Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-02-19
Horrible Tragedy I'm New IIamp'
shire.
A MAN ATTEMPTS TO MURDER HIS WIFE
AND CHILD.

| AND CHILD.
A most brutal attempt at murder re-
Gently occurred in Sutton New Hamp-
shire. About three weeks since, several
persons whose homes are near the south
village of Sutton, wore alarmed by loud
shrieks and cries for assistance, which
emanated from the dwelling of man
named Melvin Mitchell. They at once
proceeded to the place where they found
Mrs. Mitchell almost burned to DEATH
The clothing she was wearing was nearly
consumed, and her lower limbs, one of
her arms and other portions Of her body
were shockingly eaten by the flames. A
physician was Immediately sent for, and
everything possible done for the sufferer
by kind and sympathizing neighbors,
who feared she could not survive until
the next morning. She fingered, how
ever, and was alive this morning, al
though her recovery is extremely doubt
full Soon after the above occurrences
many of the Sutton people had theirsus-
picions aroused as to the mannerin which
the accident occurred. Mrs. Mitchell
said it was caused by the bursting of a
kerosene lamp. 1t was known at the
same time that Mitchell was hard char
acter. and that he had often been very
cruel to his family. The physician, DIR.
james r. Smiley, entreated the sufferer
to explain all the circumstances of the
case. For time all his efforts in that
direction were unavailing. At last she
said one day that she wanted to tell, but
was afraid her husband would kill her.
Finally, when assured that she should
be protected from her husband, she gave
her testimony before q Justice of the
Peace as fully as her feeble condition
would permit. She said that on the eve
ming of the accident she was sitting in
one corner of the kitchen near an open
fire, when suddenly her husband threw a
bottle of kerosene oil into the flames.
The bottle instantly broke, and its con-
tents flew in all directions, considerable
of it going upon Mrs. Mitchell's cloth
ing AT the same time it took fire, and
she was Immediately enveloped in flames.
Unassisted by her husband, she endea-
vored to extinguish the fire, but without
success. She then ran into an adjoining
room, her burning clothing dropping
from her at every step. Her husband
pretended to assist her, but what he did,
whether intentionally or not, only ag-
gravated his wife's sufferings, for he open
ed door and also took stick and polk
ed about her clothing. At last, when
the flames reached the poor woman's
face and threatened to choke her, he dis
played some feeling, and getting some
water, put out the fire, and then called
the neighbors. Mrs. Mitchell also gave
further particulars of her husbands
cruelty to herself and children. One
evening, about week before the sad
event above related occurred, Mitchell
took his youngest child, babe about
three months old, and under the plea of
endeavoring to stop it from crying, he
held it between two rocks in the fire.
place, used instead of andirons, and
over the flames, until one side of its face
1 /
was horribly burned from its chin TO its
scalp. He afterwards struck the child
a severe blow on the other side of its face,
choked it till it was black and blue, and
then gagged it with handkerchief All
this was done in the presence of the moth
er, who dared not utter word lest he
should kill both the child and herself
Immediately after Mrs. Mitchell had
made known the above, her brother,
James Rowe of Wilmot, caused the ar
rest OF Mitehellon complaint of charg-
ing him with attempting to take the life
of his wife. All the justices of the
peace in Sutton said they were so preiudic-
W "Saiho1 ulitCHCil liiil lHCy were ulS-
qualified for holding a court for his pre-
liminary trial. He was accordingly
taken by Deputy Sheriff John d. Wad-
leigh to Bradford, and arraigned before
N. c. Lear, Esq. Mitchell pleaded not
guilty, but the testimony against him
was so strong thathe was bound over for
trial in the Supreme Judicial Court In
default of bail he was yesterday morn
ing committed to Jail in Concord. Before
he left Sutton the women there were so
incensed against him that they threaten
ed to take the case into their own hands.
Mitchell is about thirty years of age,
and has long sustained bad reputation.
lie is sometimes Incorporate, but there
is no evidence that he was in liquor
when committing the above diabolical
deeds.
Night Scenes in the Bibles