The Virginia Gazette

N.E.W. HAVEN, Feb. 16.

THE following are all the particulars we have been able to collect of a most barbarous murder, committed at Washington, in this state. On the night of the third instant, the dwelling-house of Mr. Caleb Mallory, a wealthy armorer of that town, was observed to be on fire; but standing remote from neighbours, it was not discovered until the house was nearly destroyed; and as none of the family were to be found, it was concluded at first, that they had all perished in the flames, while asleep; it consisted of Mr. Mallory, his wife, their three grandchildren, and one Bernard Davenport, a youth of about 20, a native of New Milford, who had for some time been in the employ of Mr. Mallory. On searching the rubbish, after the fire was out, the bones of Mr. Mallory, his wife, and the children, were found near the apartment where they lodged; but as the bones of Davenport, who lodged in another part, could not be found, and several other circumstances made it strongly suspected that he had murdered the family, robbed the house, and then set it on fire, to hide his villany. We hear he has been taken up and committed to Litchfield county jail, and owns he is guilty of the black crimes of having first inhumanly murdered Mr. Mallory, then Mrs. Mallory, and two of the children, while in bed, and after plundering the house, set it on fire, and that he heard the child, whom he had spared for a more painful death, calling for help, from the flames. The mother of the children, being from home, escaped the unhappy fate of the rest of the family.