Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

MURDER.

DOVER, NOV. 20.

On Saturday last, a Murder was committed by capt. Jeremiah Pote of Falmouth, on the body of his wife. The following circumstances are reported to have attended the transaction; coming home in the evening, he found a certain Doctor had called in at his house; his wife mentioned to the Doctor its being very dark and rainy, and invited him to tarry till morning—her husband replied, that no one should tarry in his house that night but himself; the Doctor then went off soon after he took the shovel from the hearth, and laid it on his shoulder, walking the room; his wife recollecting what he had said. was alarmed; asked him what he meant, hoped he was not going to do her injury, and took hold of his arm; he immediately struck her with the shovel, on the head, and repeated the blows till she expired. The small children gave an alarm; when the neighbours arrived, he was sitting by the fire—said he had killed his wife, and must be hanged; he was immediately taken and committed to Portland goal.

No defect of his reason had been observed, nor any cause known for. this horrid act. unless it was done in a paroxysm of jealousy.

On Sunday a jury of inquest was had on her body who, after hearing the evidence, bro't in their verdict, "That Jeremiah Pote, her husband, on the evening of the 11th inst. four or five blows upon the head and neck of his said wife, did strike, by means whereof she in a few minutes died; and that he, of his malice afore thought, did murder and kill her."—Monday last he was committed to goal in this town, to take his trial at the supreme judicial court to be held here in June next—Capt. Pote and his wife have both very respectable connections in the town of Falmouth, who by this melancholy event, are brought into the depths of sorrow and distress.