Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-12-30


Inc case of Mendum was far more unfor-
.unate, or rather fortunate; he accomplished
ms uesign with GOODNESS and 6rmness-aeven
WIN tnat sort of firmness that would in an
clent tunes have done honour to Roman
patrlot;-he, with the utmost deliberation,
look knife that had been clandestinely
conveyed into the Jail to another prisoner,
ana, placing the handle thereof against the
wall forced himself with violence against
.ne point, and gave to himself wound in
.he lower part of the breast, about four
incnes deep; but believing this not to be
sufhclent to end his miserable life, he took
.ne razor he had to shave with, and present.
ing MS face to the glass, to see with more
certainty where to give the fatal stroke, he
drew 1t deliberately and carefully in the
same place several times, and with the left
hand, drew the flesh down to give greater
erect to each stroke, and in few seconds
fell and expired without groan. All this
happened in the space of few seconds, and
before the keys Of the inner apartments of
the Jail could be procured; but in the view
OF the guard and several other persons, who
had collected at the jail there were two
other prisoners in the apartment with Whit
ford and Mendum, but neither of them could
be prevailed on to prevent them from carry
ing their design into execution zone of them,
however, at the earnest request of some of
the bystanders, at one time advanced to-
wards Mendum for the purpose of getting
the razor, before he commenced using It on
his throat; but Whitford, notwithstanding
his own situation, flor he had then cut his
own throat) took up small stick and gave
4 him blow, and told him to stand off and
not go near-Mendum also ordered them
not to come near him. Mendum has invari-
ably denied being guilty of the murder of
which he was convicted, notwithstanding
the numerous, clear, and indubitable circum-
stances given in evidence against him-such
circumstances as could not have left shad-
ow OF doubt upon the mind of any one who
has heard them: he has confessed that a
pocket pistol found on the ground where the
murder was committed, and a dirk found
near the same place were his, but refused
to tell how the same went out of his possess
sion. Whitford still insists that he killed
Anderson in self defence. A Coroner's In
quest has been held over the body of Mem
dunn, at the request of the jailer, and the ju-
ry, in their report, say, that the said Men
dunn voluntarily and feloniously killed and
murdered himself-Richmond, IA. Eng.
FIRES. A few nights since, small car
pet factory, at the west part of Dorchester,
established by Messrs. Pollard, Adams, and
Kennedy, industrious Scotchmen, was de-
stroyed by FIRE, together with the looms,
yarns, &c. No insurance. The factory had
been but short time in operations few
IKidderminster carpets had been made, and
they had just got Brussel-looms in use. No
fire had been, for several days, in the. part
of the building where the confagration'com-
menced. BY this severe calamity, several
deserving persons, dependent families, have
been deprived of their little all, and impov-
erished, SO as to be compelled to relinquish
business there. The charitable individuals,
in the above town, have made subscriptions
for the relief of the immediate wants of the
sufferers. One of the persons concerned
was very ingenious in making the looms.
A valuable cotton factory, at Peterbo-
rough N. H. was destroyed by fire last week,
supposed to have. been caused by sparks
from stove in drying room. The estab-
lishment was principally owned in Boston,
where there was considerable insurance on
lit.-PGLLad.
ELLSWORTH, tME.) Dec. 19. On We'd
nesday night of last week, about o'clock
in the evening, a spacious and valuable Barn
on the farm of Messrs. ]. d. Gilmore and
J. A. Dean, about one mile from this village,
was discovered to be on fire. Before the
discovery,the flames had made such progress
that all attempts to save any thing proved
unavailing, and the building, with all its
contents, consisting of fourteen head of
cattle, forty or fifty tons of hay, quantity
of grain, chaise, and sundry articles of
husbandry, were together consumed. As
the fire could not possibly have been COM
municated without intention or knowledge
of some person, no doubt exists, but this
was the act of some fell monster in human
form.-Courier.
EARTHQUAKE. An earthquake was felt in
Milledgeville, Georgia, on the morning ofthe
1lth inst. 1t continued about five seconds,
and was preceded by noise from the west
resembling thunder. The doors and win
dows were shaken by the conclusion so as
to produce some rafting. "The weather
was unusually calm; not a breath of wind
was perceptible, the atmosphere was warm,
and charged with light haze assuming in
the western horizon the appearance of dense
smoke or Clouds"
LANDING OF THE fathers. The reli-
gious celebration of the Landing of the Fa-
Tiers was observed in this town, on Monday
last, in the Rev. Mr.. Freeman's Meeting
House.
Prayers were offered in the morning by
| the Rev. Messrs. Smith of Hanover, and