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Domestic News
August 13, 1835
Litchfield Enquirer
Litchfield, Litchfield County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
A young slave of Mrs. Thornton attempted to murder her with an axe while she slept; his mother intervened, allowing escape, and he fled after making threats echoing incendiary language.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Another Slave Atrocity.—The National Intelligencer of yesterday, relates in detail the attempt of a young man, a slave of Mrs. Thornton, widow of Dr. Thornton, to murder her, while in bed. Happily, in her room, slept the mother of the slave, who was awake and saw her son approaching her mistress's bed, with uplifted axe; instantly she sprang upon him; and held him, while her mistress fled to the next house for aid. Meantime, the mother had forced the son out of the back door and locked it. He struggled violently to re-enter, all the time venting, as the Intelligencer states, “the most ferocious threats, and uttering a tissue of jargon, much of it a literal repetition of the language of the incendiary prints.” On the approach of assistance, he fled and had not been taken.
N. Y. American.
N. Y. American.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime
Slave Related
What keywords are associated?
Slave Atrocity
Attempted Murder
Axe Attack
Incendiary Threats
What entities or persons were involved?
Mrs. Thornton
Dr. Thornton
Young Slave
Slave's Mother
Domestic News Details
Event Date
Yesterday
Key Persons
Mrs. Thornton
Dr. Thornton
Young Slave
Slave's Mother
Outcome
attempt failed; slave fled and not captured; no injuries reported.
Event Details
Young slave attempted to murder Mrs. Thornton with an axe in her bed; his mother awoke, seized him, held him while mistress escaped for aid, then forced him out and locked door; he threatened fiercely, repeating incendiary language, and fled upon assistance arriving.