory is gaining ground here that Conlon was not murdered, but was drunk and had a fit and possibly was struck by a train. Sheriff Story still believes it to be a case of murder and is looking for the murderer." [[read through 6/10, nothing more]]

NHP, 5/19/1887 (Th): HOM in NH: BEL: body of unk man washed on the shore of Lake Winnipiscoggee near the Weirs, T. Half clothed, considerably bruised. "a very muscular Irish laborer" (25). Coat, vest, boots, & shirt found a few rods from the pond. Hat near the body. Smooth shaved & good clothes. Selectmen of Laconia examined the body, which was taken to Meredith by order of the coroner, D A Ambrose. Inquest was to be held on W morning. "now no doubt that the man was murdered and thrown into a mud hole near the railroad track, which divides a small pond from the lake." About 2 mi. from the Weirs. Parties report that Sunday afternoon, while walking in the woods, they heard 2 or more men dispute for some minutes. Just before dark a man was seen walking rapidly down the track with a black eye & coat thrown over his shoulder. The victim may have been from Laconia. "Death was no doubt caused by ugly blows over the eyes. Scratches and foot prints on the ribs indicate he was stamped on." 5/26: the shirt of the murdered man, Conlon of Boston [who had started from Boston with a carload of horses for Mr. Pratt oif Littleton], found M near where the murder was committed, spattered with blood & "not much torn." "yet no clue to the murderer." Coroner's verdict: death by means unknown to the jury. Alive when thrown into the water, but lived a few seconds, "gasping only once, filling his lungs with water." Body taken to Boston. Coat not yet found.

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person [suspect's description]

Ethnicity: foreigner

Race: w

Gender: m 70"

Age: 40 adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: tramp; a little footsore

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Michael Conlon

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: m muscular

Age: 25

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: currier by trade (worked in his trade until a week before the murder); "Getting out of work," he applied to C. T. Walker, who keeps at sale stable on Portland St. Was put in charge of a carload of horses being shipped from Boston to Mr. Pratt of Littleton, NH.

Town: Boston, Mass. Lives with his mother & younger brother on Travers St. in Boston.

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, Sept. 27 Laconia, BEL

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: QUARREL unknown cause

Intox?: yes, both

Day of week: T

Holiday?:

Time of day: 9pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: John E. Hutchinson m. Daniel W. Grant

Weapon: knife to abdomen, near corner of Pine & Main St. Wound 8" deep, penetrated liver. d. "then & there": 11pm.

Circumstances: street: at the corner of Pine St. & Main St.

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, mansl

Term: 9/1887

Court proceedings: 9/1887t: pNG 3/1890t: 2 hung juries by then. ncf

Source:

Bel. Co. SCJ, M: 2-3

Newspaper:

Lake Village Times, 9/30 & 11/18/1887

NHP, 9/29/1887 (Th): HOM in NH: BEL: Laconia: a murder late night on 9/27 in the center of town. Daniel E. Grant stabbed with a dirk at the corner of Pine St. & Main St. d. 12am. DEG refused to divulge the name of his attacker. "said he didn't want to have any trouble about it." During the evening, Grant & John E. Hutchinson, a barber, who had both been drinking, had an altercation & "went out to settle it." [accompanied by 2 ore more young men] Started down Main St. [After the fight, JEH met Chas E Gilbert & Walter Ingram & said "I've done him up."]

The house of Mrs. Augusta Baldwin on Baldwin St., where JEH was thought to be hiding was "surrounded by a crowd" -- but he was not there. A woman named Weeks [Mrs. Josie Weeks, who formerly worked in Lake Village; her parents live in Gilford & "are estimable people" to whom it is a "severe blow" that their daughter was "involved in the affair"], who was in the house, said she did not know where JEH was, but police arrested both women, suspecting they did know, & took them to Weeks' room in the Belmont Block. JEH found lying on the bed. When asked what he had done he said, "'I don't know. Oh, I don't know,' in a piteous tone." Both men were well known. DEG a shoemaker & employed in the shop of Bartlett & Doak. Leaves a wife ("a very estimable woman"). JEH is the proprietor of his own barber shop. The bloody knife was found in possession of the Weeks woman. Had a deer-foot handle. Was sold to JEH by Ed Walker only a few days ago. Reported that JEH threatened to kill DEG & that JEH had a knife in his hand, "and that Grant ran against it in trying to get at him."

LVT, 9/30: Mrs. Josie Weeks said that JEH came to her room during the evening, so drunk she tried to persuade him not to go out again, but he did, over her objections. Returned to her room sometime later with the bloody knife saying he had stabbed a man. Hid the weapon because "he began to rave and threaten to kill himself," so she & Mrs. Augusta Baldwin acted as they did.

NHP, 10/6/1887: no doubt of JEH's guilt. Will not be examined by the Grand Jury until next term.

NHP, 11/3/1887: indicted for mansl, no evidence of premeditation.

NHP, 3/15/1888: JEH's bond has finally been posted, so he has been released, pending retrial. At the Nov. term, hung jury.

NHP, 10/4/1888: another hung jury, 7 for conviction for mansl, 5 for acq.

Genealogy:

Accused: John E. Hutchinson

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: [no spouse mentioned]

Children:

Occupation: barber, proprietor of a shop over Hatch's drug store. "sober," "industrious," "inoffensive," but too "liberal" in his use of intoxicants.

Town: Laconia

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Daniel W. Grant

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 30

Literate:

Marital Status: married: wife a "very estimable woman."

Children: none

Occupation: shoemaker in shop of Bratlett & Doak

Town: Laconia [his home off Province St.]

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, Fall [Oct] Wakefield, CAR

P

NOTE: not certain that WMN was responsible for the murder, but clear in the opinion of contemporaries that a murder had taken place.

NOTE: see the 1891 newspapers from Carroll County, re: the discovery of the remains and the suspicion they belonged to John Nason. Could he have been the victim? Was he a relative of WMN?

Class: certain

Crime: HOM: 1 adult

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: ROBBERY

Intox?: unknown

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: William Marshall Nason (aka "Pete" Shackley) [aided and abetted by Charles Stiles & Frank Sherburne] m. unknown man

Weapon: club

Circumstances: on the borders of Great East Pond

Inquest:

Indictment: [not for murder]

Term:

Court proceedings: 4/1898t: trial [[GRANITE STATE NEWS contains no account of such a trial -- probably tried for property crimes only.]]

Source:

Why is the trial not in the court records? [[probably insufficient evidence on the murder; the property crimes more easily proven]]

Newspaper:

CEM, 3/31/1898: Frank Sherburn (45) of Sanbornville, arrested for the murder of John Nason, whose body was found in a pond near Sanbornville in the winter of 1891. Dismembered and badly decomposed. FS suspected at the time, but evidence insufficient.

CEM, 4/19/1898: a stranger disappeared who drove from Springvale, Maine on a late afternoon in the fall of 1887 to Nason's home at Horne's Mills. His bones were found, it is believed, in a box in Lovell's Lake in Sanbornville. The facts were uncovered when two of WEB's intimates of 10 to 12 years ago, Charles Stiles of Springvale, Maine, & Frank Sherburne (Arrested recently at Hampton Falls for theft of a heifer) were found. Authorities got them to confess that they witnessed WEN's clubbing the stranger to death in Wakefield & dismembering his body.

GRANITE STATE NEWS, 4/5/1898: authorities believe that the crime was committed by Wm M. Nason [aka Pete Shackley], & that Frank Sherburne has knowledge of the details of the crime. On 11/22/1891, Walter Marsh & a companion were boating on Lovell's pond when the spied a box on the bottom of the east end of the pond. At the time, an active search was being made for the head of Hiram Sawtell, so, "prompted by curiosity," they fished out the box & found a dismembered, decomposed body. "The belief gained ground that the body had been placed in the water by a medical student," & the selectmen ordered the contents buried in the Lovell Lake cemetery.

At Oct. 1891 term of the court, WMN sentenced to 7 yrs for felonious assault. Released after 4 yrs., 7 mo. Robberies commenced in the area after his release, & authorities, in their efforts to find the robbers, heard from Charles Stiles (implicated in breaking into a barn with WMN) that WMN had murdered an unknown man some years before "and that he had made repeated attempts to assassinate a man who he thought was in his way." The man came to WEN's house in an open buggy, drawn by a bay horse, in the fall of 1887. Present: WEN, Abbie Cloutman (his housekeeper), CS, & FS. "The party had several drinks," & according to CS & FS, both WEN & AC "seemed to know the stranger." Early that evening, at the instigation of WEN, the 4 men started to Great East Pond, 2 mi. distant, to get minnows as bait to go fishing the next day. Apparently a subterfuge to get the stranger into the woods. WEN went with the stranger in one wagon, & CS & FS in another. "They drove around the canal road and hitched their horses on the New Hampshire side." WEN told the stranger to go ahead through the woods, telling him he would follow "as soon as he got his horse attended to. Nason allowed the stranger to get about a rod and a half into the woods when he overtook him" & felled him with one "powerful" blow with a heavy club. Followed by other blows. CS & FS, when they saw what WEN was doing, fled in their wagon. "Both men say they were actuated to do this as they thought if they remained they would share the fate of the stranger." After the murder, WEN alleged to have dragged the body to his wagon, put it in, & driven home, where he arrived shortly after CS & FS. The body was dismembered, the flesh & entrails placed in a grain sack, & submerged in Horne's pond (2 rods in the rear of WEN's place). 48 hrs. later, the skeleton removed from the pond by CS, boxed up, & sunk in Lovell's Pond by CS & WEN.

Both men claim that WEN "secured a large roll of money and a wtach from the stranger's person." WEN concealed the stranger's horse & wagon in the woods for several days, then took it away, returning several days later "without the outfit." The stranger was 30, 64" tall, well dressed.

Authorities arrested FS in Portsmouth for helping WEN steal a heifer from Arthur Paul -- FS "broke down" & confessed the murder to authorities.

WEN: (40) a "bully" -- "At Horne's Mills he has been regarded as a desperado." CS: (40) "a rather weak mind." FS: (28) a boy at the time of the murder. "considered a bright fellow, but has been kept in abject fear by Nason."

WEN: since jailed, "has made frequent inquiries to ascertain if there are any other charges against him other than that of larceny. He claims that the crime was committed by Sherburne, and also implicates another Sanbornville man."

NOTHING MORE ON THE MURDER in subsequent issues.

Genealogy:

Accused 1: William Marshall Nason

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 66", 250 lb.

Age: 30

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Wakefield (Horne's Mills)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Accused 2: Charles Stiles

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 30 "weak minded"

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Wakefield (Horne's Mills)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Accused 2: Frank Sherburn

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m "bright"

Age: 18

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Wakefield (Horne's Mills)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: unk. person

Ethnicity: unknown

Race: [w]

Gender: m 64"

Age: 30

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: [well dressed, with a horse & wagon]

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, Nov. 29 Hampstead, ROC

P

Class: do not count

Crime: FALSE REPORT OF HOMICIDE

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: JEALOUSY

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: ___ Flynn m. ___ Flynn

Weapon:

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 12/1/1887 (T): FALSE REPORT OF MURDER: ROC: "There was no truth in the report that a murder had been committed in Hampstead." The report was that: "a man named Flynn shot and killed his young wife in a fit of jealousy, Tuesday morning. They were but recently married."

