The New Hampshire Gazette

PROVIDENCE, MAY 29.

Horrid Murder.—The following extract of a letter from Dr. Peleg Clarke, to his friend, gives a circumstantial account of one of the most atrocious deeds that have been perpetrated in our state, and which is, perhaps, unexampled in the record of crime. The act was committed on Monday noon in the town of Coventry, near the Arkwright village.—Journal.

"I was yesterday called to witness one of the most horrid sights I ever beheld: at half past 12 o'clock I was requested to go to Richmond Remington, by one of his sons in great haste. He said his father had killed his mother and himself: I repaired immediately to the house about a quarter of a mile off, and on entering the house, found Mrs. Remington lying on the floor with her face downwards and covered with blood. I discovered a depression on the back of her head, and found upon examination her skull broken in. There were no signs of life remaining. About four feet from her was her husband sitting in a chair, with his chin resting upon his breast covered with blood. I raised his head and beheld the fatal stab! On the left side of the windpipe, immediately over the carotid, or large artery of the neck, which I have no doubt was divided; the incision externally was about as large as a skilful butcher would make in the neck of a hog. He was evidently dead. A court of inquest was held, which returned a verdict of wilful murder perpetrated by Remington on his wife and suicide on himself.

"I have been acquainted with Remington for seven or eight years; he was a man who was in the habit of drinking to excess occasionally, but I never saw him intoxicated to my knowledge; he was considered a good neighbor, but it is said he has lived very unhappy in his family for several years, especially when intoxicated. His wife has left seven children, the youngest four or five years old; she was respected by her acquaintance. It appears that he has threatened her life for some time past, and that she has been on her guard; and it is said he has been more intemperate than usual for a week or ten days past. I was at his house on the 16th inst. in attendance upon a woman who was ill; I thought he appeared more sullen than usual. At the inquest, it was given in evidence, that he had not drank so much that day as he had the day before; that he had slept but little that night, and appeared agitated all the forenoon; his wife was setting the table for dinner, in the kitchen; two of his sons were at the west end of the house; the woman who was unwell, was asleep in a bed room leading from the kitchen; one of the small children was in the room with his mother. Remington went to the wood pile, took up his axe, told his wife he was going to cut some bean poles and went into the house. The child says his mother asked him if he was going to kill her with that axe; he replied "no, do you think I am going to kill you with such a dull tool as this?" The mother stepped towards the door; he asked her where she was going; stepped before her and shut the door and immediately gave her a blow on the head with the pole of the axe which brought her to the floor. He then gave her two heavy blows with the axe on the back of her head as she lay on the floor. He raised himself, saw the sick woman, drew back the axe and stepped towards her; she begged for her life; he replied "the work is done," and turned towards the
closet door and the woman escaped with her child; he then took a small butcher knife from the closet, which was very sharp and supposed to have been prepared for the purpose, went through the entry to the looking glass where he cut his throat in the manner I have described."