The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-01
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE TRAGEDY.
An Awful story of Crime and Murder

An Awful story of Crime and Murder.
Correspondence Of ue Boston Journal.
CLAREMoNT, n. H., Jan. 22.-Since every
particular connected with so singular and
herrid murder as that which was perpe-
trated in this town on the evening of the 18th
instant is of interest to the public, you will, l
am sure, be glad of such facts connected with
the mu derer and the murdered man as can
be gathered. great many rumors are afoat
as to the doings and sayings of the parties at
different times, but intend to give you only
such statements as are well authenticated.
James Woodell, father of George Woodell,
the murdered man, and grandfather of VIM.
N. Kenney, the murderer, is eighty eight
years old, but is very we'll and active for q
man of his age. He is very honest, upright
man, though somewhat eccentric. He came
to this country from England, with his wife,
when quite young, and worked upon the farm
of the late Isaac Hubbard, as his foreman. for
many years, his wife working on the farm
much of the summer, and in the house of Mr..
Hubbard the rest Of the time. By great in
dustry and prudence he earned and saved
money enough to buy the farm on which he
now lives, The farm contains about two hun
dred acres, is four miles from the village, on
the western slope of what is known as Town
Hill, borders on Connecticut river, is nearly
two miles from any public road, and about
mile from any neighbor.
Mr.. Woodell had five children, two sons and
three daughters. The oldest son, George, the
murdered man, was neither very intelligent
nor good tempered. He married and raised
up two daughters, and some ten or twelve
years since his wife died, and three or four
years ago he married widow with one boy,
now about eighteen years old, and came home
to live on the farm with his father. This boy
lived at home with his mother until about
week before the murder, when, by reason Of
fear Of Kenney, who had threatened him, he
left and went to live with relative at Leba-
non. Kenney married the third, and favOrite
daughter of Wocdell, who gave birth to William
N. Kenney, and died when he was but few
| years old. He was the only child Of his favo-
| rite daughter, and the old man took him
home, brought him up, and gave him good
common school education, and, 1t is said, in
tended to make him heir TO large share of
his property. -,
three or four years ago, or about the time
when George came home. Last summer he
spent in the lumber regions of Maine, and
| came home the last OF October. George lived
in an old house few rods from his fathers.
! A jealousy sprang up between George and
keuney about the final disposition of the old
mans propsrty;, they had frequently quar-,
relied; Kepney had threatened the life ol
George, and was of such a disposition that
neighboTs had feared that he would kill some
of the family.
Mrs. Woodell, the mother of George, an d
grandmother of Kenney, has been supposed
to be insane for several years, although she
has been at home all the while.
On the afternoon of the murder, about half
past o'clock, Kenney went into Georges
house without any coat on, singing and jump
ing, and took a chair and broke it. Mrs.
Woodell demonstrated with him, to which he
showed the greatest Indifference. He soon
started to go ont, when George asked him
! what has hurry was. he said he was going
to milk, and went out. He went to his
grandiather's took the pail, MIXED, carried
the milk into the house, went directly out,
took an axe, which he had ground few days
before, from the woOdshed, went to Georges
house, rushed in with kind of Indian war
vhoop, and made an attack UPON George, who
was at the supper table, with q child about a
year old In his arms. Mrs. Woodell came from
the bedroom adjoining, and said:-"Willie,
don't Kill George and the baby" and tried to
separate them, when Ksnney struck her with
the axe twice. emitting throngh her skull over
the right eye, and inflicting another Sc yere
wound upon the side Of her head. She waE
insensible for few moments, and when she
came to, George was lying upon his face or