PORTS CHRON 11/29 - 12/5/1887: nothing

Genealogy:

Accused: ___ Flynn

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: ___ Flynn

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1887, Dec. 12 Claremont, SUL

P (West Claremont)

CT

INQ

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: RELATIVE MOTHER by SON

Motive: QUARREL

Intox?: NHP: neither party NHA: both had been drinking

Day of week: M

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 9:30pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Luke S. Crowther m. Mary H. Crowther

Weapon: choked, pushed to floor, broke blood vessel in head, beat head on floor. d. in one hour, at 10:40.

Circumstances: at victim's house at foot of Main St. (then she walked across the street to the house of E. J. Leavitt, & died there).

Inquest: i.d., 12/13/1887, Otis F. R. Waite, j.p. Verdict: caused by a struggle with Luke S. Crowther & the attendant excitement." Hemmorhage. Mansl.

Indictment: yes, mansl

Term: 1/1888

Court proceedings: 1/1888t: pNG. fNG. Jury was out 25 minutes. lst ballot: 8 to 4 for acquittal; 2nd, 9 to 3; 3rd, 11 to 1; 4th, fNG.

Source:

Sul. Co. SCJ, v. 1885-1891: 254-6

Sul. Co. CF, Box 1887-1888: inquest.

Newspaper:

RH 1/14/1887: ditto

NHP, 12/15/1887 (T): HOM / MANSL MOTHER in NH: SUL: West Claremont, M night, Luke S. Crowthers, a young cigar maker, while drunk, "quarrelled with his mother, and beat, gagged and choked her, so that she died from the effects of her injuries in a few hours." // 12/22: held for trial. Inquest on 12/14: Mr. Leavitt & Mr. Presby, who live opposite the Crowther house, found Mrs. C dead. Chas Sargent testified that Mrs. Crowther, Mrs. Hardy, & Luke spent the evening at his house. "No liquor was drank." Mr. Campbell, a neighbor, called during the evening. No liquor drunk while he was present. Dr. James R. Holt performed autopsy: death by a clot on the surface of the brain, resulting from a ruptured artery. "It might have been caused by a blow or excitement. He saw no evidence of a blow. There was no liquor in the stomach of the woman. She couldn't have walked across the road and conversed with the clot on her brain. She would have been unconscious." Verdict: "death by an effusion of the blood upon the brain by the bursting of a blood vessel, caused, in our opinion, by a severe altercation and struggle with Luke S. Crowther, and the attendent excitement." NHP, 2/9/1887: fNG

NH ARGUS, 12/16/1887: they were in the habit of quarreling to the point of "coming to blows." NH ARGUS, 12/23: held on mansl. charge.

NH ARGUS, 2/3/1888: COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF TRIAL.

Mrs. Bridget Hardy of Windsor, VT: came to Claremont Sat. afternoon, 12/11, with her daughter & a lady friend to spend the Sabbath, & stayed over to Monday. Visited with Mrs. C several times, had tea. At dinner, 6pm, M, LC & his mother had some "hard words." Wit. & Mrs. C went to Mrs. Reynolds' house for 2 hrs, returning at 9pm to Mrs. C's house. LC came in soon after. Altercation arose b/w LC & his mother: "both became very angry and used extremely abusive language." LC finally seized his mother, threw her down, & choked her. Wit. present during most of the fight, succeeded in getting the son away from the mother once or twice. "he threw her again upon the floor . . . and after she got up the third time I told her to skip." Mrs. C fled through the door saying "O! my God, my God; my head, my head!" Neither had been drinking.

Mr. C. K. Leavitt: a neighbor who lives 5 or 6 rods away. Heard a scream outside & went to door, where he was met by Mrs. C., who said "Luke has come home drunk and has been licking me and has nearly killed me." Placed her on a lounge, she d. 1 hr. She kept sayhing "he has killed me this time sure." Wit. went over after Luke, who did not come back with him. LC said "served her right." LC came in after his mother died, sat down at her feet, & said "it is a hard case." Good deal of blood on her face & mouth.

Mr. Chas E. Presby: another neighbor, CKL called wit. to go after Dr. Jarvis. When wit. returned to the house with Dr. Jarvis, LC was there. Wit. suggested that LC give himself up. LC said "I haven't done anything; they can have me if they want; I oly threw her on the lounge and put my hand over her mouth to stop her." Mrs. CEP: ditto.

Marshal Dwyer: present when Mrs. C died. "she was an excitable, high-spirited, angry talking woman; that he smelt of her breath, but discovered no signs of liquor."

DEFENSE

Argument: LC acted "in self-defence of an angry and drunken attack of his mother." & that Mrs. C died from a stroke of apoplexy.

Mrs. Mary I. Cresitt (MC's daughter): her mother "very exciteable and darnk more or less all of her life; she had been a smart, hard working woman until within two or three years."

James Crowther (brother of LC): liquor made his mother "cross." Had been in the habit of buying her liquor every pay day "and would continue to do so if she was alive." "he drank himself when he had a mind to, and always should."

LSC: took the stand. Was an impressive witness on his own behalf, admitting the facts, but denying any intention to harm his mother seriously. Ed. -- the key witness for the defense.

Genealogy:

Accused: Luke S. Crowther

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 24

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: cigar maker; employee of F. C. Bailey, cigar manufacturer

Town: Claremont

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Mary H. Crowther

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 58

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children: mother of Luke S. Crowther & of Mrs. Mary I. Cresitt & of James Crowther

Occupation: housewife

Town: Claremont

Birthplace:

Religion:

[1887, Dec.] or 1888, Jan. Salmon Falls, STR

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: TAVERN CUSTOMER by CUSTOMER

Motive: QUARREL / BRAWL unknown cause

Intox?: probably

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: [21]

HOM: two unk. persons m. Emil Blanchard

Weapon: several stab wounds from a knife & a bottle broken over his head. d. from his injuries "several weeks" after the assault.

Circumstances: in a brawl in a saloon kept by Mr. Amazeen

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: suspects fled before EB died.

Source:

Newspaper:

GREAT FALLS FREE PRESS, 1/20/1888: two unknown men in Amazeen's saloon attacked EB, several weeks ago. "No notice was taken of the affair by the authorities," so the suspects left town, no one suspecting at the time that EB would die of his wounds. Salmon Falls correspondent: shows need for a prohibition law in Salmon Falls.

NHP, 1/26/1888 (Th): HOM / STABBING in NH: STR: Frenchman, Emil Blanchard, in a brawl in a saloon at Salmon Falls, had died of his wounds, inflicted by a bottle & a knife in the hands of his assailants.

DOVER ENQUIRER 1/13 - 2/10/1888: NOTHING.

ROCHESTER COURIER, 1/20 - 27/1888: nothing.

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. persons

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Emil Blanchard

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 27

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1888, April 18 Lyman, GRA

P

FILE

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: RELATIVE BROTHER-IN-LAW by BROTHER-IN-LAW

Motive: QUARREL

Intox?: all parties, probably

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day: 10pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Lewis [aka Lovey] Williams (& Jennie [aka Jane] W. Steere, aid & abet, present at the murder) m. Orrin Steere

Weapon: double-barreled shotgun, shot to head. d. inst.

Circumstances: At the home of Orrin Steere [& of the assailants]

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 11/1888

Court proceedings: 5/1889t: pNG. fNG.

Source:

Gra. Co. CF: 5/1889t: evidence in file: buck shot & gun powder.

Newspaper:

NHP, 4/26/1888 (Th): HOM HUSBAND / BROTHER-IN-LAW in NH: GRA: Orrin Sterry [Steere] (40, in comfortable circumstances) sitting by the fire in his house at Lyman, evening of 4/18, with his hat on, shot fired through the window, hit his face & neck, inst. Sterry's wife [Jennie W. Steere] & Louis [aka "Lovey"] Williams (her brother) were the only other persons in the house, the woman being with her husband & LW in the west room. When the shot was fired LW ran out & found Sterry on the floor. Mrs. S was shouting "murder." Sterry, LW, & 2 other men in the neighborhood had been at the village during the day, trading. "During the afternoon previous, Sterry, his wife, her brother, a Mr. Williams, and a young lad, either a son or a nephew of Sterry, went to Lisbon Village and had a drinking time. They returned about dark, and nothing more was heard from them in Lison Village till the news came there" Th. morning of the murder. LW (25, lives on the Sterry place), told the sheriff that about 10pm, he was lying on a lounge & Sterry & his wife were sitting up. "Williams, Mrs. Sterry and the young man are understood to have told substantially the same story." A dbl-barrel gun that belonged to Sterry was taken from the house, one barrel empty, & the shot in the loaded barrel was mixed, as was the shot in Sterry's body & hat. Officers's theory: that the murder "was the result of a drunken quarrel." LW & Mrs. S arraigned, charged with murder. Jailed in Haverhill. [5/23: trial starts] [5/30/1889: fNG] [6/27/1889: Acquitted by the jury, "but not in public opinion, . . . are finding life decidedly uncomfortable in that community."]

WHITE MOUNTAIN REPUBLIC, 4/21/1888: ditto early report. "Steere and Williams were at Lisbon Wednesday [before the murder]. A large crowd went to the scene of the murder Thursday afternoon." 4/28: examination in the Town Hall at Lyman: a large crowd. Testimony:

O. P. Titus, first selectman of Lyman: on condition "in which he found things at the Steere place the morning after the murder, when he called to take charge of the body."

Wm. H. Weston: who extracted the charge from one of the barrels of the dbl barreled gun found in the house.

Ashley Stle: went by the house a short time before the murder, heard "angry language. He also saw a man in front of the house whom he thinks was Louis Williams. He spoke to Williams bt was advised to go on about his business. He did so and shortly after heard a shot."

"While many of those present believed the prisoners guilty, yet the evidence is purely circumstantial and it may prove impossible to convince a jury of their guilt." All parties had been to Lisbon that day & "general report is that they drank freely, as they were in the habit of doing." They returned home toward night. Prosecution theory: they quarreled & one of the suspects shot Steere with a dbl barreled shotgun, found in the house with one barrel discharged.

NHP 5/16/1889: trial to being 5/20/1890

NHP, 5/23/1889 (Th): trial commenced.

NHP, 5/30/1889 (Th): fNG. ably conducted trial.

Genealogy:

Accused: Lewis Williams

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 25

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: farm laborer, lives on the Steere place

Town: Lyman

Birthplace:

Religion:

Accused 2: Jennie [aka Jane] W. Steere

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: wife of Orrin

Children:

Occupation: Lyman

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Orrin Sterry

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 40

Literate:

Marital Status: husband of Jennie

Children:

Occupation: "in comfortable circumstances" [prob. farmer]

Town: Lyman

Birthplace:

Religion:

1888, May 27 Portsmouth, ROC

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM \ ATT SUI in jail

Rela: WORK EMPLOYEE by EMPLOYEE

Motive: REVENGE over demotion followed by firing

Intox?: JP: temperate

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 11:30pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: James Palmer m. Henry T. Whitehouse

Weapon: machinist's hammer; knife to throat. d. inst., 5/27.

Circumstances: killed on the hwy near the RR track & dragged to the shore on the rocky beach on Noble's Island, near the old Rice blacksmith shop

Inquest: i.d. 5/28/1888. Coroner Whittier.

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 10/1888

Court proceedings: 10/1888t: pNG. fG M-1. DEATH. to hang. Hanged 5/1/1890 at 11:04am.

NOTE: NHP, 6/14/1888 (Th): ATT SUI in ME [related to the NH murder]: Ports: Miss Cora Fernald, betrothed of the late Henry T Whitehouse, who was murdered, att sui T last by drowning, "but was prevented."

Source:

Roc. Co. CF: D: 4649: Testimony. Xeroxed.

