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Domestic News
December 1, 1825
Phenix Gazette
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
In Portsmouth, R.I., a woman drowned her daughter and niece before committing suicide by drowning, likely due to extreme poverty. Bodies found Wednesday afternoon near shore with signs of struggle. Husband John Lawton absent.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
It appears by the R. I. American of yesterday, that on the afternoon of Wednesday, the bodies of a woman and two girls were found near the shore at Portsmouth, R. I. By the testimony given before a jury, it was proved that they had been in the water about an hour when discovered, and that there were evident marks of struggle on the shore near the place of discovery. The jury had no doubt that the girls were drowned by the woman, who afterwards drowned herself. The woman was the wife of John Lawton, absent in parts unknown-one of the girls was her daughter and the other her niece, whom she had taken under her care. It is supposed that extreme poverty induced her to resort to this mode of escaping from distress. She sustained a good moral character.
[Boston pa.
It appears by the R. I. American of yesterday, that on the afternoon of Wednesday, the bodies of a woman and two girls were found near the shore at Portsmouth, R. I. By the testimony given before a jury, it was proved that they had been in the water about an hour when discovered, and that there were evident marks of struggle on the shore near the place of discovery. The jury had no doubt that the girls were drowned by the woman, who afterwards drowned herself. The woman was the wife of John Lawton, absent in parts unknown-one of the girls was her daughter and the other her niece, whom she had taken under her care. It is supposed that extreme poverty induced her to resort to this mode of escaping from distress. She sustained a good moral character.
[Boston pa.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime
Death Or Funeral
What keywords are associated?
Murder
Suicide
Drowning
Portsmouth Ri
Poverty
Jury Inquest
What entities or persons were involved?
John Lawton
Where did it happen?
Portsmouth, R. I.
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Portsmouth, R. I.
Event Date
Afternoon Of Wednesday
Key Persons
John Lawton
Outcome
woman and two girls drowned; girls drowned by the woman, who then drowned herself.
Event Details
Bodies of a woman and two girls found near the shore; marks of struggle on the shore; jury concluded the woman drowned the girls and then herself due to extreme poverty.