The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-04-15
:
-, From tho Boston Courier, 10th.

n HS obttUt sH"utfs hc ANVBto-
ter of Thursday contains the following &C
count of the late ntrocious murder in that
town, which differs, in the most material
facts, but little from the statements before
received from verbal accounts.
The painful duty devolves upon US Of
announcing, that in our peaceful town,
which we had hitherto, believed to be Sc
cure from the midnight assassin and those
crimes OF the deepest die which have oc
casionally stained the annnls Of European
nations, and of some parts ofeur own coun.
try, MUsDER has been perpetrated so
b ribls and atrocious that we should in
vain search the records Of crime in any
country for case exceeding it in enormity.
The house of JOSEPH WHITE, Esq. one of
our most opulent and aged citizens, was en-.
tered some time in the night Of Tuesday,
by some unknown person, who proceeded in
darkness through several rooms a. entries,
to the bed chamber of that gentleman, and
deliberately inflicted upon him, awhile in bed,
d doubtless unconscious Of harm, wound
IN the head, and several stabs inthe body,
which must have caused his immediate
death.
The murder was discovered little be.
fore O'clock the next morning, by young
man who resided in the family. On going
down stairs, being the first person up, he
perceived one Of the windows open in the
back part Of the house, and supposing it
had been entered by thieves, he proceeded
TO mr.. Whites chamber TO acquaint him
with the circumstance, when he found him
dead, and enveloped in blood. Only one
other person, female domestic, slept in
the house that night and their apartments
being distant from the scene of the murder,
and from the rooms which the assassin en-.
tered and passed through, they heard NJ 9th
ing OF his movements. II is beyond doubt,
that he entered the back window alluded
TO above. from the garden, by means Of a
plank, which was found standing against
the side ofthe house, under the window,
IN the morning. Several foot prints Of a
mans step wero discovered in the back
yard, and around the window, near the
plank, when first examined after the mur.
der was ascertained. After entering this
lower back room. the assassin is supposed
10 have proceeded through the large entry,
and up the front stairs, to the old gentle
mans bed chamber in the front ofthe sec
ond story, and returned the same way.
Some marks Of blood it is said, were left
upon the door latches, &c. The report of
the murder was soon spread through the
town, and universal sensation Of horror
and astonishment pervadod every class of
our citizens. The house was speedily
thronged with people anxious TO learn the
particulars Of the horrid transaction
At an early hour a Coroner's Jury was
summoned by Thomas Ncedham, Esq, Cor
oner for Essex, who proceeded to hold an
inquest over the body, assisted by two res
pcctable physicians of the town. 1t was
found in oed in natural and undisturbed
positions his night clothes and the bed
clothing drenched in blood. Ten stabs
were found on his left side, in the region
Of the heart, of three fourths Of an inch in |
width, and from ono to tbroe jnchos in depth |
accompanied with a strong mark Of vio- |
lence on the temple. The stabs appeared |
TO have been inflicted by small dirk, or
some other sharp pointed instrument The |
blow on the temple most probably was in
flicted by hatchot, hammer, or loaded |
cane; either of which injuries it was
thought by the physicians, were sufficient
to extngush life.
The verdict the Jury was as follows
"That it is the opinion Of the jury, that the
said Joseph White, Esq. came to his death by
violent blow on the left temple with some
heavy instrument, and by ten stabs in the
left side, near the heart, inflicted by some
sharp pointed instrument, by some person
or persons to us unknown"
As to the motives which could have in
duccd the preparation of this horrd deed,
all is mystery and uncertainty. Shadows, !
clouds, and darkness rest upon it," II up
pears certain, that plunder was not the OBJ
jcct, as there was money and other valua-
bic property in the bed chamber and other
parts Of the building through which the
murderer passed, and nothing was taken
What other motive might have actuated
the wretch who could deliberately, and in
the most barbarous manner, take the life of
n gentleman in tho EIGHTY SECOND year Of
his age, who had for years been almost Sc
cluded from the world, having long since
retired from the active cares ofhls CONNER.
series of years distinguished, remains to |
ruling providence, which seldom permits
such dark and desperate deeds to be long
hidden in mystery.
Inc follcc oI the Town, ana every des-
crption of citizens, have manifested a
promptitude highly praise worthy on this
melancholy occasion. The Selectmen
have offered reward Of $500 for the de-
lection Of tho murderer, in addition to
$1,000 offered by the heirs Of the deceased;
hand bills have been circulated in every
direction, and all the Police officers have
been directed to make tho most dligent
search for the assassin. A young man
was arrested on suspicion on Wednesday,
but we do not learn that any circumstan-
ces were disclosed at his examination, to
induce beliefin his guilt. [Reg.l
Tho Salem Gazette of vpsterdav adls