Wow Jean - No dull ancestors in your family! Lisa ----- Original Message ----- From: "JeanB" <gentlesunset@cox.net> To: <RIGENWEB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 2:34 PM Subject: [RIGENWEB] Re: Pollock Murder -- The Scoop > I want to thank everyone that answered my query and sent the info on the > murder...certainly was interesting...now, if we only could get our hands on > that pamphlet that told about it...and about the murder of Jeremiahs > brother..hummmmmm....I certainly have a family full of murders or murderers > in some way or another..my ancetor John Billington was the 1st person > executed here on this soil for the murder of John Newcombe...his son Francis > almost blew up the Mayflower by shooting of his musket near the gun powder > on the ship, and his son John got lost in the woods and lived with Indians > for a month....LOL.... > Then this Pollock mess and of course my Gr Gr Grandfather John Snyder Dodd > in West Virginia was acquited of murder after he killed a circus worker that > had kidnapped his young daughter and had her working in the circus.... > > Wonder what else I can find....Hey, if nothing else I have a colorful bunch > of ancestors... > > Thanks again..Jean > > >>> > >>> From: "Lisa Lepore" <llepore@comcast.net> > >>> Date: 2006/03/15 Wed PM 11:15:45 EST > >>> To: RIGENWEB-L@rootsweb.com > >>> Subject: Re: [RIGENWEB] Pollock Murder -- The Scoop > >>> > >>> Thanks for posting these fascinating articles. > >>> > >>> I don't understand why in this case Adonijah Baily > >>> was sentenced to death, but in the case of Mr. > >>> Brown, posted the other day, he got off virtually > >>> scott free. > >>> > >>> Was the life of child not valued as much as that of > >>> an adult man? Or, was it that corporal punishment > >>> was an accepted activity, but in the Brown case, > >>> the child *unfortunately* died? > >>> > >>> It would be interesting to know if anyone has studied > >>> the court cases of this time period to see what types > >>> of sentences were imposed for what types of crimes. > >>> > >>> Lisa > >>> > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: M. E. Potter > >>> To: RIGENWEB-L@rootsweb.com > >>> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 6:50 PM > >>> Subject: Re: [RIGENWEB] Pollock Murder -- The Scoop > >>> > >>> > >>> Hi Jean, > >>> > >>> All of the following are from the same source, "Early American > >>> Newspapers, > >>> Series I, 1690 to 1876" available to members on the NEHGS website. > >>> > >>> First, the following popped up (in case you don't already know this): > >>> > >>> From the Rhode-Island Republican, Vol.. 13, Iss. 27, pg. 4, > >>> 1821-10-03: > >>> > >>> "WASHINGTON, ss. -- Supreme Judicial Court / October term, A. D. 1820. > >>> / > >>> WHEREAS Marvel Pollock of Exeter, in the county of Washington, wife of > >>> Jeremiah W. Pollock, now residing in parts unknown, has this day filed > >>> her > >>> petition, in my Office, praying, for certain reasons therein stated, > >>> that > >>> the bonds of matrimony subsisting between her and the said Jeremiah, > >>> may be > >>> dissolved. Notice is hereby given to the said Jeremiah, to be and > >>> appear, > >>> if he see fit, before the Honorable Supreme Judicial Court to be > >>> holden, at > >>> South-Kingstown, within and for the county of Washington, on the > >>> second > >>> Monday of October, 1821, to shew [sic] cause why the prayer of said > >>> petition, ought not to be granted. / JOHN SEGAR, Clerk. / South > >>> Kingstown, > >>> Aug. 18, 1821 [S.12]" > >>> > >>> [If you don't already have the divorce papers, you can get them, free > >>> of > >>> charge, by emailing <archives@courts.ri.gov> ] > >>> > >>> > >>> From the Norwich Courier, Vol. III, Iss. 42, pg. 3, 1825-01-19: > >>> "Trial > >>> for Murder. -- On Wednesday last, came on the trial of Adonijah > >>> Bailey, > >>> aged 80 years, for the murder of Jeremiah W. Pollock, at the Superior > >>> Court, holden at Brooklyn -- Judges Peters and Brainard presiding. The > >>> jury > >>> retired about 20 minutes, and returned with a verdict of GUILTY. / We > >>> understand that the counsel for the prisoner have in arrest of > >>> judgment on > >>> the ground of one of the jurors not being a freeholder, and petitioned > >>> for > >>> a new trial on account of the misdirection of the Judge." > >>> > >>> > >>> From the Middlesex Gazette, Vol. XL, Iss. 2044 , pg. 2, > >>> 