Report of the case of Geo. C. Hersey, indicted for the murder of Betsy Frances Tirrell, before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts : including the hearing on the motion in arrest of judgment, the prisoner's petition for a commutation of sentence, the death warrant, officer's return upon it, and the confession / by James M.W. Yerrinton.

  • Hersey, Geo. C. (George Canning), -1862.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the case of Geo. C. Hersey, indicted for the murder of Betsy Frances Tirrell, before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts : including the hearing on the motion in arrest of judgment, the prisoner's petition for a commutation of sentence, the death warrant, officer's return upon it, and the confession / by James M.W. Yerrinton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    51/276
    some. I have told them what I knew about it. I don't think I remembered the May-baskets at Weymouth. I think it was a week ago last Tuesday or last Tuesday I first thought of it. My mother thought of it first, and told me of it. I don't know whether I came directly home that Wednesday night from school or not. Father was about home, and I think Mr. Her- sey was, but I cannot tell. He was at home to tea. Don't re- member what we had for supper. I remember one thing that we had for tea — pork-cake. Don't remember lobster salad, and cannot recal it. Before Mary died, I slept in another room, and Mary and Frances slept together in that room. I thought Frances went out of the room not more than five minutes after she came in. She came back in a moment. She twitched so violently as to awake me. I don't know that she spoke to me until after I woke. She did not say anything more than I have said. I think I said that down at Weymouth. She did not say anything more to me till father and mother came in. No one came into the room until father and mother and Mr. Hersey came in, after I woke. Mrs. Betsy Richards sworn — examined by Mr. Harris.— I am the wife of Mr. Randall Richards, and sister of Wilson Tirrell. I was called to Mr. Tirrell's house the 3d of May. Couldn't tell whether it was half-past nine or quarter of ten. My house is about forty rods from his. When I went to Betsy Frances' chamber she laid on her side, all kind of curled up; seemed to be stiff. I went to her and rubbed her. Slie laid over so far, that I raised her head to prevent her from stifling, and wiped the blood from her mouth. Then she went into a fit, and was convulsed all over. Dr. Howe came and took the light, and pronounced her dead. I should not think it was more than fifteen minutes after I went in. We did not make any effort to turn her, for we thought her fit would be stronger if we turned her over. She appeared convulsed all over. Her hands and limbs appeared to be affected the most. She did not move her head so much. I had hold of her hand, and it was convulsed. I cannot state the condition of her fingers, for I had my hand under her head all the time most. She did not speak to me. I saw Mr. Hersey down below as I went out for some water. I spoke a few words to him, but there was not much conver- sation. He was in a sort of shed. I asked him what he was in there alone for; and he said he would rather stay in there; and I told him I should think he would rather be with the family. He then came out. My sister was with me when I went down. I saw him Saturday in the afternoon, in the