NHStPriReg: #2426

Newspaper:

Portsmouth Daily Chronicle, 5/29 & 30/1888: found bloodstained clothing at the scene & at JP's home found wet & muddy trowsers, bloodstained from the knees down.

NHP, 5/31/1888 (Th): HOM in NH: Morning of 5/28, Ports., two young men named Stimpson & Hammond, on their way to work in Ports, discovered body of Henry E Whitehouse (22, employed at the electric light works lying on Noble's Island shore, near Rice's blacksmith shop). "terribly disfigured," throat cut from ear to ear. head had 10 or 12 wounds from a blunt instrument. Machinist's hammer found near body. HEW was "paying attention to a young lady in Kittery," ME, [Miss Cora Fernald, his financé, & had spent the evening with her] & left her 11:30pm last night & was due at the electric station at 12am. Supposed he was killed on the hwy near the RR track & dragged to the shore, a trail of blood "being plainly discernible." Inquest to be held afternoon of 5/28. When Supt. Palmer of the Electric Light Co. was shown the hammer, he exclaimed "My God, that settles it in my mind." 10 minutes later Sheriff Coflin arrested James Palmer, a former employee of the electric light co. at his house. [PORTS CHRON: motive: JP was recently discharged from the Electric Light Co. for stealing tools & had "made threats against Whitehouse for exposing him." JP was fired "on an apparently well supported charge that he was a thief."]

"On Wednesday last, Whitehouse, in company with Sheriff Coffin and Supt. Palmer, searched Palmer's house for some tools. Palmer, it is reported, swore to be revenged. Whitehouse is a very exemplary young man, and is spoken of very highly by everybody."

Autopsy: skull frac. Piece of bone driven into the brain. Assault lst made on Ports & Kittery bridge. Assailant tried to throw the body overboard as the hat worn by HEW found near the tool house, 100 yrds or more. HEW "started to run, but was soon overtaken and dispatched."

Inquest: suspect said that "it looks very much like my hammer." Throughout, Palmer "remained cool and collected, apparently taking little interest in the proceedings, chewing tobacco and giving answers at his leisure." On his left sleeve of his ulster, a large dark-colored spot, said to be blood. Chemist sent to examine stains on his "ulster" & pants. Pilot Amazeen, an uncle of HEW, searched along the river, but did not find the knife. Inquest then adjourned till 8pm, to hear more witnesses. 6/7/1888: funeral at HEW's father's house at corner of Union & State St. memb of the Red Men. Highly esteemed. [10/11/1888: a razor, suspected to be the murder weapon, found secreted in a willow tree at the jct. where the RR crosses Cushing St.] [11/22: Palmer fG. DEATH. to hang.] [12/20: JP's mother dies of cancer. She wanted her son to commit suicide instead of hang, & would have helped him to do so if she could. (65) Her sons: James & Wm (who worked at the Portsmouth Shoe Co.]

NHP, 11/29/1888 (Th): ATT SUI in NH: ROC: James Palmer, convicted murderer of Henry T. Whitehouse, condemned to hang, Sat morning, 3am, stabbed himself twice in left breast with old pocket knife. Blade not long enough to penetrate the heart."He says he is innocent, but wants to die and is much disappointed at the failure of his attempt to commit suicide." [Mrs. Rutter is JP's mother. She is ill.] JP: (26, 5'9", unm., temperate, can read & write, Protestant, 143 lbs., b. Ports). Had threatened Fri night to kill himself.

Testimony: from inquest

James Palmer (signed): Admits he had once had the hammer in question, but last saw it 2 months ago. Says that he left the hammer in a box at the top of the stairs and hasn't seen it since. Coffin, Whitehouse, & Supt. Palmer came to his mother's house last week in his absence & had taken a screwdriver that belonged to her. When he returned home, his mother was "crying" [[because of their accusations against her son and because of the seizure of property]]. "I told her the things they took belonged to me." Admits that the "ulster" in evidence is his & that he "used it to wear coming home from Light Station. Have not had it on for 3 months and there were no blood stains on it when I had it so far as I know." Says he never owned a large jack knife, only a pen knife "that Coffin took."

Says that he went at Drown's landing with "McKinney and girl and got one of my feet a little wet, the right foot, but dont know whether my pants muddy or not. Don't know how blood stains got on my pants."

Saw Whitehouse at the Brewery 6 weeks ago; W was with Supt. Palmer's brother. The first of last week, W was at the shoe shop to see P's brother about going into the Odd Fellows. "Asked me how I was getting along. Tom Mahoney was beside me."

"When I went to work at Stat. Fay said I had charge. Palmer went to see Fay and they had a meeting and gave Palmer charge. Palmer told me Whitehouse was not under me. Never said anything to Regan about it. Whitehouse never disputed my bossship until after Palmer told him he was boss. Palmer did not tell me he had told Whitehouse this and Whitehouse told me. Whitehous did not come in until 8 when he had formerly come in at 6 and when I spoke to him about this he told me. I made me a little mad. I didn't feel just right over it and said I would see Palmer about it. I saw Palmer and he called us all in office and said he was boss. I told him he wan't and then I saw Fay about it. Then they had a meeting and apointed Palmer boss. First began to take things home just before I left. The pair of pliers I had I dont know whether they owned them or I. It was the same with everything they said I had. The hose * took to get the water out of the cellar. I took that and gave it up. Whitehouse had all the chance in the world to see me when I took the hose. Never thought whether Whitehouse saw me take it or not. Put the handle in hammer 2 or 3 months before I left. Got $17.50 a week. Had same job at Lawrence. Got $10.50 at the brewery. Dischg'd me at Elec. Lt. Co. Left at brewery because had to work Sunday forenoons & they did not pay enough. I fired them. Expected to make $12 a week at Shoe shop. Never suspeted that was because I took things I was discharged at Lt. Co. I knew after I left, Whitehouse filled my place some of the time after I left. Never in there after I left but once when I went to see Palmer about job at Shoe Co. Went to see if anyone had come to him about my character and expected he might tell folks about taking the things. He said he would not tell anybody about it. Never heard he had told anyone about it. Talked with Mr. Berry at Shoe Co. Got in the house at 10:45 and got something to eat, milk, cake, piece of rhubarb pie and blackberry pie. Pretty substantial meal. Ate before this at 4 o'clock. That's all I ate. Said nothing to mother, she was awake. She said nothing and I said nothing. She said in the morning Why didn't you get home earlier, I said I was in bed that day until late & thought had got enough sleep. Got up Monday a.m. and at 6:25 a.m. and got down stairs at about 6:25 a.m. She calls me at a particular time. Waked at hearing her sawing wood and then dozed off again & she called me and waked me up."

"Am not engaged to A. Mahoney [sp?]. Met Pat Moran, Tom Cogan, & another fellow, went with Moran up as far as Morning Street. Takes about 20 minutes to get to Mrs. Crampton's boarding house on Rockingham St. from my house. Used in winter to take an hour to get home." Describes his movements, how much money he had & how he got it, tells of his trip to Boston 2 weeks ago, where he stayed at a hotel. Says of Whitehouse: "He and I were always good friends. Never said anthing to him that I was angry with him or told anybody I would be revenged. Wanted to learn Whitehouse because I liked him and it lightened my work to have him able to do it. Did not know he went over Sunday nights."

BFP 3/12/1890 (W): HOM in NH: MER: "After a lengthy discussion and examination of jurors in the Palmer murder case at Concord," NH, afternoon of 3/11, ct. adj. until F. BFP 3/15/1890: Sup. Ct. denied JP's motion for a new trial.

NHP, 5/8/1890 (Th): Executed. His body was conveyed to Ports. on Thurs., 5/24. Large crowd "prompted by curiosity" had gathered when the train arrived, "but only got a glimpse of the plain pine box that enclosed the remains." Taken in charge by Undertaker Fletcher, conveyed to Palmer's brother's home on Stark St., where funeral occurred on the following afternoon.

Genealogy:

HW: "spoken of in the highest terms": son of Charles E. Whitehouse, mason, of Union St., "a most worthy man and citizen."

Accused: James Palmer

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 69" 143 lbs.

Age: 26

Literate: can read only

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation: an engineer for 5 or 6 years ($17.50 per week) at the electric light works lying on Noble's Island shore, near Rice's blacksmith shop, but he was displaced as boss by Palmer & was then fired & was suspected of having stolen tools from the Electric Co., which Supt. Palmer & Whitehouse seized at JP's mother's house. JP then went to work at the brewery, but quite because the pay was poor ($10.50 per week) & because he had to work Sunday mornings. JP worked with his brothers in a shoe shop for a week before the murder occurred (expected to make $12 per week).

Town: Portsmouth; lives at 1 James St., Ports. with his mother; no boarders

Birthplace: b. Portsmouth

Religion: Prot.

Victim: Henry T. Whitehouse

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 22

Literate:

Marital Status: engaged to Miss Cora Fernald of Kittery

Children: no

Occupation: employed at the Electric Light Co. works

Town: Portsmouth (9 Union St.)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations: Red Men; the week before his death, asked JP's brother about him [HTW] joining the Odd Fellows

1888, Sept. 18 Manchester, HIL

P

Class: do not count

Crime: poss HOM / prob CAS RR

Rela: NONDOM

Motive: ROBBERY

Intox?:

Day of week: T

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 12am to 1am

Days to death: 0

HOM: unk. person m. Gaspard Rene

Weapon:

Circumstances: found killed on track in RR yard at Manchester

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 9/20/1888 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / POSS HOM / CAS RR in NH: HIL: Gaspard Rene, a Frenchman living at No. 1 Water St., killed on track in RR yard at Manchester [Granite St. crossing], the other night. Young man. Tried to board midnight freight & fell under cars. Top of his head "taken off." [9/27/1888: "It is thought by some that he was murdered for the $200 which it is alleged he had in his pocket the night before and then placed upon the track to be run over and mutilated."]

MANCHESTER DAILY MIRROR 9/18/1888: viewed as an accident. Gustave Rene [French]; lived with his father, mother, & 2 brothers at No. 1 Water St., in Amoskeag. Came home 3pm, yesterday, "acted strangely." Last they saw him alive. Supposed he tried to board a midnight freight & fell. // read through 9/27 issue: nothing more.

MANCHESTER UNION 9/21/1888: now seems clear that GR was a victim "of his own foolhardiness." GR went ot a party & at 11pm escorted a young woman to her home on the west side. In all prob. he reached the Granite St. crossing about midnight, just as the midnight freight was passing, & jumped it, intending to ride to Water St. Engineer said that the man could not have been placed ahead of him on the track, or the engineer would have seen him in the bright headlight. Body cold when found, indicating that the freight & not a later train hit GR. [read UNION through 5/21: do more later]

Genealogy:

Accused: unk. person

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Gaspard Rene

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 35

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Manchester; lives at 1 Water St.

Birthplace:

Religion:

1888, Sept. 13 Rollinsford, STR

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE / ALCOHOLISM

Intox?: yes, assailant JS: intemperate

Day of week: W

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: John Sarchfield m. Annie (McDermott) Sarchfield

Weapon: kicks to the head. d. inst.

Circumstances:

Inquest: i.d. 9/14: VERDICT: murder. Daniel Hall, Esq., j.p.

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 2/1889

Court proceedings: pNOLO to mansl-1. 5 yrs. & c. died 7/1892.

