the body of the murderer : the law being silent on the subject, it was difficult'to determine where decern- cy required the body should be placed: many proposed it should be in an ignominious manner where four roads met, without any coffin or insignia of respect, and perfora- ted by a stake. Upon which, a question arose, where that place could be found which might be unexceptionable to the neighbor- hood, but no one would consent it. should be near hi?, .house orland. After some consultation it was thought best to place it on the bank of the riyer betweeh high and low wajter mark the body was1! handed out of the window and bound with cords on a sled, with the clothe^ on as it .was. found., - and the bloody knife tied- on his breast, without coffin or box, and the horse he usu- ally rode was madefastto'the sled : the horse, unaccustomed to the draught, proceeded with great .urn- steadiness, sometimes running Tull spe'ed, then stopping, followed fry,'-a multitude, until arriving at the wa- ter’s edge, the body was tumbled into ahoieidug for the, purpose, like the carcase of a beast.,
, “ On the 13th of ^December, the bodies of the murdered were in- terred in a manner much unlike that of the unnatural murderer. The remains of the children were borne by a suitable number of equal age, attended by a sad pro- cession of*,’youths of the town, all bathed in tears; side by side the hapless- woman’s corpse was car- ried in solemn procession to the parish church yard, followed by a great concourse, who with affec- tionate concern and every token of respect were anxious to express their heartfelt sorrow, in perform.- 'ing the last mournful duties'. |
“ The person of Mr. Beadle was small, his features striking and.full of expression, with the aspect of fierceness and determination; his mind was contemplative; when once he had formed an opinion, he was remarkably tenacious:; as a mferchant-or trader, he was Esteem- ed a man of strict honor and integ- rity, and Would’not descend to'any IdwVqr 'mean artifice 'to-advance,his fortuneV He' was' turned of 52 years of hige ’wlien'he died.
“ Mrs. JBeadletwas born* at Ply- mouth ip Massachusetts; of reputa-. ble parents*/ a cqmely person, of good address, w^U bred, and unus- ually' sdfene, sincere, -unaffected and sensible. Slje died ill the mid- dle of life,-aged S^yfears.
“The children, (the eldest of which was a son, aged 12 years, the other three, daughters, the youngest aged 6 years).were such •as cheered the hearts of their par- ents, wiro were' uncommonly fond of .displaying their little virtues-arid excellencies, and seemed to Antici- pate a continuance of growing Pa- rental satisfaction : alas, like early., tender buds nipped by untimely frosts, they did but begin.fo liv\e!
'** It is' more than probable, that this man had for months past desire ed that some or'all of his children might be taken out of -the \yorld. by accident: he removed all means of security from a Well near his house, which he was careful heretofore to keep coveredl His little boy he often sent to swim in .the river, and has^heen heard to chide the child for not tenturing further into deep water than his fears would suffer him. He has at times declared it would give him no pain-or uneasi- ness to follow his children to the grave: his acquaintance knew
these expressions could not arise from want of /affection or tender- ness for his children, but rather imagined him speaking' rashly in jest. He eveir spoke lightly of death as a bugbear the world cause- lessly feared. It appears from his •-writings, <he at first had doubts whether it was. just and reasonable Tor him to deprive his wife of life, and offers against it only this reason. |