The Virginia Gazette

We have an Account of a very sorrowful Accident which happened at Tolland, in the Colony of Connecticut, on Saturday the 1st Instant, viz. The Wife of Mr. John Field of that Town, being with Child, longing for Honey, her Brother being willing to do what he could to satisfy her Desire, went out a Bee-Hunting, and at last trac'd the Bees to a Tree wherein they harboured; but when he came to it found it mark'd with two Letters of some Person's Name, who had before discover'd it; upon which he return'd and inform'd her of it,whereupon the Woman went with him to the Tree, but he not caring to venture to meddle with the Nest without Leave, return'd with the Woman about half ways Home, when he persisted in her Resolution to have some of the Honey, and accordingly return'd to the Tree again; and he went home to fetch some Vessel to put the Honey in : She having a Hat on, sat down at the Bottom of the Tree on a rising Ground, waiting till her Brother came. In the mean Time, a third Person who was hunting after Bees, perceiving a Line of Bees, tho't they lodg'd in a Tree some Rods distant from that where the Woman was, and keeping his Eyes fix'd upon that Tree, making towards it, the Dog discover'd the black Hat upon the Woman's Head, suddenly ran back between his Master's Legs, whereupon looking about, he discover'd the Hat moving, and thinking it was a Bear, (which are frequent thereabouts) he discharged his Gun. which was loaded with three Swan Shot, right towards it, and lodg'd one of them in the Woman's Jaw, another in her Breast, and a third into the Pit of her Stomach; he hearing a dismal Groan, tho't he had mortally wounded a Bear; but for further Security, charg'd his Gun with a Bullet, and then made directly toward it, where, to his Surprize, he found his Mistake, that he had kill'd Mrs. Field; and accordingly he went and carried the sad Tidings himself of what he had thus done. He was tried at the Superiour Court at Hartford, and acquitted.