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ. 5: 19

NHStPriReg: #2435

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER, 9/21 & 10/5 & 10/12/1888: INQUEST: witnesses: JS (the accused), Hannah Coggins (who had boarded the past 2 weeks in the Sarchfield family), Margie Sarchfield (7, dau. of John & Annie); Mrs. Mary A. Kennedy, daughter of Hannah Coggins, who boarded at Sarchfield's with her mother; James McDermontt (father of deceased), Joseph Pelker (French, next door neighbor), Mr. & Mrs. Chas Michal (French, next door neighbors; Mr. CM testified through an interpreter). & others.

AS: peaceable, kind, industrious, did not drink liquor unless "compelled" to do so by JS. Not a habitual drinker. Industrious. Her daughter Maggie (7) took care of her sister (3) while AS was at work in the mill. JS: a heavy drinker, ugly when drunk. Wife "peaceful, timid." Numerous quarrels "in which her limbs and life were endangered."

House: a few steps north of the bridge from Rollinsford to South Berwick. 1 1/2 stories.

On Tuesday, 9/11, there was a wedding at the Sarchfield's. John McDermott (AS's brother) m. Mary Ann Flanagan. Many present: Ellen Donovan, Michael Doherty, Mary Ann Kennedy, Hannah Coggins, & James McDermott (AS's father). James McD brought a jug of spirits, of which JS was a "heavy imbiber." SARCASM: "The first 'send off' in the ceremony was given by Sarchfield, who went to the top of the stairs and took his wife by the head and heels and pitched her down stairs and then followed her down and as soon as she got up kicked her severely behind as she ran from one room to antoher, from which the poor woman cried and was scarcely able to walk for some time after. Those present interfered and prevented him from doing her further injury then." Prob. no more injuries that day, but she was already "half killed then."

T night, JS received his discharge at the milll "for being absent that day without leave and for having repeatedly absented himself in the same way without leave." Weds. morning, the day of the murder, left house at 7am & went to South Berwick, where he "loafed" till 10:30am then took train for Ports, where he spent the day, drinking beer. Returned to South Berwick at 6:15pm, "in a doze," & had to be awakened by the conductor or someone else. AS had stayed home all day, being injured from the previous day, & not able to stoop over, but cooked & got the meals for the family. When he got home, James McDermott & Mrs. Coggins were eating supper with AS; Margie (7) was away. When JM & HC left at 6:45pm, JS was not drunk (though he had been drinking) & AS was completely sober.

When Margie came home at 7:15pm, found her father lying on the bed with her younger sister. ["a bright, intelligent child"]. She had gone to a boarding house in South Berwick [where the newlyweds were boarding] with Mary Ann Kennedy & had just returned. She searched for her mother, enlisted her father in the search, & he brought her mother in from the shed, bloodied & unconscious & barely breathing. She went for help (for someone to stay with her & her mother), then JS went for help.

JS told Charles Michal, a neighbor, that he thought his wife was dead. When CM examined her & told JS it was so, JS said "Oh, my God!"

Mary Ann Kennedy: returned to house & found AS dead. Said "Johnny Sarchfield, Annie is dead." JS said “going over to her, ‘just as I thought you poor innocent fool.’” JS denied all knowledge of what had happened to AS.

Mrs. Annie Wood & Mrs. Dorcas Tucker laid out AS: AW asked JS what killed AS, & JS said "rum did it" -- that "her father brought it to her, he always brings her some from Salmon Falls."

NO INTERVENTION: Mrs. Michal, wife of Charles: Agnes Valliere came into her house at 7:30pm & told her that JS "was in the shed licking his wife: she told Agnes we ought to listen, that perhaps he would kill her; we listened (at the back window) and heard two little screams; she saw no one (being near sighted) go into or come out of the shed." After 8pm, JS's two little children came to the M's house crying & the Pelker girl (who had gone home with them) was also crying. Said they were crying because they "had been left alone in the house with their mother and were afraid she as dying." JS then came over & asked CM to come with him to look at his wife. JS looked scared, but was not drunk.

NHP, 9/20/1888 (Th): HOM WIFE in NH: STR: Rollinsford: hearing in suspected murder of Mrs. John Larchfield. Her husband jailed "for safe keeping." Inquest held 9/14: verdict: Annie Sarchfield murdered night of 9/12 "by means of diverse blows and other violence inflicted upon her person by the fists and feet" of her husband. Held for trial w/o bail. [10/4: Sarsfield. intoxicated at time.] [2/21/1889: Sarsfield ind. for M-1] [4/4/1889: age 30, "of foreign birth or nationality," "stout, sawed-off in stature looking little chap." Manacled, carried to the state prison with the "hen thief," who got 2 yrs.]

Genealogy:

Kate Sarsfield, 30 Brook St., Manchester (mother)

Accused: John Sarsfield

Ethnicity: ["foreign" birth or nationality] [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: m 61.5" 120 lbs.

Age: 32

Literate: yes

Marital Status: m. Annie [Pri. Reg.: single]

Children: Margie (7) & another daughter (3)

Occupation: cotton mill worker in South Berwick

Town: Rollinsford (most of his life)

Birthplace: b. South Berwick, ME

Religion: Cath.

Organizations: a member of the band in South Berwick

Victim: Annie (McDermott) Sarsfield

Ethnicity: Irish

Race: w

Gender: f 100 lbs. (a small woman)

Age: 26

Literate:

Marital Status: m. John

Children: Margie (7) & another daughter (3)

Occupation: worked in the mill & did the housework to support the family

Town: Rollinsford

Birthplace:

Religion:

1888, Sept. 16 Somersworth, STR

P (Great Falls)

CT

FILE

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM ACQUAINTANCE by ACQUAINTANCE

Motive: QUARREL unknown cause

Intox?: HEW: intemperate / prob. both

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 1am

Days to death: 0

HOM: Holton E. Wells m. Charles H. Eastman

Weapon: beaten, kicked, pushed into river and drowned. d. inst.

Circumstances: at Salmon Falls [Great Falls?] -- CHE "had trouble" with HEW & Fred R. Towle that night.

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 2/1889

Court proceedings: 2/1889t: pNG. fG of M-2. 10 yrs. Pardoned, 8/1894. [Fred R. Towle was also arrested, but released.]

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 5: 20 // & great file with maps, etc. See later.

NHStPriReg: #2445

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER: 9/28/1888: issue missing. No new information in the immediately subsequent issues.

ROCHESTER COURIER, 9/21/1888: m. on Sat. night [or Sun morning]. CHE (32, machinist, single, living in Berwick, ME) was at Great Falls until after midnight & drank some. About 1am, started home accompanied by HEW. "Loud cries in the direction of the bridge attracted the attention of two policemen, who ran toward the spot and met Wells coming. They asked him if he heard cries, but he replied that he had not." Body of CHE brought up from the river, T: no water in lungs, "he could not have drowned. There were also bruises on his face and other parts of his body." HEW: "tells a straightforward story. He says he left Eastman at Tibbetts' store and turned back. The singular part is that he heard no cries or noise, when persons farther away did hear them. He says Eastman was not intoxicated, and that he thought him capable of getting home alone."

NHP, 9/27/1888 (Th): HOM in NH: STR: coroner's jury: Chas H Eastman of Berwick, ME, whose body found recently in the river at Great Falls, murdered by "blows and kicks, and being thrown into the river" by person[s] unknown. [10/4: Dr. C E Swasey, a well known physician, believes that drowning was the cause of death & that "no crime was committed," despite the contrary verdict of the coroner's jury.] [10/25: trial of Holton E. Wells & Fred R. Towle for m. of CHE, whose body found in the river b/w Great FAlls & Berkwick, ME on 9/18] [11/1: Result of hearing: Towle discharged, Wells held for trial.] [2/21/1889: HEW ind. for M-1] [3/7/1888: trial: HEW struck CHE over the head in threw him in the river. Murdered happened on night of Sept. 16. Witnesses account for CHE's movements that night, "when he was known to have had trouble with Wells and one Fred Towle."] [3/14/1888: fG of M-2] [3/28/1888: John Field, a loom fixer in the Cabot mill at Brunswick, ME arrested on suspicion of being the murderer of CHE in Great Falls, last fall. Had been working in the Cabot mill about 2 weeks "and is a first class workman." Mr. Wagg, "under whom he worked, says that Field worked for him ten years ago, and returned her ten days ago and went to work. He was greatly interested in the Eastman case, and talked about it in the mill among the hands and at his boarding place. He said he was in Great Falls at the time of the murder." Arrested early T morning by a Pinkerton detective "calling himself Minister," from New York, & taken off in the lst train. "Field asserted his innocence and did not settle for his wages, as he said he would return in a few days." Married, wife in NH, "but has been in the habit of going from place to place." (40). Judge Foster, the counsel for Wells, greatly pleased with the arrest: CHE must receive a new trial or be discharged, according to Foster.

NHP 6/13/1889: HEW: sentenced to 10 yrs.

Genealogy:

HEW: Louisa Wells (wife) & Jennie G. Wells (daughter) 30 Suffolk Corp., Lowell, Mass.

Accused: Holton E. Wells

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 68.5 158 lb.s

Age: 41

Literate: yes

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation: weaver

Town: Somersworth

Birthplace: b. Holderness

Religion: Prot.

Victim: Charles H. Eastman

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 32

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children: n

Occupation: machinist

Town: Berwick, ME

Birthplace:

Religion:

1888, Nov. 4 Manchester, HIL

P

FILE

Class: do not count

Crime: CAS GUN \ NEGLIGENCE

Rela: NONDOM

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 2pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Frank Brown m. Hiram Reiman, Jr.

Weapon: pistol shot to forehead. self-cocking 32-cal. bulldog revolver. d. inst.

Circumstances: [[suspicions that the shooting was not accidental brought the charge, in all likelihood, as carelessness in and of itself was not prosecuted by this time.]]

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: 3/1889t: ind. for mansl. "carelessly & with culpable negligence."

Source:

Hills. Co. CF: 3/1889t

Newspaper:

NHP, 11/15/1888 (Th): SHOOTING -- intentional or not? in NH: HIL: Manchester: Frank Brown acc. shot Herman Riermann, last week Sun, while fooling with a revolver. 2nd art: bound over to Sup Ct for $1000.

MANCHESTER DAILY MIRROR 11/5/1888: "WAS IT MURDER?" a little low flat-roofed shed in Bedford, "fool-hardy trifling with deadly weapons." HR Jr. spent the morning at home with his parents, but left at 1pm with "Dado" Miller, who called at the house. Joined on Main St. by Eddie J. Daniels, Norman Smithy, & David Dickey, & then started for the Richards farm on the River road (.5 mi. beyond the blue store, occupied by Mr. & Mrs. James Richards. Mrs. R previously married to Mrs. Brown, & there are both Brown children & Richards children in the hhld.). The West Manchester boys are in the "habit" of going out to the farm on Sundays & shooting at a mark. Yesterday they were joined by Willie Richards & Frank Brown, half-brothers who live on the place. In the shed, firing at a keg & a barrel. "The Reimann boy either passed in front of the Borwn boy's line of vision when the shot was fired, or else in brandishing it about the revolver went off prematurely." Both witnesses agree it was accidental. FB, terrified at what had happened, fled. Indeed, the boys all fled, & the body was found by Gracie Richards, a little sister of Willie. She screamed & ran to the house, c. 2:30pm.

HR Jr.: his brother, Richard, drowned 3 yrs ago at Reed's Ferry while swimming.

Examination: FB wanted to "trade" the revolver. "One offered a saddle and bridle, another a goat that was on the hillside, and then there was talk of swapping some hens for the weapon. Richards had a knife that he wanted to swap. Reimann took the revolver and fired it at a barrel to see what he could do with it. They boys were then quite animated, and Brown was swiming the revolver carelessly, and saying 'How's this?' snapped it, and to the horror of all it struck Reimann and he fell." "The boys all unite in saying that there were no hard feelings or words, and that the reason they ran was because they were scared." No warrants yet out for their arrest.

