Year: 1873

tee passed some time in endeavoring to


discover and obiterate any blood which


might remain of the murder Then. in


the awful stiffness and solemnity of the
night, he sat down in the room adjoining
the closet where hung the bruised body OF
his dead wife, and remained there an hour
or more till the morning came Such is
the confession of the murderer Last night
Pattee was kept at Plymouth and this
morning he was taken to Laconia on the
cars From the station he was carried to
the office Of Coroner Vaughan an excited
crowd following, the persons expressing
the opinion that he ough1 to be lynchcd
lie was detained at the Coroners office till
the proper papers had been made out, af-
ter which be was formally arrested bv
Sheriff Batcheldor. Pattee sent for Colonel
Whipple, who came immediately to the
Coroner's office and said that he would act
as counsel for the prisoner. Pattee was
arraigned before Justice Vaughan, and
waving an examination was hound over
to the Supreme judicial Court and COM
mitted to jail in Laconia.


Mrs. Pattee has lived for many wears in
the house where her death had occurred.
The homestead is about a mile from the
village of Ashland Ii is located in a
picturesque portion of the town, and the
house itself is q very pleasant one, while
stretching away from it are fertile acres of
the farm Mrs pattee had lived there
since her marriage, many years ago, with
her first husband Dr Jackson She was
about sixty Years old at the time of her
death. Her first maria ge had been fruit
tuI IN domestic happiness, and competency
had fallen to her lot Her character was
without the shadow Of reproach, and She
was respected by the entire commun tv
William 5. Pattee is nearly of the same
age as the deceased, who was his third
wife. He is native of Grafton county
and his occupation. up TO his last marriage,
was that of Il strOlling clock cleaner His
reputation has been Il doubtful one for
many years, and grave suspicious are
atloat concerning the death of his second
wife, who died and was buried in Alexan-
dria, as was his first Wife His second wife
died in September, 1872, and soon after he
became u visitor al Mrs Jackson's, whose
acquaintance he had previously made while
wandering about the country. The neigh,
bors We're surprised that she could have
any association with him Pattee seemed
aware that his reputation was such as
would not advance him in her esteem, and
so he suddenly became interested in re-
ligiOus matters, and was converted. As he
termed it, in Methodist revival meeting
There was to appearances considerable
change for the better in his conduct. and
Mrs. Jackson believed him sincere There
was disparity in the worldly situation of
the two. for Pattec never seemed to oct
ahead and was generally considered TO be
i'll quite limited circumstances He was
very gracious, however, on that subject,
and an ante-nuptial contract was mutually
signed, each agreeing that after marriage
neither should attempt any control of the
property of the other Matter, having
been arranged the marriage took place in
November last, only two months as will
be seen from the death of pattees second
wife. The pleasures of the HONEYMOON
We're OF short duration. Pattee appeared
dissatisfied because lis wife would not al
low the management of the property to
90 ANY considerable extent into hi, hands
lie harped continually on that subject and
brought his wife into a state of misery and
mhappinesr that continued until death
came to her relief Her property amounts
to about SlJ,0OO.


The whole community is greatly excited
over tho tragedy and the almost unanI-
NOUS public opinion corresponds with the
conclusion arrived ut by the Coroncr's
jury.