The Litchfield County post., 1826-08-08


 and wife had come to the determination of killing themselves by stabbing, and throw themselves on the mercy of their God.
 About this time the jailer, who was in frequently that morning, again entered, and sat down beside the bed. Mrs. Beauchamp extended her hand towards him as if desi- rous to shake hands. He gave her his, and she said, !" my dear friend, you have been kind to me-" gave him close grasp, shook his hand strongly several times, and then turned over. This she did in manner which indicated to the jailer, that she did not wish her husband to perceive what he now supposed was intended as last fare- we'll to him.
 The jailer went out, and no person was left with them but MT. Burlington, the guard. The dungeon was almost dark. The little light of day which usually pene- trated into it, was shut out by kethung against the gate. A feeble candle gave the only light which shone in this fearful abode. The only entrance was through trap door above, in which stood ladder. Mrs. Beauchamp commenced talking with the guard on the subject of suicide. She ask ed him whether she thought any person would be forgiven for the commission of that crime. He told her he thought not | that it was one of those crimes which did not leave time for repentance, and could not be forgiven. He begged her to dismiss all such thoughts, and told her she had long enough been grief to her mother without bringing down her grey hairs with sorrow l to the grave. a
 Beauchamp and his wife frequently con- | versed together in awhisper. At length, she requested MT Burlington to step out for minute, alledging that she wished to get up. He ascended the ladder, and shut the trap-door partly down, where he could see what was going on below. There was no movement, and he was in the act of return ing, when Mrs. Beauchamp said, Don't come yet.' o yes, come down. said Beauchamp. He then said, his wife was too weak to get up, and expressed wish that she should leave the jail, and the guard urged the same thing. She said, she would not leave her husband until he was taken out for execution.-She again spoke of sui- l eide, and declared that she would not sur- vive her husband. About half past eleven, the guard observed them whispering togeth- CT for sometime. At length, Beauchamp said aloud, "My dear, you are not strong enough to get up." "Yes am" said she, throwing her arms up, "see how strong I am." She requested her husband to give her more of the toddy; he told her she would drink too much, but she said she would not. He then gave it to her, and she drank. She then requested the guard to step out immc- diately, pretending great urgency. Heagain went up the ladder, turning the trap-door partly down, and was stepping around inc to a position where ho could observe them, when he heard a deep sigh, and Beauchamp called him. He went down, and found Beauchamp laying on his back, apparently in great alarm, and in loud and earnest prayer. Mrs. Beauchamp was laying part ly on her left side, with her head on her husbands breast, and her right arm thrown over him. The guard supposed, that in att tempting to rise, she had from weakness, fallen on him. Not suspecting that any thing very serious had happened, he sat down, resting his head on the table, until Beauchamp had finished his prayer. The miserable man continued for some time e. jaculating, o thou God of justice have mercy upon US; O thou God of justice have mercy upon us,' and the guard thinks that two or three times, he cried, /" o thou God of mercy, have mercy upon us." As soon as he had closed his prayer, he secm- ed to be entirely composed, and observed to the guard, tell my father, that my wife and myself are going straight to heaven we are dying" The guard replied, |. no, I reckon not" Beauchamp said, "yes it is so--we have killed ourselves" ;" The guard sprang up. suspecting that they had again taken poison, but as he stepped around the bed saw something in Mrs. Beauchamp's right hand. He raised her arm, and found it to be knife. 1t was common case knife sharpened at the point, and bloody about half way up. He asked where they got that knife. Both answered that they had long kept it concealed for that occasion. On discovering the bloody knife, the guard looked upon the bed and discovered that Mrs. Beauchamp had stab little to the right of the centre of the abdomen, which had been laid bare for that purpose. She did not sigh, nor groan, nor show any symptom of pain. He asked Beauchamp whether he was stabbed too. He replied yes, and raised up his shirt, which had been drawn out of his drawers and rolled up on his body to leave it bare, but had fallen back over the Wound He was stahhnd aho,,&