Genealogy:

Accused: Frank Brown

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 16

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children: [son of Mr. & Mrs. James Richards]

Occupation: farm laborer on parents' farm

Town: Manchester

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Hiram Reiman, Jr.

Ethnicity: German

Race: w

Gender: m "average intelligence and capability"

Age: 19

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation: son of HR Sr., a coal & wood dealer at 20 Tilton St.; HR Jr. helped his father in the business

Town: Manchester

Birthplace:

Religion:

1888, Dec. 31 Madbury, STR

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: MARITAL POLICE OFFICER by HUSBAND / THREAT to kill WIFE

Motive: MENTAL ILLNESS / INTERVENTION

Intox?: [no]

Day of week: M

Holiday?: New Year’s Eve

Time of day: night

Days to death: 0

HOM: Charles H. Tanner m. George E. Pray

Weapon: single-barreled rifle, shot to left side. d. inst.

Circumstances: Officer GEP had arrived to escort CHT back to the asylum, because CHT had again become violent.

Inquest:

Indictment: bnf for murder, insanity

Term: 2/1889

Court proceedings: 2/1889t: bnf for murder: insane.

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 5: 18

Newspaper:

ROCHESTER COURIER, 1/4/1889: [NHP copies this story] Tanner seen 2 hrs after the shooting by Hiram Felker, 4 mi. from Huckins' house. Had a rifle in his hand "and said he was going to Barrington Depot to kill his wife. He called at James J. Griffins, where one of his daughters lives, and wanted to go in, but Griffin, seeing the rifle, would not unlock the door."

NHP, 1/3/1889 (Th): HOM MENTAL ILLNESS in NH: STR: Charles H. Tanner (40), who shot & killed Special Police Officer George E. Pray at Dover, M night, charged with murder. pG "by advice of counsel, who will endeavor to have him taken from the county jail to the insane asylum at Concord." // inst. shot through the heart. CHT: an insane man, living with John B Huckins, a few miles out, "whom he had come to arrest and take to the asylum, accompanied by William E. Robinson as an assistant. In 1884, Tanner . . . was adjudged insane and sent to the Concord asylum." Soon after, JBH was appt his guardian, "and through Huckins' exertions Tanner was released from custody. Since that time Tanner has led a quiet life up to a week ago, when he became violent and Huckins decided to send him back to Concord. He asked Marshal Fogerty to send out two strong men to arrest Tanner at the supper table, bring him to Dover, for the night and then take him to Concord. Instead, he sent Pray and Robinson. They arrived at Huckins' at half past six. Tanner was sitting by the fire, and as Pray went in the latter told him he had come to arrest him. 'What for?' asked Tanner. 'To take you to Concord,' replied the officer. Tanner dashed by them up stairs and Pray and Robinson followed. When half way up Pray stopped. Tanner had a gun in his hand. Quickly he brought it to his shoulder. There was a loud report and Pray fell back into Robinson's arms. Tanner then went into a chamber, locked the door and jumped out of the window, without hat or coat, and made good his escape. Officers Willard, Fody and Wilkinson of Dover subsequently arrested Tanner in his father's barn [that night]." [2 /21: bnf, insanity]

Genealogy:

Accused: Charles H. Tanner

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 47

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children: 3 adult daughters

Occupation: farmer

Town: Madbury

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: George E. Pray

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 34

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children: 3 small children

Occupation: policeman “Special Police Officer”

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1889, Feb. 1 Grafton, GRA

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / MISSING

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day: forenoon

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. William T. Haskins

Weapon:

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 2/14/1889 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / MISSING / POSS HOM in NH: GRA: "The dog of William T. Haskins of Grafton, who left home Feb. 1st, was found by parties who were looking for him near the dwelling house of Austin Morse, Sunday forenoon, under circumstances that point to foul play."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: William T. Haskins

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Grafton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1889, Feb. 2 Andover, MER

P

Class: probable

Crime: HOM

Rela: RELATIVE SON-IN-LAW by FATHER-IN-LAW

Motive: ABUSE of delirous invalid

Intox?: n

Day of week:

Holiday?: no

Time of day: night

Days to death: 5

HOM: Ira W. Morrison m. Julian A. Morey

Weapon: a goad stick which had a heavy leather lash attached to it; beat Morey in a savage manner.

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 2/21/1889 (Th): AGA or MANSL on SON-IN-LAW in NH: MER: Ira W Morrison of Andover (72). On 2/2, he went to the home of his s-i-l, Julian A Morey (50, confined to his bed because of illness & delirium). During the night, Morey arose "and made considerable disturbance travelling about the house, which enraged Morrison, who procured a goad stick which had a heavy leather lash attached to it and proceeded to beat Morey in a savage manner.": The latter d. 5 days afterwards "and though according to the attendant physician's evidence his death was not directly due to the assault, it was hastened by it." When placed in his coffin, "the marks of the terrible beating which covered pretty nearly his entire person were distinctly visible." Morey a memb of the Grand Army, "which instituted the proceedings against Morrison as soon as the facts of the matter became known."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: Ira W. Morrison

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 72

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children: yes

Occupation:

Town: Andover

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Julian A. Morey

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 50

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Andover

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations: Civil War veteran; memb. of G.A.R.

1889, May Portsmouth, ROC

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / prob CAS DRO

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. William P. Coleman

Weapon: drowned

Circumstances:

Inquest: post-mortem examination: body had not been in the water long. Dr. Whittier could find no external marks of violence, supposed a death by acc. drowning. Inquest on F evening: the jury visited the place "for any evidence that might throw light upon what some people are trying to make out to be a very mysterious murder. The hearing was closed and adjourned to Monday evening of this week."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 5/30/1889 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / CAS DRO in NH: ROC: "A coroner's jury (John E. Rider, cor.) is considering the cause of the death of William P. Coleman (42, painter by trade, native of Newington), drowned recently in Portsmouth. It is a matter of doubt whether the drowning was an accident or a murder." // on 5/19, his body seen lying on the flats off tan yard wharf on the Christian shore. Body had not been in the water long. Dr. Whittier could find no external marks of violence, supposed a death by acc. drowning. Remained conveyed to Newington for burial. Inquest F evening & the jury visited the place "for any evidence that might throw light upon what some people are trying to make out to be a very mysterious murder. The hearing was closed and adjourned to Monday evening of this week."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: William P. Coleman

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 42

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: painter

Town: Portsmouth

Birthplace: b. Newington

Religion:

Organizations:

1889, June 11 Plainfield, SUL

P

CT

INQ

Class: certain

Crime: HOM: 2 adults

Rela: RELATIVE MOTHER and MOTHER'S CAREGIVER by SON

Motive: MENTAL ILLNESS

Intox?:

Day of week: T

Holiday?: no

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: Lucian Freeman m. May Freeman & John Morgan

Weapon: axe to neck. d. inst.

Circumstances: at MF's house: the family's farm, .25 mi. north from Kimball Union Academy. "a two story white house with the usual farm buildings belonging to a well regulated medium sized farm."

Inquest: i.d. 6/11/1889, Otis F. R. Waite, j.p. Verdict: murdered by LF.

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 9/1889

Court proceedings: 9/1889t: ncf: declared insane.

Source:

Sul. Co. SCJ, v. 1885-1891: 388-9

Sul. Co. CF, Box 1889-1890: inquest

Newspaper:

NHP, 6/13/1889 (Th): HOM in NH: SUL: double murder near the village of Meriden, early T morning. Lucian Freeman (35), killed his mother & a man named John Morgan, a resident of the same town, with an ax at his mother's home, & disappeared. LF insane & had been cared for by Morgan, who was at Mrs. Freeman's house "for that purpose." [NH ARGUS: JM a neighbor, who had been called last Sunday by Mrs. F & her son Fred to stay a few days "as a matter of safety, on account of not liking the singular conduct of Lucien."] JM found in bed, head nearly decapitated; Mrs. Freeman lying on the floor near the front door. Appears that JM thought LF had been calmed enough for the night that JM went to sleep, where he was killed -- & that Mrs. Freeman, hearing the commotion, tried to escape, but was run down before she got to the front door. LF fled in his night clothes to the house of Mr. Eaton at East Plainfield [where he arrived at 5:30am], 4 mi. away, where he was taken in & put to bed, & a son of Mr. Eaton was sent to Meriden to inform Fred Freeman of his brother's whereabouts. "Much alarmed, Fred hurried to his mother's house and upon looking in at a window discovered her lying dead." Inquest at the town hall in Meriden, T afternoon, Otis F R Waite of Claremont, cor. Jailed in Newport, where he'll be held until his trial, unless he is sent by a prior order to the Concord asylum. [6/27: LF "is making it warm for the officers" at the jail at Newport. "He has knocked the jailor down and makes the night hideous by his yells."]

NH ARGUS, 6/14/1889: the hhld (Mrs. F, LF, & JM) retired to bed b/w 7pm & 8pm. Motive unknown. LF confessed, seemed unconcerned. "I've killed John Morgan, and killed my mother, what will become of me?" "He has always been a sad, even morose appearing person from a child up; seldom engaging in conversation."

Census:

Genealogy:

The family of the late Daniel D. Freeman: Mrs. Freeman (64), her daughter Mary (a graduate of Kimball Union Academy & since a teacher of "wide experience" -- who was summoned after the murder from Westminster, Mass.), her son Lucien, & her son Fred (32, married, lives a short distance away on Meredith Hill, but near enough to be able to work at home most of the time with his brother Lucien).

Accused: Lucian Freeman

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 34

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation: farm laborer on his mother's farm

Town: Plainfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim 1: May Freeman

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 64

Literate:

Marital Status: widow of Daniel D. Freeman

Children:

Occupation: farmer [owned a medium-sized farm]

Town: Plainfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim 2: John Morgan

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children: [his son lives in Bellows Falls, VT]

Occupation:

Town: Plainfield

Birthplace:

Religion:

1889, July Bartlett, CAR

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / poss HOM / prob NAT

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. George C. Lacy

Weapon: Paris green in well. d. 8/2

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

NOTE: supposed natural, because Paris green not very soluble in water, and because no mention is made that GCL's death was unnatural, suspicious, or related in any way to the poisoning of the well

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 7/11 & 8/8/1889 (Th): POSS HOM in NH: CAR: a paper package containing nearly a pound of Paris green found in the well of George G. Lacy of Bartlett, a few days since. // George G. Lacy of Bartlett, in whose well the paris green was found a few weeks ago, d. 8/2.

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: George C. Lacy

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Bartlett

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1889, July 21, 22, 23 Manch., HIL

P

INQ

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / poss CAS INTOX / AGA / prob NAT

Rela: RELATIVE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE

Intox?: yes -- victim, & prob. assailant

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: Walter D. Towns suspected of m. of Margaret Towns

Weapon: beating during 7/21 through 7/23, d. 7/24.

Circumstances:

Inquest: i.d. 7/25/1889, H D Lord, cor. Verdict: "Heart failure . . . induced by chronic alcoholism inanition and entire abandonment of self care . . . hastened by a drunken debauch continuing from July 21st to July 23rd during which she was assaulted and ill treated by her husband."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: none

Source:

Hills. Co. CF: inquest. xeroxed.

