Thomas's Massachusetts spy, or, Worcester gazette. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1811-1821, 1821-04-25
Fromthe New-Hampshire Patriot
HORRIBLE TRANSACTION !.

On the evening of the 4th inst. the
house of poor widow, in Goffstown, by
the name of Aver, was entered by a
rutfian, and an attempt made to murder
the family, at that time consisting of the
widow and her daughter, aged about 13.
The circumstances, as collected from
the sufferers, and the appearance of the
house, are somewhat as follows =
Daniel d. Farmer came into the house
that evening with some biscuit and bot
tie of rum, with which he was very
free-urging the widow to drink several
times, with which request she sometimes
complied. He then told her that he
was going to kill her, and Immediately
knocked her down with club upon
which the child began screaming for as
sistance. The ruffian then quit the
mother-knocked down the child-drag-
ged her out of doors-took up stone
weighing about six pounds, and pounded
her head until he supposed her dead
He then dragged her into the house,
leaving the blood as he drew her along
in considerable quantity, and threw her
under the bed. He then returned to
the mother, to finish her; took the tongs
and broke them over her'head: this not
dispatching her, he took the fire-shovel
and beat in her skull in several places,
one of which is open about inches
long, and near half an inch wide, leaV-
ing the brain visible for the same space
This was not sufficient but, in order to
conceal the horrid deed, he took roll
of cotton cloth which happened to be in
the way, tore it in pieces, set it on fire,
and strewed it about the house then
scattered the fire round the room, throw
ing such quantity upon the child as to
burn her legs and thighs to,a blister.-
The child is supposed to have been in
state of insensibility at the time, as she
does not know how she came to be so
burned. After doing all this, he left the
house, probably supposing it would burn
up and consume the bodies of its occu-,
pants but, strange to relate, the child,
notwithstanding her violent treatment,
recovered her senses, crawled from un-
der the bed and found the house on fire
in several places. She looked for the
WATERFALL, but this was not to be found,
the villain having taken the precaution
to throw it out of the door. She then
thought of apot of beer, with which
she extinguished the fire. She after
wards managed to get her mother upon
the bed, and got on by her side, where
they remained till morning when the
child had sufficient strength to get up
and go quarter of mile, to the near
est neighbours, and give information of
the horrid deed. The neighbours were
alarmed, proceeded to'the house, and
found the woman alive, but in an insen-
sible state.
A physician was Immediately called,
her wounds dressed, and she so far re-
covered as to relate who the person was
that committed the act. The child, not
withstanding she performed all the above
mentioned services, is at this time una
BILE to turn herself in bed without assist
ance. The woman's head is literally
cut into checkers with the blade Of the
shovel, which was very bloody, and hairs
were found upon it corresponding with
the woinan's hair; and the stone, with
which the child was beat, was known by