The New Hampshire Gazette

THE MURDERED SON.

A TRUE STORY.

A LAD, who lived in the neighborhood of -, when the British army lay in its vicinity, in the beginning of the American war, left his mother, who was a poor widow and went over to the enemy, with whom he remained during the war. By industry and frugality, he acquired a considerable sum of money, and when peace took place between America and Britain, he returned home, with a heart replete with all the noble sentiments which love, duty and filial affection could inspire; intending that his aged parent, should share his riches, and atone for his long separation, by removing her from a state of want and distress, and placing her in a situation of ease and comfort.

It was evening when he arrived at the village, in which his mother lived; he called at the house of a former acquaintance, where he made himself known, informed them of his success and intentions; as he did not design to make himself known to his mother that night, he desired three or four young men, who were formerly his school fellows, to call on him in the morning, to witness the joy which would take place on the discovery.

Agreeable to the invitation, the young men, in the morning, repaired to the place appointed, anticipating the pleasurable sensations they should experience on being present at so interesting a scene. On their arrival, they enquired for the young man who slept there the preceding night; his mother answered, that she had seen no young man, and that no one had lodged in her house, the last night except herself. At this declaration, the young men expressed much surprise, and observing some confusion in the old lady's looks, they related what had passed between them and the young man, the preceding evening; upon which, with horror and despair depicted in her countenance, she exclaimed, " Good God! I have murdered my son !--my only son !' She then, in distraction, ran to the cellar, (followed by the young men, who realized a very different scene, to that a few moments before experienced) and removed some rubbish exposed the dead body of her son, covered with his own blood ! She then opened his bosom,and found a scar, which convinced her that the story of the young men was true, at the sight of which she beat her breast, tore her hair, and with incoherent exclamations, fell to the ground in a swoon, from which in a few minutes she recovered, and gave to the young men the following relation ; That her son came. to her house late in the evening, and asked for lodging ; he told him that she was a poor widow, and had- lodging for none, except her own family, and advised him to go to some other house : he told her that he had money, and was fearful of being robbed ; that he had made choice of her house to put up at, as its external appearance would not excite suspicion ; as that part of the country was then infested with robbers, he did not like to travel further by night ; and if he would suffer him to stay he would take his lodging on the floor, and reward her generously for her kindness ; she at length consented ; he then took three bags of money ; two of gold and one of silver, and throwing them into her lap, desired her to take charge of them till morning ; she took the money, locked it in a trunk, and gave him the key : she then prepared him a bed, and they both went to rest. The thoughts of having so much money in her power, which, by dispatching its owner, she might easily make her own, and prompted by extreme poverty, finally fixed her in a resolution to murder him ; after she was convinced that he was in a sound sleep, which was evinced by his snoring, she arose from her bed, took a hard knife, went to the place where he lay. and cut his throat ; she then left him struggling in the agonies of death ; she returned in about half an hour, and perceiving he was dead, she dragged his body to the cellar, and covered it as before related. She was soon arrested, and committed to prison ; tried, plead guilty, condemned, and executed