Newspaper:

NHP, 8/1/1889 (Th): HOM WIFE in NH: HIL: Walter D. Towns of 40 Canal St., Manch., arrested, for murder of his wife, who d. W night from inj. "received at his hands. He has treated her in the most brutal manner for years, according to all accounts." Mrs. Margaret Kitty Towns.

"Thursday last, Manchester papers announced a brutal murder; that Mrs. Margaret Kitty Towns had been killed by her husband. Now the doctors testify before the coronor's jury that she died of heart disease. Somebody 'slopped over.'"

Testimony: [from inquest]

Physician: "There were numerous bruises on the surface of the body, but her death cannot be attributed to them." A fibrous clot in the heart caused her death. "Fatty degeneration" of liver visible.

Genealogy:

Accused: Walter D. Towns

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Margaret

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Manchester

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Margaret Towns

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to Walter D.

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Manchester

Birthplace:

Religion:

1889, Nov. 28 Boscawen, MER

FILE

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: INSTITUTION PATIENT by PATIENT

Motive: MENTAL ILLNESS

Intox?: no

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day: 7am

Days to death: 0

HOM: Eliza Bennett m. Sarah J. Woods

Weapon: drowned, d. inst.

Circumstances: in a bathroom at the Asylum at the Merrimack Co. almshouse

Inquest: i.d. 11/28/1889: Willis G. Buxton, j.p. Verdict: "at the hands of Eliza Bennett, an insane person, inmate of said asylum; & that the officials at the institution exercised the usual care."

Indictment: bnf for murder, insane

Term: 10/1890

Court proceedings: 10/1890t: bnf -- insane.

Source:

Mer. Co. CF: 10/1890t: #278

Newspaper:

Genealogy:

Accused: Eliza Bennett

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: inmate of asylum at the Co. almshouse

Town: Boscawen

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Sarah J. Woods

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: inmate of asylum at the Co. almshouse

Town: Boscawen

Birthplace:

Religion:

1889, Nov. 28 Greenville, HIL

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: QUARREL after he returned from a raffle

Intox?: yes, assailant

Day of week: Th

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 8am

Days to death: 0

HOM: William W. (aka "Diamond Bill") Hodgman m. Susan J. Hodgman

Weapon: shotgun. gunshot to body. d. inst.

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 3/1890

Court proceedings: pNG fNG

Source:

Hills. Co. CF: 4/1890t, #108

Newspaper:

BFP 4/9/1890: on trial.

BFP 4/10/1890 (Th): defense: will try to prove the killing was accidental. // BFP 4/11/1890: WH's testimony: said "he never abused, kicked nor choked the deceaed" as wit. for the state alleged. "When his wife was shot he was about to leave home to go hunting. His wife endeavored to prevent him as did her brother. In the scuffle the gun went off, accidentally killing his wife. Hodgman told his story in a straightforward manner and it was evidenced to all that the jury were favorable influenced by it."

NHP 4/17/1890: "Hodgman who got drunk and killed his ife was found not guilty of any crime and went scot free. Manchester people are generally disgusted with the verdict."

NHP, 12/5/1889 (Th): HOM WIFE in NH: HIL: Wm H Hodgeman (farmer, living in south part of Greenville), aka "Diamond Bill" of Greenville, shot his wife, Th morning, 8am, during a quarrel. "He attended a raffle last night, and upon his return had an altercation with his wife whereupon he took a loaded shot gun from the wall, chased her from room to room, and finally shot her inflicting fatal wounds." Arrested later in the day, arraigned for murder on F afternoon. Jailed to await grand jury action in March.

Genealogy:

Accused: William W. Hodgman

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Susan J.

Children:

Occupation: farmer

Town: Greenville

Birthplace:

Religion:

Victim: Susan J. Hodgman

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. William W.

Children:

Occupation: farm wife

Town: Greenville

Birthplace:

Religion:

1889, Dec. 7 Franklin, MER

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: NONDOM NEIGHBOR by NEIGHBOR

Motive: FEUD zoning dispute

Intox?: MGC: intemperate, drunk at the time of the crime

Day of week: Sat

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 7pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Madison G. Colby m. Martha Fortier

Weapon: revolver shot to breast. d. inst.

Circumstances: victim and her husband had persuaded the Board of Health to shut down the slaughter house in MGC’s yard, which was next door. MGC wanted revenge.

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 4/1890

Court proceedings: 10/1890t: pG to M-2. 30 yrs. Pardoned 12/1906.

Source:

Mer. Co. CF: 10/1890t: #236

NHStPriReg: #2482

Newspaper:

NHP, 12/12/1889 (Th): HOM in NH: MER: Sat night, "an ugly temper and rum-inflamed passion" the explanation. House situated on east side of the Main St., well up to the north end of the village of Franklin. The north tenement occupied by J. W. Fortier, a hat & cap manufacturer, who family consisted of his wife, Martha (61), 2 daughters (Georgiana & Emily), & a little grandson (the child of a deceased daughter). The other tenement is rented. The house next south is owned & occupied by Madison G. Colby (39), a butcher by trade. The Fortier tenement is entered from the long piazza by 2 doors. The first is on the side & leads into the parlor, & the 2nd but a few feet away opens into a sitting room in the L (where the murder occurred).

Test. of Georgianna, the last to see her mother alive: Early Sat. evening, she & her sister, Emily, went down town to do some shopping, leaving the child at home with her mother. 7pm, Georgianna returned to the house. When she entered the room her mother was sitting by the fire knitting, & her father had retired. A few moments elapsed when she heard the noise of someone approaching on the piazza. She turned to the door & "confronted" C, who had entered without knocking. Stepping up to the girl, he "roughly grasped her by the shoulder, and angrily inquired

'Where is your father?'

'He has gone to bed,' she replied.

'Go and call him.' . . .

'Why, what do you want of him?' . . .

'I have come to cut his guts out . . . and if you don't call him I will kill you.'"

C then raised a revolver, cocked it, & pointed it at her breast. "Simultaneously with her movement to jump away from him, and her exclamation, 'I will go,' the mother rose from her chair, and approaching Colby said, 'Why, Maddie, what is it? What do you mean? Sit down and let us talk it over.'

'I will kill you,' Answered Colby, 'if you don't call Fortier.'

'I have never harmed you,' Georgiana heard her mother say, as she was hurrying from the room and turning she saw that Colby had grasped her about the waist with one hand and with the other was pointing the pistol to her breast. Continuing her flight she had scarcely reached the outer door when she heard the report of a pistol, which was followed by an exclamation from her mother of 'My God, I am shot.'"

Georgianna fled across the street to tell two neighbors her mother had been murdered. While returning to the house saw C "walk deliberately out of the house." Found her mother dead on the floor, her father, grief-stricken, over her. In 5 or 10 minutes, Mr. French & his brother, & Mr. Jewell entered the room. C returned 'and rushing in said he had come to 'finish the father and clean them all out.' He pointed his pistol at Mr. Fortier, but anticipating this movement Georgiana sprang in front of her father, and pushed him into the parlor and shut the door, which they both held against the frenzied efforts of Colby to burst it open. The three neighbors sprung upon the murderer, and prevented him from discharging the pistol, which he finally surrendered to Dr. E. G. Drake, who arrived shortly after." C secured & placed in lockup at Franklin Falls.

Mrs. Clifford, housekeeper for C, said that he came into the house after the shooting "much excited" -- she tried to persuade him to remain in the house, but he said "Keep away, keep away; I am going out again."

The trouble (Georgianna's version): began last spring. C had a slaughter house attached to the rear of his house where he was accustomed to kill animals for himself & other butchers. He was in the habit of beginning his work as early as 4am. "Both herself and her mother, the latter being in feeble health, were affected with nervous debility and suffered terribly from the noise made by the animals when killed. She went to Colby, she said, and remonstrated with him, and then asked the selectmen to abate the nuisance. Failing to get any relief, she wrote to Dr. I. A. Watson, secretary of the board of health" in Concord. IAW "paid an official visit to the place, the result of which was that the slaughter business was stopped."

Others said that C had "brooded over his trouble with the Fortier people all summer" & that there had also been a difficulty between them about a fence between the two houses, which C claimed F had "sat over on his land ten inches or a foot. He had frequently said that he would be even with them." C for the past 4 or 5 yrs has been "periodically a hard drinking man." After a good night of sleep in his cell, when asked by Officer Noyes on Sunday morning why he had killed the woman, C said "I don't know. . . . She is a nice woman. I never had anything against her; it's too bad, it's too bad.'" C removed from the lockup & placed in a room in YOung's Hotel in charge of a police officer. Hand cuffed. Told the reporter who visited him there that he had nothing to say. 5'8", very thin. "His face is stolid and dogged in expression." 44-cal. bullet from English bulldog pistol, powder burned a hole through all her clothing to the fllesh, pierced the heart. Arraigned in police court in Franklin M morning & jailed in Concord M afternoon, without bail.

NHP 4/10/1890: ind. Trial set to go forward.

NHP 5/1/1890: pG to M-2. sentenced to 30 yrs. Drunk at the time of the offense, & the NH Atty. Gen. admitted that several physicians believed MC was insane at times. But once the plea of M-2 was offered, it was accepted to spare the state the expense of a trial.

Genealogy:

Accused: Madison G. Colby

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 67.5" 123 lbs.

Age: 39

Literate: yes

Marital Status: s

Children: n

Occupation: butcher

Town: Franklin

Birthplace: b. Franklin

Religion: Prot.

Victim: Martha Fortier

Ethnicity: [French]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: 61

Literate:

Marital Status: m. to J. W.

Children: yes

Occupation: housewife; her husband a hat and cap manufacturer

Town: Franklin

Birthplace:

Religion:

1889, Dec. 15 Hopkinton, MER

P

Class: certain / modern mansl / a suicide that caused a homicide

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / SUI KNIFE & ARSON (for AP) / because MEB died in a arson fire in which there was no intention to do him harm, uncertain whether to count as HOM MODERN MANSL of MED or as CAS B / no lethal intent

Rela: NONDOM NEIGHBOR by NEIGHBOR

Motive: SUICIDE / unintentional consequence of arson of victim's barn

Intox?: prob. AP

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?: no

Time of day: night

Days to death: 0

HOM: Alphonso Page m. Moses E. Dodge

Weapon: with an axe & burned his house

Circumstances:

Inquest: the investigation proved it was simply an accidental fire & that no murder had occurred.

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 12/19/1889 (Th): SUI / ARSON & MANSL / CAS B in NH: MER: Hopkinton. [at first suspected that a next door neighbor, Alphonso Page, had murdered Moses E. Dodge (65) with an axe & burned his house -- but the investigation proved it was simply an accidental fire & that no murder had occurred.

at Stumpfield, 2 mi. from West Hopkinton & nw of Hopkinton Village. MED: has a wife & one son, Dr. Dodge of Webster (who is prominent & highly esteemed). The farm is 400' away from the house (with its attached shed & hog house). Mrs. Annie Richards, who is visiting in the family, awakened by the light shining in through her window, & discovered the barn was on fire. She alarmed MED, who alarmed Wm Henry Searles (17, a laborer on the farm). Rushed to the barn -- MED told WHS to get the horses out of the barn & that he would get the cattle. The horses were quickly released, but MED was never seen again as he entered the smoking barn. The remains of Alphonso Page also found in the barn.

