Connecticut Historical Collections

"Near the close of the day on the l'2tii of December, the bodies being still iinburied, the people who had collected in great numbers, grew almo.-^t I'rantic with rage, and in a manner demanded the body of the murderer; the law being silent on the subject, it was dilficult to determine where decency required the body should be placed, many proposed it should be in an ignominious manner where four roads met, without any cotfiu or insignia of respect, and perforated by a stake. Upon which a question arose, where that place could be found which might be unexceptionable to the neighborhood — but no one would consent it should be near his house or land. After some consultation it was thought best to place it on the bank of the river between high and low water mark; the body was handed out of the window and bound with cords on a sled, with the clothes on as it was found, and the bloody knife lied on his breast, without colfin or box, and the horse he usually rode was made fast to the sled — the hovse, unaccustomed WETIIERSFIELD. 119 to the drauglit, proceeded with great unsteadiness, sometimes running full speed, then stopping, followed by a miiliitude, until arriving at the water's edge, the body was tumbled into a hole dug for the purj)ose, like the carcase of a beast. Wot many days after there appeared an uneasiness in sundry persons at placing ihe body so near a fer- ry much frequented ; some threatenings were given out liiat the body should be taken up and a secynd time exposed to view. It was thought prudent it should be removed, and secretly deposited in some obscure spot ; it was accordingly removed with the ut- most secrecy ; notwithstanding which some childien accitlenially discovered the place, and the early fi-eshels partly washed up the body, and it has had a second remove to a place where it is hoped mankind will have no further ve.xalum with it. " On the i;]ih of December the bodies of the murdered were interred 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 procession of youths of the Jown, all bathed in tears; side by side the hapless woman's corpse was carried in solemn proceisiun to the parish church yaid, followed by a great concourse, who with ailcc- tionate concern and every tuk(Mi of resju'ct were aiiiious to express their heartfelt sor- row in performing the last niourntul duiies. " The persiin of Mr. Beadle was .small, his features striking and full of expression, with the aspect of tiercenc^s and delernunuiion ; his mind was conlem|)laiive, when once he had formed an opinion, was remarkably tenacious ; as a merchant or trader, he was esteemed a man of strict honor and integrity, and would not descend to any low ormeanariilice to atlvance his fuitune. He was turned of 52 years of age when he died. "Mrs. Beadle was born at Plyuiuulh, in Massachusetts, of reputable parents — a comely persun, of good address, well bred, and unusually yerene, sincere, unaffected and sensible; died in the middle of life, aged 32 yeais. " 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 pa- rents, who were uncuuimonly fond of displaying their little virtues and excellencies, and seemed to anticipate a continuance uf glowing parental satislaction ; alas, like early lender buds nipped by uiiiiiiiely fiosts, ihey did but begin to live ! " It is more than probable, that this iium had for months past desired that some or all of his children might be taken out ol'ihe workl bv accident; he removed all means of .security from a well near his liouse, which he was careful heretofore to keep covered. His little boy he often sent to swiin in the river, and has been heard to elude the child for not venturing further into deep water than his feais would sulfer him. He has at limes declared rt would give him no pain or uneasiness to follow his children to the grave: his acquaintance knew these exjiressions could not aiise from want of afl'ec- tiou or tendeine.>s for his children, but rather imagined hun speaking rashly in jest. He ever spoke lightly of denih as a bugbear the world causelessly feaied. It aiipears from his wniings, he at firsi had doubts whether it was just and reasonable lor him to deprive his wile of life, and offers against it only this reason, that he had no hand in bringing her iulo existence, and consequently had no power over her lil'e. She set out the 7lh of Xovemberon a journey to Fairfield, uhieh he Ihoughl was by direi lion of Heaven to clear him of his doiibi.s and remove her out of the way, at the lime the busi- ness was lo be done ; and his inteniion was to have executed his'desigii on himself and children in her absence. She proceeded no I'liriher than New Haven, and by reason of some disappointment, returned ten days earlier than expected; he appeared cha- grined at her eaily return, and soon began lo invent some justifying reasons for de- C riving her of life also. He finally concludes it would be unmerciful to leave her be- ind to languish out a life in misery and wretchedness, which must be the consequence of the surprising dealh of the rest of the family, and that since they had shared the frowns and smiles of foitune together, it would be cruelty lo her, to be divided from them in death. " 'Tis very natural for you to ask, whether it was possible a man could be trans- formed from an all'ectionate husband and an indulgent parent lo a secret murderer, without some previous alteration, which must have been noliced by (he family or ac- quaintance. Yet this was the case in this instance: there was no visible alteration m liis conduct. It appears by his writings tkat he thought he had a right to deprive him- self of life, and intended to exercise that right if ever he should think himself unfor- tunate: the extension of this right lo his children was very easj-. 'Tis probable^ ihe principle had grown uji gradually to ihe last stage. Since his death I have seen a let- ter he wrote to a friend as early as 1777, in which he has an expression like this — ' 1 be- lieve 1 and my family shall not live tosee the end of the war." It was then understood to mean nothing more than his expectation that the war would continue a long lime: his late conduct has explained it very ditferently. Whether Mrs. Beadle had any fears of his eval intentions or not, is nncenain : that she had feaissoine great calamity would befall the family is evident, both from what she said, and what he has lelt in writing. He writes on the 13th of November, that on the morning of the 17th she 120 WETHERSFIELD. told him, ' Slie dreamed he had wrote many papers, and was earnestly concerned for her, and tluit lliose papers were spotted with bluod ; and that .she also saw a man wound himself past recovery, and bluod guggle, (as she expressed it,) from dilfereut parts of his body.' In another letter, of a later date, he writes as follows, viz. ' I men- tioned before that my wife liad a dream concerning this afi'air ; she has since had two more, one of them, that she was suddenly seized and liable to great punishment ; thai it created great confusion, but she afterwards got free and was hapjty : from her excel- lence of heart, I have no doubt but this will be ttie case with her. 'On tlie thanksgiv- ing night she dreameil thai her three daughters all lay dead, and tliat they even Iroze in that situation ; and even yet I am little atfected,' " The afternoon before this terrible execution, Mrs. Beadle wallced abroad to visit an acquaintance, and it was observed by the lady she was uncommonly pensive; she asked the reason. Mrs. Beadle with much concern uM her, ' She bad for inonthsbeen troubled with frightful and uncommon dreams, and that very morning she dreamed violence had been ottered her family, and her children destroyed; she said those dreams wrought on her mind to a very great degree ; to divert hefthoughis from iheni she had walked abrcjad that afternoon; and that she verily believed Providence had judgments in store for iheir family, which he was about to inflict on them b_y some sweejiing sickness, or in some other a\\ I'ul manner.' Mr. Beadle, who, as appears by his writings, was alone privy to his malevolent intentions, put a very dillerent cuu- slruclion upon her dreams. He doubtless considered them as premonitions from Heaven, and convincing proof to him that his purpose was right, of whieh he says he hail sundry intimatitms he really thought from God himself, wliieh he does not describe.