St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-08-13

The newspapers are now filled with
accounts of terrible tradegies, horrible
accidents, and dreadful cruelties by land
and sea. The following at Boston is but
one of the many:
On Wednesday evening, August 4th,
the wife of DR.. Alvah Hobbs. q prOmi-
nent physician, residing at 1866 WASH
ington street, was cruelty murdered in
the presence of her husband, by one who
had been considered Il friend, and who
was boarding in the family. The muir
derer's name is Major Thos. l.. White,
about thirty years of age. After supper
Mr.. and Mrs. Hobbs went to the parlor,
and Major White repassed to his cham
Der and read in loud voice, which dis
turbed Mrs. H., who sent up to ask him
to cease. White Immediately came down
stairs, pistol in hand, and fired shot in
the entry Mrs. Hobbs dashed the par
lor door to, and leaned against it. White
then fired at the door, the ball passing
through the door, and also through the
body of Mrs Hobbs, killing her instantly.
Upon the appearance Of Il police officer,
Mr. White gave himself up. On the
following day he was arraigned in the
Municipal Court, charged with the will
full murder of Mrs. ii and, waiving an
examination, he was committed to Jail.
1t is stated that for sryeral years he had
known and loved his victim, and that in
1891 ,C,,r Io h,,I .,,to,,,,t,l ., t.l-,. L,,.
life with knife, he was sent to the luna
tic hospital, at South Boston, where he
remained some six months. Major w.
came from Nova Scotia. lie studied
law i'll Boston and was admitted to the
practice. When the war commenced lie
enlisted in the 9th Mass. regiment as
private, and served with distinction he
was severely wounded ut Fredericksburg,
and subsequently promoted To the rank
of Major for gallantry. OF late he has
resided in Mississippi, and was Il dele
gate from that State TO the Chicago Con-
vcntion of 1868, and since has acted a.
registry officer, "A position secured for
him by his friend Gen. Dent. He came
to Boston two weeks ago from MiS>i>>ip-
p, suffering from pulmonary complaint
and having been the intimate friend of
DIR. Hobbs and wife, was taken into
their family for medical treatment. 1t
is asserted that White was in love with
Mrs. Hobbs, and in fact Il monomamac
IN his devotion TO her.
At the Jury OF inquest DIR. Hobbs
stated that he was in his parlor about
10 o'clock on Tuesday evening. comvcrs-
img with Mr. Bullock, a medical gcntle-
gentleman from Providence His wife
at the same time WAS in her sleeping
room on the same floor. in Il win Of the
house. As Nj. Bullock was about lcav-
Ing, Mrs. Hobbs wa> sent for She came
in and entered into conversation. and
then sat down 10y a window. \ few
moments from that time he heard the re-
port of pistol, Mrs Hobi, arose from
her seat, partly opened the door into the
hail, but closed 1t instantly and cried out
to him, ''Doctor, hc'> got a pistol" at
the same time putting her shoulder against
tho door. The husband ran toward the
door and had advanced u few steps when
a second discharge came Mrs. Hobbs
staggered back, threw up her arms and
-tii. ''Oh, father Ia She always called
her hu~haud,) I'm ~not I'm Shot 80 He
imlAc'!IHtcly ran To- hrr. saw that size was
fatally wounded. left her in H.. care Of
Mr.. bullock and rushed to the station
house. When lac came back a few mo
mcnt- after, he found hi~ wife dead. lie
could not see White when ne first came
from the room, but supposed that he
might be hid under the stair and. i'll
deed, during the shooting he Wa not
sure that lac saw him at all. At To-, Mr..
White wa- very qnlet and the oaly talk
me- done WAS III reference to Il headache
which that gentleman WAS laboriug un-
der. Mr.. Hobbs, when she went to the
door, remarked TO her husband that Mr..
White was trying to irighivn them. He
was IN the habi; OF firm pistols. and the
first sho; was supposed to have been fired
III lil> own room, until sometime ~ub~c-
qucnt to the murder, whru the bullet
WAS found in the parlor door One day.
last week, he followed Mrs. Hobbs out
OF the house with pistol in hi, hand.
hu. made no overt act and tor many
weeks he had slept with Il loaded pistol
under lis pillow. Mrs. Hobbs never
went TO Mr.. Whites room to rcluc-t
him 10 Cease roadin- 50 loud, as was It
ported, but sent Il giri to do 80. Fur
ther testimony of DIR. Hobbs revealed the
facts that White was qujrb-trmpcrcd.
reckless fellow, and that in the year 1851
he was caught with Il butchers knife.
threatening TO Kill Mrs. Hobbs, but was
prevented by DR.. Hobbs, who threw him
on his back, took the knife from him
and gave him in chargc of an officer.