Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

UTICA, SEPT. 2.

Shocking murder.—On Wednesday evening last, Mrs. Sarah Hallock, wife of Mr. Henry Hallock, of Westmoreland in this county, and daughter of Mr. Richard French, of Sandisfield, Massachusetts, a woman about twenty five years of age, murdered her four children, and put a period to her own life: The particulars of this melancholy affair, as we are informed, are that Mr. Hallock, the husband, was from home during the day, in the course of which his wife went to one of her neighbors on some business, but nothing unusual was observed in her conduct or appearance. In the evening when Mr. H. returned, he found the house deserted, and after waiting some time and no one appearing he became alarmed. His neighbors were immediately called, & after searching some time, the bodies of the four children and the mother were discovered lying dead in a corn field, about forty rods from the house, with their throats cut in a shocking manner. The mother was found near her eldest child, with a razor, the fatal instrument which she had used, near her, and the other three children within the distance of a few feet. The children were all daughters, the eldest about seven years of age, and the youngest an infant of ten months.

A jury of inquest was immediately summoned, whose verdict accorded with the fact as above stated. No cause can be assigned that will account for so shocking a catastrophe.