Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-16
Horrible Murder.

TuE Nor AWFUL TRAGEDY on RECORD
the uarracide az POrtviile, in this State
The narrative, as given, is OF the sort t make
ones hairs stand up straght--N. T. Erp.
U,YILroy, Jan -, lS58.--A tragedy, ur-
oauaIed in the annals OF crime, occurred at
Tnompson's M;lls, about five miles southeast
Of Hamilton Village, on Sunday night
Jared Comstock and Clarissa, his wife, were
brutality murdered by their own son, VIM
CJmstJck. The murderer was arrested by
officer Tucker. on warrant Issued by jus
tee Peck, about o'clock A. NJ, yesterday
The parriclde is man 81 years old, about .
feet iuches in height; his clothing was be
smearCd with blood when found. lie has
always resided with his parents in this town,
and was unmarried. He has been drinking
hard for some time, and is evidently labOring
under the effect OF H,dHHt-a-p0H.
He c0nverSei calmly in relation to the aw-
full deed, manliestipgno concern for himself,
speaking OF the manner In which he deprived
hI- parents OF life, rs if he had been butch
eriug hogs. lie says, for about four or five
days something seemed to tell him he must
have a number OF hearts; this was repeated
10 him many times during the day; he seem
ed t. live in Sherburne, and q wire came
over the hill, connecting with the room, TEL
ling him he muet have number OF hearts;
some one who lived in Sherburne seemed to
telegraph for them. Three or four days
ago | ATTEMPTED to kill my father to get his
heart. Yesterday, | went again, placed an
axe in the room Intending, if could find
my brother aud his wife setting down, to kill
them both at once. 1t seemed as if | must
have both their hearts, but | did not fad
them so situated. About dark, | went over
10 my fathers, and found him and my moth
er sitting-she was sewing. | Immediately
struck her with a skillet on the head and
broke it.
then struck my father over the head
three or four times with the remains Of the
skillet and attempted TO get the axe. After
knocking my father down, got the axe and
cut out their hearts, and put them in the stove
and burned them. This voice seemed to tell
me that the hearts must be burned. After
the deed washed my hands, and after re-
naming in the house q short time, lett and
wen, down 20 \. Gusting's.
When arrived | found my brother and
his wife there visiting. | told them | had
some lTt~ll ultbl w " LilhCl dllCl
irg there a short time, | went down to the
house Of Harmon Gushing and told them TO
get ne quar-. If cider and bottle; and after
obtaining it, left for my fathers house without
mentioning anything concerning the deed.
On arriving, lay down upon the lounge,
near my father aud mother and slept for
some time,--uutil near morning. Ga awak-
euiug left the house and met several per-
sons coming towards it. | do not recollect
who | had informed of the deed, previous to
this. As they approahed me some one said
Here is Bill" This was about rods
west Of my fathers They asked me what
| had been doing. | told them it was none
Of their business. Part Of the party held
Inc, while a couple Of them went to the house,
and afterwards they took me to Potter's,
where was arrested
During the night, after the deed | attempt
ed to end my own lite and thus close the ira
gedy. | afterwards went to my brothers
house to kill him and his wife. kicked the
pat els Of the door in, but they had gone
aWaV