The Virginia Gazette

PROVIDENCE, Oct. 25.

On SATURDAY last the following tragical affair happened at Scituate. One Joseph Briggs, whose wife in consequence of his brutal behaviour towards her, had been separated from him about a year, formed the horrid design of murdering her. With this view he went up to a house where his wife was visiting a relation, and in his way called at a neighbour to sharpen a knife; while at the house where his wife was, he seemed much agitated, and on her departure, which was about two in the afternoon, he followed and overtook her at a little distance from the house where she had been, having another woman in company with her. He demanded of his wife whether she would return and live with him, to which she replied in the affirmative, provided she could be well treated. This answer not proving satisfactory, he drew his knife, seized and stabbed her in several parts of the body. The other woman immediately ran towards the house, and Briggs observing a young man approaching him, quitted his mangled wife, and stabbed himself in the breast, and under the ribs. of which wounds he soon expired. Mrs. Briggs's life was at first despaired of, but it was yesterday said there was a possibility of her recovering. A jury of inquest, which sat on the body of Briggs, brought in their verdict, Suicide.