The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-03-27
From the Boston Mail Of the l4rh.
THE LAWRENCE TRAGEDY.
Horrible DeveIopments.


/ Horrible Developments.
On Monday, we published The fact tha
the body OF young woman, shockingly
mangled, was found un Sunday last, in
Richardson's Brook" ESQ called, shor,
distance from Methuen village, OH ihe Low
ell road, sewed up in piece of hagging
he discovery was made by some persons
on their return from church, who, actuated
by curiosity drew the sack from the water
and opened it. 1t was first seen in that spot
on the 9th of January last, by some boys,
who were fishing for ''shIners," and subse-
quently hy numerous persons passing over
the road between Methueu and Lowell,
but attracting no attention farther than a
casual glance, supposng it to be a value!ess
piece Of baggmg frozen in the brook.
! information of the discovery was imme-
diately conveyed to the authorities Of Law
renee, and }. ). Curtis, Esq, coroner, took
charge of The remains. In The meantime,
the fact of finding a human boiy exposed in
;hat strange manner, in the quiet neighbOr-
hood of Me,huen village, exhibiting no, on
!y marks of deadly violence, but The most
abhorrcnt and inhuman evidences of secret
foul practice, very naturally created the most
intense excitement III the community whic IA
has continued up to the present time.
On Monday morning, Coroner Curtis pro-
Iceeded TO impanei jury of inquest, and
take measures for post mortem exanina-
ton OF the body. The latter duty was con-
Quoted by Dir. J. Il. Morse, assisted by
other eminent physicians Of Lawrence, and
was thoroughly aud scientifically performed.
The bandageS upon the face OF the deceased
were discovered 10 consist of four thickness
es of cotton cloth, with cotton watldiug un-
derneath, the latter being forced into The
mouth and nostrils, aud the whole fastened
with strong cords round the neck, sufficien Mt
to produce stranguiation Instantly. So
tign,y, indeed, was the cord drawn, that il
was almost buried in the flesh on the back
OF the neck, and exhibited deep pindenia,iors
in the cotton and waddiug, with which the
unhappy girl was strangulated.
Some ia'nt scratches appeared upon the
face, and the forehead exhibited marks OF
blows, but the skull was not fractured. as at
! first reported, md the examining physicians
gave as their opinion, that the wounds upon
the head were not, alone, sufficient, 10 cause
death. II was the supposiion of the medi-
lcai gentlemen, that the blows were given
TO put an end to her struggles, while the
murderers were proceeding in their work Of
s:ranguIation with the cotton cloth.
A further examination of the body
brought to light practices surpnssing, ia ill.,
human barbarity, IT possible, what we have
already detailed of this heart-sickening and
terrible tragedy. An attempt TO produce
abertion had been made, and the fcntus, of
about four or FIVE months, had apparently
been dIssected with sharp instrument, and
parts Of it taken away by piecemeaI. The
evidence before The coroner upon this point
we forbear to give. II is too horrible to
contemplate.
The investigation Of the coroner contin-
ued from Monday unit! three O'Clock yester-
day afternoon, when verdict was rendered.
IL was shown that the deceased, Catba
Louisa Adams, bad been intimate for some
thing more than year past, with a man
keeping stable in Lawrence, DarHed Dari-
US Taylor; that this intimacy first began in
Lowell, the deceased being at the time q
factory girl in that city. She subsequently,
came to Lawrence and worked in the mills,
but owing TO her intimacy with Taylor, 10
whom 1t was reported she was about TO be
married. she neglected her duties and was
discharged. After passing some weeks with
her friends in Boston. deceased again made
her appearance in Lawrence, and on the
| 2lst December last she wns seen to enter the
! house Of DR.. Moses p Clark, since which
it does not appear she has been seen alive.
! Anon. .be witnesses called was Taylor, the
| lover of the girl, who was examined at On.
siderable length. This witness did not at
tempt to deny the intimacy " uhich had exis-
ted between the deceased aud himself, and
that he advised her to consult phv>;cian
He also testified that he wen, with the de-
ceased to the house of Dr. Moses P. Clark
on the evening Of Friday, December 81, at
about dark; stood at the gateway, and saw
her pass into the house--thcn left Ar
rangements had been made previously, with
Mrs. Clark, 70 produce an abortion, as the
sleceast'i said, With the expectation of re-
turning in three or four days, or q week at
longest. Some three or four weeks passed,
and she did not return. Search was then
made by him TO find traces of deceased in
Lowell and Boston, but without avail
Mrs. Winu, an aunt of witness, called, un-
der an assumed name, Oh Mrs. Clark. ut
wltness's request, but obtained no saiist'ac-
tory account OF deceased. She was told hv
Mrs. Clark that deceased called on the eve
ming of December 81, under the name of
Aun johnson, but dii! not remain, leaving
the house Immediately, saying she was go-
ing to Lowell to put herself under the care
of 81 celebrated practitioner there. Witness
called three or four times in the space of
two or three weeks, but obtained no salts
factory account Of what had becomc of de
ceased, and heard nothing from her till her
body was found last Sunday.
After full md careful Investigation, the
Jury of inquest rendered the following YER
diet:
"That Caiharine L. Adams came to her
death between the evening of the 2Ist Of
December last past, and The 5lh of January
following, (l850. AT the house Of Moses P.
Clark, in Lawrence. by an attempt TO pro.
cure abor,ion--follon ell by blow or blows
on the head with some weapon or ins,ru-
men', and by suffoca,ion from the spplica-
ton of cotton cloth over the mouth, done
by some person or persons TO the jury un-
KNOWN"
rSigned,] J. S. CURTIS, Coroner.
}. B. MORSE, Foreman. S. RICHARDSON.
Moses L. ATKIEsox, RALPH CLARK,
G. II. BoDwELL, Francis SAWYER.
DR.. Clark and his wife had been previ-
ousiy arrested, and after the rendition Of the
above verdict, they were arraigned on the