Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1849-05-02
MURDER OF A MOTHER AND
TWO CHILDREN IN WHINING
MlNGTON MASS.

Wilmington, on Tuesday night, the follow
ing particulars Of which were furnished by
a correspondent TO The Mai:-On We'd
nesday morning between 8 and 10 o'clock,
the bodies of Mrs. Fl. D. Pearson and
her twin daughters, four years Of age, were
found murdered in the house occupied by
them in Wilmington about half mile from
the Andover line. The neighbors were
there The evening previous, and nothing
unusual was discovered. The curtains be-
ing down at late hour in The morning, ex-
cited attention, and led to tho discovery Of
the murders. The children were found in
the bed with their lhroa.s cut, and their
mother OIL tho floor beside il, all having on.
ly their night clothes on. Thereswere ma.
ny slabs aud cuts on different parts of The
neck and body of The woman, which leaves
nc doubt but she was murdered by The
hands of another, and in confirmation Of
it, the back door and one of The windows
were unfastenet.
The Mail adds that The scene Of the muir
der is represented as having presented
terrible death struggle on The part Of the
mother, and an attempt on the part of The
murderer 10 lasten suspicion on one oil the
victims as The author of deeds. In ono
hand of The woman was quau,ily OF hair
torn from the assassin's head, and in The
other was placed the bloody knife with
which the tragedy was perpetrated. On
unclasping the fingers from the knife. the
palm Of the hand grasping it was found
cut and mangled in shocking manner
In her struggles she had evidently seized
the blade 10 ward it from her throat and
the lhroas of her children.
Daniel II. Pearson, the husband OF the
deceased, has been arrested, 10 Reading.
on suspicion of having committed the mur-
ders, and was To be examined at noon yes
terday. He has not'been seen in this city
since Monday.
A difficulty has existed for some time
between Mr.. Pearson and his wife. and ne
golialions were going on for divorce
He has moi lived with her OF late. but has
been employed as servant in gentle.
mans family in Boston. The mother is
said 10 have been Of an irreproachable
character, and TO have been exceedingly
fond Of her children. coroner's inquest
was held, aud verdict was rendered that
tho three deceased were wifully murdered
by some person or persons unknown
Boston Atlas.
The Wilmington, Mass, Tragedy
This tragedy al once created great ex-
element among the inhabitants of The
town. aud coroner's inquest was assem-
blcd. 1t appears that the deceased had
for tho last eight months lived separately
from her husband. Thomas B. Plerson,
who pretended to be jealous Of her, though
il is the unanimous opinion OF the towns
people, without shadow Of cause. Lat
ierls he had been employed in This city,
and is no, known 10 have visited the town
s%here she lived.
the bodies, I6e asfp 81 HE IL lRHs6 RH6s5d 5doTv vsR
ted her, when she appeared to be in unu
sual good spirits, This is The last that was
seen OF her alive. Under The circumstan-
ces, the jury returned verdict Of wiful
murder by some person or persons 10 them
unknown. Yesterday, The husband, who
could mol be found in this city, when they
came 10 tell him Of what had occurred,
made his appearance at The Western depot
and was forthwith taken into custody as
the murderer.-Upon his face were several
scratches, which would seem 10 have been
inflicted in the death struggle Of the wife
his wrist, and another upon his arm.
These marks he accounted for by saying
,ha. he got into squabble with an Irish
man 10 Providence; but when asked if he
could poin, out The place where it happen
ed, said that he could not.
The chief evidence against him is, that
he was seen near The house of The deceased
on the night previous to The murder, aud
again the next morning was met OIL his
way to The junction at Wilmington. The
neighbor remarked the scratches upon his
face, but as Peirson seemed to he in hur-
ry to catch the cars, did not have much
conversation with him. After his arrest,
he was taken 10 Reading, where several Of
his townsmen went in 10 see him. One Of
lhom remarked to him that he had been
to see his wife and children, aud more
ghas,ly sight his eye never looked upon.
Peirson attempted to appear unconcerncd.
but was only partially successful. He
remarked that cases Of suicide were al.
ways horrible, or something 10 that effect,
it being his design, no doubt, 10 give The
idea that She took her own life and that
of her children. Indeed, after performing
lhe dreadful act. the murderer placed The
knife in the hands Of The deceased, in a
way 10 give celorine 10 such supposiliop,
had not The mang'ed state of lhe remains
at once repudiated il. We learn further
that the accused his been employed as
domestic ir family at the West End,
in this city for some years. That week
ago, he seltled with his employer, saying
that he was going 10 live in lIie country.
When arrested be said that he had been
on visit 10 New York.. and had been
absent for five days, which was untrue, as
he was seen by different person in the vi
cinity Of his wife's residence on Tuesday
night and Wednesday moroing,-Boston
Traveller, april l3.
DAMAGE TO TIE CRops.-Thc late Sc
we're frosts have done much injury to the