Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-08-09
jail, Eost Cambridge, JUN % |

Jail, Eaa Cambridge, july Is, 1850.
am about to appear before God. wish to
unburden my soul and free my conscience of
whatever | ought. With all my heart and I'M
der the eye of my Maker, who will Judge me
soon, declare as follows, truly,o of the death of
my wife, Martha B. Pearson, and of my two twin
children, Sarah and Lydia confess, that I ma
SELF alone took the tres Of my a0is and t,co chit
dren, on the morning OF the eleventh of April,
/ lS49, between the hours of two and four o'clock
This is the time when did it, as nearly as can
recollect and these are the principal circum-
stances:
On the 9th of April, having drunk ale to ex-
cess, went to my brother Henry's, in Bromfeld
street, took an umbrella, kissed my daughter
| Melissa, told her was going to Providence, and
| parted. Then | went down fremont street and
| Temple place to clubhouse, and got pack of
cards:--then went down fremont street, struck
over TO Providence depot, inquired when the cars
started, and left; then went to Roylston street,
obtained shoe-knife at a shoe-maker's shop,
and then obtained vial of laudanum at an aDoth.
ecary's store; then | went to Merrmack street
and got bottle of gin then went to the Low
ell depot, and left in the cars for Wilmington, l
| think about six O'Clock in the evening.
On arriving at Wilmington, | asked when the
cars left in the morning for Boston. Some one
answered, and handed me pathfinder" /
then left for my house, where my wife and two
children were living. [ went over through the
woods, and, supplied with liquor, got lost 1t
was a kind Providence to hold me back. Not
knowing where | was when | got through the
woods, looked round for sometime, and saw nv
barn. | went to the barn, and looking about,
saw light in my house. went and tapped on
the window Martha came and inquired, "Who
is there r. "Daniel," answered. She came
to the door and let me in. After shaking hands
with her, | sat down. She got me a cup of tea
and took supper. Shortly after, she retired. |
sat up a little while by the stove, and then went
to bed with my wife. droWsed little, arose,
and went out, and returned again to bed Be-
tween two and four O'Clock did the fatal deed
After the first thrust, which / thiLk did not
wound her, Martha got the knife away from me,
| know not low, and held it by the handle 1t
was hard to get 1t again; and in the dark | sell
zed the blade in my hands, and wrenching, split
the handle, and got the blade from her. If the
handle had not broken, the deed might not have
been done. In doing this, my hands were cut
badly then overcame her, and in the struggle,
she cried out, 90, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel don't
murder me-murder, murder!" pierced her
in the neck. After she was pierced she got on
the floor from the bed. She cried, s.Oh my
God!' Bleeding, she fell on the floor aud died.
do not know the pillow came under her. Sarah
slept on the bed with my wife, Sheawoke, and
cried. pierced her also in the neck, and she
died Lydia awoke, crawled up on the bed, say
ing something and laughing, believe. put
my hand on her head, and pierced her in the neck
and this lamentable deed was finished. How
could have done it!
Now acknowledge, as have often and re-
peatedly, that Martha, my wife, gave me no
cause, neither in any manner nor at any time, for
doing this deed. was not jealous of my wife.
All her children, without doubt, were NINE She
was good woman, and deserved well of mo-
cannot tell why did the deed, except that was
led away.
Before leaving the house, kindled light to
dress me. left my wife on the floor. having
placed the knife in her hand, the children on the
bed, the audanum by her Oh the table, with the
cards and notes; one of which signed, intend
ing to make the impression that Martha, after
destroying the children, had, herself, committed
suicide. Then going out of the back door,
crossed the woods to brook and there washed
my person from my wife and chdren's blood
then changed my shirt, which was torn in the
struggle and bloody. The blood on my clean
shirt was my own blood. After wiping myself
with the shirt which took off, rolled it up
CARED it to Boston, and sunk it in the water
just below the Providence depot.
(Signed) DANIEL H. PEARSON.