The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-10-02
Strange Murder in New Hampshire.

accused and confessed murderer none other
than her husband. Last Sunday morning
this quiet town was startled by the an
nouncement that Mrs. S. Pattee, the wife of
William s. Pattee, had committed suicide
by hanging. The circumstances, as first
developed, created an idea that the death
OF Mrs. 5. Pattee was not Of a suicidal ma
tllre, and the early suspicious that she
came to her death at the hands of her
husband have been fully established, not
only by his conduct, but by full confess
sion The story gathered from the citizens
OF the town reveals one of the most sin
gular, mysterious and strikingly horrible
murders ever committed, followed by an
ingenious and desperate effort afterwards
to cover up the terrible crime. On the
Sunday morning of the supposed suicide
Mr. Pattee appeared at the house of his
nearest neighbor and asked the family to
assist him to find his wife. who, he said.
was missing. In explanation he remarked
that during the previous night his wife
got up and Went into another room, say
ing she would read awhile, and that was
the last he had seen of her, as he soon af-
terWard fell asleep and did not wake until
morning. When he at length arose he
went to the room where he supposed Mrs.
pattec was; and, it being fastened, he
called to her. but received no answer. He
then partook of a breakfast, and then inl-
medlately set out in search Of his wife
The neighbors accompanied Mr.. Pattce to
the house, and diligently set about the
work OF finding the missing woman
Two ladies named Smith and a son OF
| Pattee Went to the room Of which the hus-
band had spoken, but it was not fastened
They went into the room and to a closet.
the door of which was fastened, but q
| broken place III the wall showed that it
| might have been fastened from the out
side. The door at length being opened Il
horrible spectacle was presented. The
| body of Mrs. Pattee was found hung to an
iron hook. She was partially dressed her
slippers were only partly drawn ON. OF
course there We're bruises on her neck, but
there were suspicious marks about her
mouth and Two oi her teeth were broken
There was also a fresh brlise upon one
| side of her face. The bed where Pattee
said they had slept showed no indications
of having been used at all that night The
whole appearance of the place and body
was such that the spectators at once sus-
pected that Il foul murder had been COM
mitted. They, however, for the time kept
that opinion to themselves and anXiouslv
awaited further developements On being
called Pattee went in, viewed the body
and assisted to remove it, During the
solemn moments he was, to all appear
ance, utterly mneved by the sad sight.
During that and the following day his
conduct was very suspicious. In order to
draw him out a neighbor asked him what
would become of the property as the de-
I1f.t t,nl .,I,I !
cheertully, s.Oh, the farm is mine" Re
ference was then made to the PROPERTY
contract, when Pattee further added, That
contract don't amount to ANYTHING. |
knew it didn't IN the first place" Such
conversation and conduct of course, led
to the open utterance Of the opinion that
Mrs. Pattee had been murdered. Measures
We're taken for an autopsy and u Coroncr's
inquest, and, unknown to him, Pattee was
placed under surveillance.
On Thursday an inquest was held. and
the conclusion unanimously reached was
that Mrs Pattee came to her death BY
murder by strangulation; also that the
rope was not put round her neck until at
ter death on "Wednesday night rattrt
made an effort to escape, but was prevented |
by the persons watching with the remains
The accused still watched for an oppor- |
tunlty to run away, and finally succeeded /
at noon. The day of his disappearance he |
was seen near Squam River. Some men
attempted to capture him, but he fled and |
swan the river. He then disappeared in
the woods. He was next seen in Camp |
ton yesterday. That day he went TO Will |
liam Browns in that town, he having cot |
acquainted with the family while Stroling
about as Il clock cleaner. The house is |
near the foot of Ossippee Mountain. in the
east part OF Campton, and some fifteen
miles from New Hampton He was prob |
ably out in the woods durn" all Of the
Thursday night William Brown. Jr |
was in Plymouth that day and heard Of the
alleged murder. Returning home to Camp |
ton he found Pattce at his fathers house. |
Young Brown promptly went back to |
Plymouth and informed Mr. W. W. Blair
of Pattee's whereabouts. Early the next |
morning Mr.. Blair telegraphed the infor-
nation to the High Sheriff, ID. G. Batchel
der, of Laconia. Mr. Blair also tplc-
graped to Coroner Vaughan. who was |
holding the inquest at Meredith village, |
and he gave Instructions for pattce's ar
rest Mr. Blair thea issued warrant
and sent Deputy Sheriff j. K. Clarke, Of
Plymouth, to Campton to make the arrest |
When the Sheriff arrived near the house |
some of the Brown family said to pattee, |
they are after YOU
Pattee went and hid himself between u |
chimney and some lathing in an adjoining
house. The Sheriff stationed a man out
side, and then entered the house and COM
menced the search for Pattee. At last he
CHANGED to run his whip around the chin
ney and discovered Pattee, who, realizing
the uselessness Of attempting to escape,
came out of his concealment and delivered |
himself up to the officer. Turning to the |
Sheriff, Pattee said, Il am in u bad fix; | |
have down wrong" Before his capture
Pattee was busy writing, but the Browns |
did not known what he was bout lie |
showed the paper to the Sheriff and said,
Here is my confession 1t is addressed |
to Friend Cox. The person intended was
Mr.. Caleb Cox, of Holderness who has
been for some Years the family and busi-
ness adviser of Mrs Pattee The Sheriff, |
being anxious to start with the prisoner,
did not stop to read the confession, and in |
few moments the Sheriff and prisoner |
were on their way to Plymouth During |
their stay at the town Pattee made state
ment to the officer the same in substance
as he had written, but giving further par
ucullfS. lie SalU Illstu uul1nC SATURDAY |
night Mrs. Pattee sung and prayed in an
adjoining room; then she came back to
the bed. She had a light in her hand |
Placing the light on table she approached
the bed, and, catching Pattee by the
whiskers, said, "Now will beard the lion
in his den" Pattee instantly caught her,
putting one hand over her mouth and the
other over her nose He also run his
finger down her throat, and she bit it,
leaving the scar. In that manner he held |
her until she became still. He supposed
she had tainted. He got up and took the
light and holding it near her face, dis
covered she was dead. He was horror
struck at the situation, and for some mo-
ments at a perfect loss to know what to
do. At length he hit upon the suicide
idea, and thought he could so dispose Of
the body as to convince persons that she
had taken her own life He then procured
a rope, and, placing it around the neck of
Mrs. Pattee, carried the body to the closet,
After hanging it up he left it in the man