Berkeley And Jefferson Intelligencer

AUGUSTA, (Maine) July 11.

Horrid Murder!

At an early hour on Wednesday morning last, the inhabitants of this town
were alarmed with the dreadful information, that capt. James Purinton, of this
place, in cold blood, had murdered his
wife, 6 children, and himself. His oldest
son, with a slight wound, escaped.
and his second daughter was found desperately
wounded, and probably supposed
dead by the father. Between the
hours of 2 and 3, a neighbour, Mr. Dean
Wyman, was awakened by the lad who
escaped, with an incoherent account of
the horrid scene from which he had just
fled; he with Mr. Ballard another neighbour,
instantly repaired to the fatal spot,
and here, after having lighted a candle,
a scene was presented which beggars all
description. In the outer room lay prostrate
on his face, and weltering in his
gore, the perpetrator of the dreadful
deed his throat cut in the most shocking
manner, and the bloody razor lying
on a table by his side. In an adjoining
bed room lay Mrs. Purinton in her bed,
her head almost severed from her body;
and near her on the floor, a little daughter
about ten years old, who probably
hearing the cries of her mother, ran to
her relief from the apartment in which
she slept, and was murdered by her side.
In another apartment was found the two
eldest and the youngest daughters, the
first aged 19 dreadfully butchered; the
second desperately wounded, reclining
her head on the body of the dead infant
18 months old, and in a state of horror
and almost total insensibility. In the
room with the father, lay in bed, with
their throats cut, the two youngest sons,
the one 8 and the other 6 years old. And
in another room was found on the hearth,
most dreadfully mangled, the second son,
aged 12; he had fallen with his trowsers
under one arm, with which he had attempted
to escape. On the breast-work
over the fire-place, was the distinct impression
of a bloody hand, where the unhappy
victim probably supported himself
before he fell. The whole house seemed
covered with blood, and near the body
of the murderer lay the deadly axe.
From the surviving daughter we have
no account of this transaction, her dangerous
situation prevents any communication,
and but faint expectations are entertained
of her recovery. From the
son, aged 18, we learn the following.
That he was awakened by the piercing
cries of his mother, and involuntarily
shrieking himself he leapt from his bed
and ran towards the door of her apartment;
he was met by his father with an
axe in his hand (the moon shone bright)
who struck him, but being so near each
other, the axe passed over his shoulder
and one corner of it entered his back,
making a slight wound; his father then
struck at him once or twice and missed
him; at this time his younger brother
who slept in the same bed with him,
jump'd from it and attempted to get out
at the door; to prevent this the father
attacked him, which gave the eldest an
opportunity to escape. During this
dreadful conflict, not a word was uttered.
From the appearance of the wounds
generally, it seems to have been the design
of Purinton to dissever the heads
from the bodies, excepting the two youngest,
whose throats it is supposed were
cut with a razor. The oldest daughter
and second had several wounds, the probable
consequence of their resistance.
We have no evidence to lead us satisfactorily
to the motives of this barbarous
and unnatural deed. Captain Purinton
was 46 years of age, and had lately removed
from Bowdoinham to this town—
an independent mind, and a handsome
estate, of a steady, correct, and good
character and fair reputation, and strongly
attached to his family. He had been
heard lately to say, that he felt much
distressed at the unpromising appearance
of his farm; that he should be destitute
of bread for his family, and hay for his
cattle, and dreaded the consequences.
The Sunday before his death, it is said
he wrote to his brother, and informed
him that on the reception of the letter he
should be dead, and requesting him to
take charge of his family. In the letter
was a death's head marked out, and it
sealed with black. It was found on
Monday by his wife, and gave her the
greatest alarm and uneasiness. This her
husband perceiving, and learning the
cause, he attempted to console her by
assurances that he had no intention of
committing suicide, but that he had a
presentiment of his approaching death.
Capt. Purinton was a warm believer in
the doctrine of universal salvation, tho'
it is not said of him, that he was a bigoted
maniac or religious enthusiast. His
whole conduct the day preceding and
during the last and bloody scene of his
life, seems marked with the utmost
coolness and deliberation. Towards the
close of that day he ground the fatal axe,
and when the family retired to bed, he
was left reading the bible. The jury of
inquest have brought him in guilty of
wilful murder on his wife and 6 children,
and that as a felon he did kill and murder
himself. We do not recollect that
the annals of Massachusetts can furnish
a transaction so distressing.