Page came to MED's house 8pm Sunday evening & stayed till 10pm. "During his visit he behaved well and exhibited no signs of having been drinking, though he had occasional sprees that lasted two or three days. He was given some ginger or some ginger tea for some complaint that he mentioned and during the evening, when his attention was called to a light in the window of his home, he said: 'That's not my house; my house is in another direction, and that light is moving--coming towards us.'" MED asked WHS to escort AP home, & he did. AP's wife said that he had not drunk since Th, when he took some cider, but that he "had a sort of spell come over him when dark came on, Sunday night." Acted queerly when he returned from MED's, & she could not convince him to retire until late, when he lay on the bed, fully clothed.

AP later went out, inflicted a wound on himself with a knife, & walked all the way to the barn, bleeding, where he evidently set the barn on fire & burned. [[an arson - suicide that caused a mansl. death]]

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: Alphonso Page

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation: [farmer]

Town: Hopkinton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Moses E. Dodge

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 65

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children: one son

Occupation: farmer; farm owner

Town: Hopkinton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1890, Jan. Dover, STR

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM MANSL

Rela: SPOUSE WIFE by HUSBAND

Motive: ABUSE

Intox?: unknown

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: [7]

HOM: John Howard m. Martha J. Howard (his wife)

Weapon: beating received in a fight, recently, at the county farm. She d. at the county farm in Dover on Sat., 1/18.

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment: bnf for assault

Term: 2/1890

Court proceedings: 2/1890t: charged with assault on his wife. bnf by grand jury. insuff. evidence to hold him. Disch.

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 1/23 & 2/20/1890

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: John Howard

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Martha

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Barrington

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Martha Howard

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. John

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Barrington

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1890, Feb. 5 Manchester, HIL

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: ___ m. Alfred Petvin

Weapon:

Circumstances: d. under "suspicious circumstances" last W. "He was carried away to Canada at once."

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP 2/13/1890

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Alfred Petvin

Ethnicity: [French]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Manchester

Birthplace: [Canada]

Religion:

Organizations:

1890, Feb. 5 Rochester, STR

P (or York, Maine?]

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: RELATIVE BROTHER by BROTHER

Motive: INHERITANCE

Intox?: IBS: temperate

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 0

HOM: Isaac B. Sawtelle m. Hiram F. Sawtelle

Weapon: pistol shot to heart. d. inst. [unknown if a pistol or a revolver]

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 2/1891

Court proceedings: 2/1891t: ind. for murder. fG. DEATH. to be hanged, 1/5/1892. died 12/26/1891.

Source:

Str. Co. CF: testimony, great file.

Published tract & trial transcript.

NHStPriReg: #2512

Tract:

The History of the Murder of Hiram Sawtell by His Brother Isaac Sawtell (Laconia, NH: John J. Lane, n.d.)

Woodcuts of the brothers on the front cover.

NOT A TRUE NH HOMICIDE: both from Boston, MA. 4pm, 2/5/1890, Hiram F. Sawtell stepped fr. Boston train at depot in Rochester, NH. Met & welcomed by his brother, Isaac. IS had telegraphed Hiram that his little daughter, Marion, who had left Boston a few days previous, was seriously ill. She wasn't, however. I wanted to possess a certain property held in Boston by H. If he did not succeed, he meant to kill H. He wasn't, so he killed H, cut the head fr. his body, & buried the portions in two different places in Maine. I arrested in Portland, ME the following Thursday & taken to Rochester for hearing. Nude body found buried in shallow grave in woods in Berwick, ME. (1)

Telegraphs as evidence: (2)

H & Jeanette Sawtell, 1275 Washington St., Boston

Mrs. Hannah P. Sawtell, 236 Dudley St., Boston

Testimony of Marion: said her uncle had given her medicine which made her sick. (2)

IS just got out of the Charlestown State Prison, where he had been a convict. Mrs. Sawtell, the mother of the brothers, owned property on Dudley St. (worth $8000-10000) & on Heath St. ($3000-4000). IS took his mother away for 3 days, & when he returned he had the deeds to the property. HS upset; tried to stop IS while IS sold the Heath St. property & rented the Dudley St. property. Had to get HS out of the way, but could not do it in Boston w/o being exposed.

fG of M1. Death. 12/1890 term.

IS confessed after the trial, on 12/1/1891, to his lawyers. Had led HS to a woodmen's hut in East Lebanon, where he had shot HS through the head & buried the head. [Head recovered by authorities.] Part of scheme to escape gallows by claiming the murder was not committed in NH.

"When the band of searchers found the head, it was in a most horrible condition.

Portions of flesh still adhered to the skull, and the scalp and the whiskers of Hiram were left in the grave, as were also his brains, which oozed from the bullet wound in the skull.

When the towns-people arrived there, the portions of the head were exposed on the mound of earth made by the excavation, and a portion of the clothing wrapped around the head was brought to view. Horrible as were the surroundings, the crowds of curiosity seekers soon secured these ghastly mementos. Portions of the hair were passed around, and found consignment in numerous pockets, and were attached to watch chains. The remains of the shirt were cut up in small pieces, and passed around to satisfy the morbid crowd."

IS died in prison of a stroke, 12/26/1891.

MANY DETAILS OF THE TESTIMONY OF HOW THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED. Begin p. 8, if of interest. Prob. not, however. A "Boston" crime.

Newspaper:

DOVER ENQUIRER: complete testimony, 9/5/1890ff, if needed.

NHP 2/20/1890ff: articles on the murder.

NHP 1/1/1891: fG of M-1. Jury at first voted 11-1, because one juror believed the murder had been committed in Maine, but that juror changed his mind. Lengthy description of the scene & of IS's reaction to it.

NHP 12/3/1891: 8:1 article.

NHP 12/31/1891: 7:4-5. On Sawtelle's death in prison.

Genealogy:

Accused: Isaac B. Sawtelle

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 67" 142 lbs.

Age: 54

Literate: yes

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Boston, Mass.

Birthplace: b. Mass.

Religion: Prot.

Victim: Hiram F. Sawtelle

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1890, March 4 Hampton, ROC

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: MARITAL RIVAL by HUSBAND

Motive: JEALOUSY / UNDUE ATTENTION

Intox?: AJD: intemperate; yes, prob. both

Day of week: T

Holiday?: no

Time of day:

Days to death: 8

HOM: Andrew J. ["Jack"] Davis m. John Cavanaugh

Weapon: revolver shot to head. d. 3/12.

Circumstances: at the resident of AD, on the cross road between the Hampton & Hampton Falls roads.

Inquest: i.d., 3/12/1890, John E. Rider, Esq., cor. Verdict: "did make an assault." Mansl.

Indictment: yes, murder [NHP says mansl]

Term: 4/1890

Court proceedings: pNG. fG of M-1. 20 yrs. died 8/1902

Source:

Roc. Co. CF: D: 5277

NHStPriReg: #2489

Newspaper:

ExNL 3/7/1890: "drunken affray." "Davis acknowledged that he inflicted the wound, but claimed that he did it in defence of his wife." AD arrested & jailed in Exeter; Mrs. D & George Rich summoned as witnesses. // 3/14/1890: just a notice of the death, of the transfer of AD to the Ports. jail, & that the inq. will be held in Ports.

PORTS CHRON 3/7/1890: Jack Davis of Hampton arrested & jailed in Exeter for shooting John Cavanaugh in the left side "during a drunken row." JC unconscious, paralyzed on right side. // 3/10: Davis formerly lived in Ports, at one time in vicinity of Puddle Dock, later on Brewster St, & later in a house on Middle St. Alleged to be "a hard citizen when drunk, and to keep drunk whenever he can get anyting to keep drunk on." JC's reputation "is about the same." Shot in the left eye on T & had no medical attention until Thurs. "Davis' jealousy of his wife" the motive. // 3/13: inquest. // 3/14: autopsy. Bullet penetrated brain. "remarkable" that he lived as long as he did after the shooting. // 3/15: The examination "was uninteresting and like all other drunken scrapes and imbroglios, was full of detail which show the character of the prisoner, and the inebriated condition of the actors in the affair. It seems that J. A. Thomas, Cavanaugh and George Rich hired a team of Mr. Towle, who keeps a livery stable at Hampton, to go to Exeter. On their return they met Jack Davis, who they gave a ride to his house, when Davis invited them in, Mrs. Davis and a daughter being in one of the rooms when they entered. They whole party drank several times from a jug of rum, which they had procured at Exeter and taken into the house. Matters began to get somewhat mixed, and a general free fight was pending when Davis shot Cavanaugh." T & R arrested as witnesses.

BFP 3/7/1890 (F): mentioned. Says that AJD shot Matt Cavanaugh in the eyes, because he "resented Cavanaugh's attention to his daughter."

NHP 3/20/1890: mentioned -- brief story.

NHP 4/17/1890: ind. for mansl. [sic?]

Genealogy:

Accused: Andrew J. Davis

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: m 68.5" 157 lbs.

Age: 54

Literate: yes

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Exeter

Birthplace: b. Exeter

Religion: Cath.

Victim: John Cavenaugh

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1890, May 19 Wentworth, GRA

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: HHLD the son of the landlord & landlady [LANDLORD] by BOARDER

Motive: QUARREL / EVICTED

Intox?: WHS: intemperate; yes, assailant

Day of week: M

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 7pm

Days to death: 0

HOM: Walter H. Shaw m. Joseph M. [aka Mell J.] Emery

Weapon: beat, kicked to right side of head. d. immediately, in less than 10 minutes.

Circumstances: at the stable of J. A[lvah]. Whitcher, where the victim worked.

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, M-2

Term: 11/1890

Court proceedings: in default of bond, jailed till trial. pNOLO. 15 yrs. Pardoned, 11/1895 [due to ill health; d. within a year of his release]

Source:

Gra. Co. CF: 11/1890t

NHStPriReg: #2508

Newspaper: [bracketed remarks from the town history]

REPUBLIC-JOURNAL, 5/23/1890: WHS [& several of his fellow RR workers was] a boarder at the home of JME's family, while WHS was at work on the improvements being made at the RR station [Concord & Montreal RR was providing a better water supply for its engines, among other improvements -- a crew from out of town was doing the work]. [The morning of 5/26 was "dark and rainy, too wet for outdoor work" & the workmen for the RR were "idle."] During the day, WS "had been somewhat intoxicated and, being quarrelsome [when he arrived at home late in the afternoon], was ejected from the Emery home. ["with more or less force" by Mr. Emery] ["He left in a drunken rage" for the village.]

About 6 o'clock he visited the office of Lawyer Flanders, desiring to have Emery arrested for so doing. Not succeeding in this he threatened to attack the boy, but finally promised, when he left Mr. Flanders, that he would not harm him. He however went directly to the stable of J. A. Whitcher, where he found Mell [doing his errands for his employer], and without any warning knocked him down and then kicked him in the head until the blood poured from his mouth and nose." WS tried to escape, but was overtaken. [Dr. Durkee powerless to save him; d. soon after the assault.] "The mother of the murdered boy is insane from grief." MJE survived by his father, mother, & 2 younger brothers. Funeral at his parents' home, "largely attended by sympathizing friends." "Mell was sent to do an errand forhis parents at the store and on his way stopped at the stable where he met his sad fate. Many people from adjoining towns have visited the scene of the murder." ["Much sympathy was always felt in town for the Emery family because of this senseless and unprovoked crime, committed by a drunken ruffian, during a moment of temporary frenzy."]

NHP, 5/22/1890 (Th): ditto

NHP 5/29/1890 (Th): examination. "After considerable hard talk and thretening on the part of Shaw, James H. Emery struck Shaw and kicked him out of the house. . . . the young man who was murdered was mixed up in the affray at his father's house, and rushed between Shaw and Mr. Emery, fearing violence might be done the latter. After leaving the Emery house Shaw consulted a lawyer, and tried to induce him to have Mr. Emery and his son arrested. In view of Shaw's condition the lawyer told him to wait until morning and then he would take up his case.

