The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-02-23
From the Portsmouth IN. H. Gazette
The New Hampshire Mystery.

near certain locality in New hampshire
The exciting event will be recognized and
remembered. About two miles from small
town in the State we have mentioned. the
road crosses a hill of considerable eminence,
beyond which valley of mile broad, called
by the people an intervale, lay extended
This piece of land, from over tllage, was
worn out, and belonged to man who keeps
tavern by the roadside. Near the top of
the hill, ON the side nearest the valley, was
deep pond-a strange place, it is true, for
such thing to exist, but the nature of the
ground made permanent Judgment of water
in the hill perfectly natural Near this pond
there stood rude tenement, in which there
lived woman, looked upon in the neighbor-
hood with great distrust and suspicion. She
had little girl with her, child of five years
of age, whom she called her daughter, and
who was her only companion in the hut in
which she lived.
A farmer who resided in the outskirts of
the town, upon opening the door one morning,
discovered this poor girl, barefooted and rag
ged, crouched, beneath the caves of the house,
and seemingly very much terrified. When he
questioned her, she said she had come to tell
him something dreadful, but she feared her
mother would kill her for doing so.
Oh, good sir, think it is right that should
tell you, for it is something very bad, but my
mother will kill me if you tell her.
The farmer quoted the childs fears, and
then heard from her the horrid relation that
her mother had last night murdered and rob-
bed traveller, who had stopped at her house.
1t had stormed dreadfully during the night,
and strange man she said had come to the
lonely hut, looking for shelter. He had gone
to sleep, stretched upon the floor before the
fire, and hearing a groan IN the night she
woke up, and saw her mother killing the
stranger with knife. She lay still in great
terror, and saw her mother take money from
the mans pockets and hide it, and then drag
the body in a narrow space behind the CHM
new, and cover it with brush wood used for
fuel, after which the miserable murderess
crept into bed by the child's side. The poor
girl could not sleep, and at the first peep of
morning she saw her mother rise again, drag
the body from the chimney to the pond, at
the back of the house, tie stones to it, and
with long pole, forced it down into the thick
mud at the bottom. Terrified, pale, almost
speeches. with fear, the little girl fled from
her mothers habtation, and ran mile to
farmers house, to relate these horrid details.
OF course the alarm was instantly given,
and terrible excitement flew through the town
and among the neighbors for miles around.-
An early hour in the morning found consta-
bles and large crowd of people assembled at
the woman's dwelling. The unhappy wretch
instantly turned pale, and exhibited every
sign of guilt-frst refusing the officers adj
mission-then forcing herself between them
and the chimney, as if eager to retard invest-
CATION, but still vociferously asserting her
innocence. An officer got behind the CHM
ney and picked up large knife, which to-
gether with the floor around, was newly clot-
ted with blood but the woman continued in
solently to deny her guilt, and accused her
child of lying in revenge for having been
whipped the night before. This rash asser-
ton instantly confirmed her guilt, for it is
evident a child five years old could never in
vent such story and burst OF indignation.
against the mother for her unnatural charge
told the strong feeling that was already awaE-
ened against her. The girl was still overcome
with terror, and kept in awe by the mothers
frowns-so that it required long persuasion
and promises Of protection before she would
toll where thu money was hidden. At last