The lawyer somewhat pacified Shaw and thought that there would be no further trouble." But "just after leaving the lawyer's office Shaw observed young Emery standing near the hotel stable, across the street. Shaw went up to Emery, with one blow felled him to the ground, and then kicked him several times. It was nearly a minute before Shaw left his victim and ran up the street. Emery did not speak after assistance reached him." Large crowd at the arraignment. Bound over to next co. court.

Shaw said "that his only intention was to give Emery a good thrashing, and that he had no desire or intention to inflict upon him any serious injury."

Genealogy:

WHS: Mrs. Hiram Shaw, Franklin (mother). Grandson of the late Benjamin Shaw of Franklin.

Joseph M. Emery (son of James M. Emery).

George F. Plummer, History of the Town of Wentworth, New Hampshire (Concord: Rumford Press, 1930), 337-9.

Accused: Walter H. Shaw

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m 64.75" 142 lbs.

Age: 25

Literate: yes

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation: stone mason by trade; employed at Smith Brothers of Plymouth, contractors who are at present engaged in making the improvements at the RR station

Town: Wentworth [R-J & NHP say of Franklin: was at work in Wentworth & boarding with the victim's family, but had always lived in Franklin]

Birthplace: b. NH

Religion: Prot.

Victim: Joseph M. Emery

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 22 "one of our village boys" small, short, delicate in health, not able bodied. Fond of horses, a good drive

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children: no

Occupation: employed at livery stable of Alvah Whitcher, as an assistant

Town: Wentworth; lived with his parents in the outskirts of the village on the road to Ellsworth Hill

Birthplace:

Religion:

1890, May East Barnstead, BEL

P

Class: uncertain

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / poss HOM / poss SUI

Rela: UNK

Motive: UNK

Intox?: unknown

Day of week: Sun

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death: 2

HOM: unk. person m. unk. woman

Weapon: shot through head by revolver

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 5/29/1890 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / poss. SUI or HOM in NH: BEL: report from East Barnstead that "a man . . . who runs a saw mill on the Bunker farm, let his wife to housework for a man named Fletcher. Sunday she was found on the floor shot through the head, with a revolver belonging to Fletcher lying beside her. She was found by Fletcher and the mill hands. She died a day or two later. It is not known whether she committed suicide or was shot by some other person. The affair will be investigated. The woman had her housework all done as though about to go home."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: ___

Ethnicity: unknown

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation: [farm wife]; house servant

Town: East Barnstead

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1890, July 11 [West] Wilton, HIL

P

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: RELATIVE FATHER by SON

Motive: MENTAL ILLNESS

Intox?:

Day of week: F

Holiday?: no

Time of day: 3:30am

Days to death: 0

HOM: Edwin E. Holt m. Warren Holt // & aik on his mother, Mary W. Holt; on Mrs. Elizabeth Bohannon (his aunt, his mother's sister); & on Mr. Sawtelle (a neighbor who came to the family's aid)

Weapon: beating, kicking, etc.

Circumstances: at home of WH. In a large bedroom on the ground floor.

Inquest: James H. Hunt of Nashua, cor. No inquest will be held.

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: two physicians in East Wilton directed EH's commitment to the asylum in Concord. Paid for by the family, who are to be reimbursed by the town.

Source:

Newspaper:

WHICH YEAR? A newspaper clipping: dtl Nashua, NH, 7/11: special dispatch to the BOSTON JOURNAL: WH's farm [a small farmhouse] has "old fashioned" buildings, "but everything about them indicated that he had enough and to spare of this world's good." On Sunday last, EH, "a man of rather sullen disposition, called his mother to one side, and told her he was not right in his mind. He said he was sure he was becoming insane; that he was afraid he should harm somebody or make way with himself, and therefore he urged her to take the necessary steps to have him taken care of. His mother laughed at him, told him he was only low spirited, and that his presentiments would soon pass. During the next three or four days she notice that what he had said was true.

He grew nervous and irritable and imagined he was pursued by devils. Thursday night he said he could not sleep away from the family, and therefore his mother made a bed for him upon the chamber floor in the room where she and his father slept. He did not undress himself and was restless and wandering about the chamber a good share of the time." B/w 3am & 4am, "he aroused his mother and attacked her fiercely [VW -- "crushing in her face with brutal blows"]. His aunt [his mother's sister] came to the rescue, and he then struck, kicked, and misused both of them in a frightful manner." Mrs. H fled to the attic, Mrs. B to the house of Mr. Sawtelle, the nearest neighbor. Mr. S hurried to the scene, but was too late to save WH. "Edwin had taken his invalid father from the bed and thrown him violently upon the brick hearth in the room, where he had churned his head up and down and kicked it terribly with his heavy boots. He then called to his mother, and when she responded he said: 'You are not my mother.'" Just then Mr. Sawtelle arrived, & EH threw him around "furiously." S too old to defend himself, but escaped & held the door until Henry Tuttle & Mr. Bussell arrived. "At this moment the madman broke through the panels of the door, and seizing a panel in each hand rushed upon them. He struck right and left, and although they made a great effort they were unable to subdue him." Soon Henry Sargent and Henry Whitcomb arrived, & all present together finally subdued EH. "strongly bound."

Taken to East Wilton. Two physicians found him insane & had him committed to the asylum in Concord. Hereditary: "Edwin inherited the morose disposition which developed into insanity." "The victim of the tragedy had shown symptoms of an unbalanced mind many times."

VW 7/16/1890: ditto, short article.

NHP 7/17/1890 (Th): long article. Last Sunday, EH had called his mother aside & told her "he felt strangely, and thought something should be done with him before he harmed members of the family." "An inquest was deemed unnecessary." Drs. Hatch & Trevitt pronounced EH "insane."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: Edwin E. Holt

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 40

Literate:

Marital Status: s

Children:

Occupation: farm laborer on his father's farm; the village milkman ("owned" the mill route in East Wilton)

Town: Wilton (lives with his parents on their farm in West Wilton)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Warren Holt

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 70

Literate:

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation: invalid; farmer, well-to-do

Town: Wilton (lives on his farm in West Wilton)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Mrs. Warren Holt

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status: m. Warren

Children:

Occupation: wife of a farmer, well-to-do

Town: Wilton (lives on his farm in West Wilton)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Mrs. Elizabeth Bohannon

Ethnicity: [Irish]

Race: w

Gender: f

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children: [sister of Mrs. Warren Holt]

Occupation:

Town: Wilton (lives on her sister's farm in West Wilton)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Mr. Sawtelle

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: 60

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: West Wilton (nearest neighbor of WH)

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1890, July Hampton, ROC

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / inquest pending

Rela:

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: unk. person m. Simeon B. Towle

Weapon: poison suspected. d. 7/28

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings:

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP 8/7/1890 (Th): SBT, "a wealthy citizen" of Hampton, "is alleged to have been poisoned, and an investigation is being held."

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___

Ethnicity:

Race:

Gender:

Age:

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: Simeon B. Towle

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation: wealthy

Town: Hampton

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

1890, Aug. 27 Somersworth, STR

P

CT

Class: certain

Crime: HOM

Rela: TAVERN CUSTOMER by PROPRIETOR

Motive: QUARREL / drunken customer shot by tavern owner

Intox?: CC: intemperate

Day of week: Th

Holiday?: no

Time of day: night

Days to death: 1

HOM: Charles Cross m. Frank H. Liberty

Weapon: revolver. d. 8/28

Circumstances: boast: victim said he was “the bully of the town” and would “lick” CC.

Inquest:

Indictment: yes, murder

Term: 2/1891

Court proceedings: pG to mansl-2. 15 yrs. & c. Pardoned, 12/1899

Source:

Str. Co. SCJ, 5: 439

NHStPriReg: #2513

Newspaper:

ROCHESTER COURIER: 8 & 9/1890: nothing

DOVER ENQUIRER 9/5/1890: hearing TESTIMONY [article starts with the 2nd day of the hearing]

Thomas M. Burke, who tended bar for C: saw L outside saloon 9pm, talking on the sidewalk. L came in & said he owed wit. $0.85. Wit. told L he owed him nothing. "He said he owed it for breaking a chimney. He made threats against Charley and he said he was the bully of the town and that he could lick him and he would." Man named Jacques was with L & wit. asked J to get L out, "and he said he was doing all he could to do so. They then went up stairs." C ordered L out before he went up stairs. L went to the door & said "I'll break up the d--d ranchy and have gang enough to do it." L came back again & ordered drinks, & wit. would not sell him any. "Then he wanted to go upstairs and have some music. I refused and he said he would have some in spite of h__l and went upstairs with two Italians."

Wit. next saw L on stairs. Heard C say "If you don't go I'll put you out." Wit. said "Don't hit him Charley." They had some words & L struck C & said "By God I'll put him out now any way." The revolver was behind the bar. C grabbed it, "they squabbled in the middle of the room and back to the partition." C fired first at the floor. Wit. doesn't know how many shots fired or what calibre the pistol.

William Callaghan (line man, now stopping in Dover): L was sitting in a chair in the parlor when C "slapped his face twice first."

Miss Clavine Liberty (sister of L): on condition of her brother when he was brought home to die.

C jailed without bond. Wit. bound $50 apiece to appear. "From talk made outside to the REPUBLICAN reporter, Cross seems to have been a tough nut, and it is said that another man is carrying a bullet in his hip;, done by Cross about 5 weeks ago but the matter was klept pretty quiet."

NHP, 9/4/1890 (Th): L entered the ouse for liquor, & according to C, "became very disorderly as he became intoxicated. After much trouble with him" C drew a revolver & fired 5 shots. One hit L in stomach. d. soon after at his home. C "known as a disreputable character."

NHP 2/5/1891: trial to begin 2/3.

NHP 3/12/1891: pG to mansl. His lawyer Courtney, "in view of mitigating circumstances asked for a light sentence." Judge Carpenter gave him 15 yrs.

Genealogy:

Accused: Charles Cross

Ethnicity: French

Race: w

Gender: m 66" 167 lbs.

Age: 37

Literate: yes

Marital Status: m

Children:

Occupation: proprietor of a saloon named the Empire House

Town: Somersworth (Great Falls)

Birthplace: b. France

Religion: Cath.

Victim: Frank H. Liberty

Ethnicity: [nb English]

Race: [w]

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town:

Birthplace:

Religion:

1890, [Sept.] Nashua, HIL

P

Class: do not count

Crime: SUSPICIOUS / MISSING

Rela: NONDOM

Motive:

Intox?:

Day of week:

Holiday?:

Time of day:

Days to death:

HOM: ___ Davis m. ___ Marshall

Weapon:

Circumstances:

Inquest:

Indictment:

Term:

Court proceedings: arrested; refuses to speak to authorities

Source:

Newspaper:

NHP, 10/9/1890 (Th): SUSPICIOUS / poss. HOM in NH: HIL: "The Davis and Marshal mystery at Nashua remains unexplained. Blood stains found on young Davis handkerchief are regarded as suspicious. He is still under arrest, but no trace of Marshall has been found." // 2nd article: D refuses to speak to authorities.

Census:

Genealogy:

Accused: ___ David

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult "young" man

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Nashua

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

Victim: ___ Marshall

Ethnicity:

Race: w

Gender: m

Age: adult

Literate:

Marital Status:

Children:

Occupation:

Town: Nashua

Birthplace:

Religion:

Organizations:

-----------------------

Suspect(s

................
................