1825-01-26: "DOMESTIC. / On Wednesday last, the trial of Adonijah > >>> Baily > >>> [sic] for the murder of Jeremiah W. Pollock, commenced at Brooklyn, in > >>> the > >>> county of Windham, and terminated on Friday evening. So much interest > >>> had > >>> been excited, that before the trial commenced, the town was thronged > >>> with > >>> people from all parts of the County. The Hon. Judge PETERS presided at > >>> the > >>> trial. When Bailey was brought in to plead, great anxiety was > >>> manifested to > >>> witness the solemn scene. The prisoner was brought in by the Sheriff > >>> and > >>> his deputies, and as he approached the bar of justice, at the age of > >>> 79, > >>> halting with infirmity, every soul present seemed deeply affected, > >>> exoept > >>> [sic] the prisoner, who though attentive was unmoved. The case was > >>> conducted on the part of the State, by Col. JUDSON, State Attorney, > >>> assisted by Wm. P. CLEAVELAND, Esq.; and on the part of the prisoner > >>> by C. > >>> GODDARD, and J. EATON, Esquires. / The testimony disclosed the most > >>> cruel > >>> and awful murder that has taken place in the State of Connecticut for > >>> many > >>> years. The substance of the testimony was as follows: -- / Pollock had > >>> for > >>> some weeks been at work at Baileys, in the town of Sterling, and on > >>> the 23d > >>> of Oct. last, Pollock was missing: search was made from day to day for > >>> the > >>> body, until Nov. 3d when it was found buried, one foot deep, eight > >>> rods > >>> from the place where Bailey and Pollock had been at work. On taking > >>> the > >>> body from the ground, it appeared that four wounds were made on the > >>> back > >>> part of the head, cut through the scull [sic] with an axe. Eight > >>> witnesses > >>> testified that Bailey said he was with Pollock, making shingles until > >>> 11 > >>> o'clock on the 23d of Oct. when Pollock went away, to go to a > >>> neighbouring > >>> store, and that he, Bailey, stayed to work till late dinner time, and > >>> immediately returned and continued work there all day. Traces of blood > >>> were > >>> discovered from the shingle place, to the place where the body was > >>> found, > >>> and a fire had been kindled with a view to burn up the bloody > >>> shavings, but > >>> many were found partly consumed and others covered up, all this within > >>> 30 > >>> rods of Bailey's house. Bailey was asked whether there was any fire on > >>> the > >>> spot on the day Pollock was missing, repeatedly said there was none, > >>> could > >>> not have been any, as he was in a situation to know, being there all > >>> the > >>> time. It was then proved beyond all doubt that a fire was seen to be > >>> kindled around the shingle place about 2 o'clock P. M. which remained > >>> to > >>> burn some time. On searching Bailey, a note and order belonging to > >>> Pollock > >>> were found in his possession. Pollock's trunk was found open, and all > >>> its > >>> contents taken out, and some papers belonging to Pollock were thrown > >>> into > >>> the fire, and identified, some of them were taken off by a witness > >>> before > >>> consumed. When Pollock was last seen he had money with him and Bailey > >>> was > >>> destitute of any, until after Pollock's death, when he passed money at > >>> the > >>> store, to a considerable amount. Pollock's pocket-book and watch have > >>> never > >>> been found. One witness swore that about 10 days before Pollock was > >>> murdered, Bailey said 'that he or Pollock should die soon.' After > >>> Bailey's > >>> arrest and while under the care of the officer he tried to bribe his > >>> keepers and get away from them. -- These together with many other > >>> circumstances rendered his case entirely hopeless. After a protracted > >>> trial > >>> of three days, the cause was committed to the Jury, who returned a > >>> verdict > >>> of GUILTY. / The next day the prisoner was set at the bar to receive > >>> sentence, and being asked whether he had any reasons why sentence of > >>> death > >>> should not be pronounced, the prisoner replied with perfect coolness, > >>> that > >>> 'he had none, for he was willing to submit to the law.' / Judge Peters > >>> then > >>> proceeded in a most solemn and impressive manner to conclude the > >>> scene. The > >>> sentence was pronounced, and the execution is to take place the 2d > >>> Wednesday of June next. -- N. L. Advocate." > >>> > >>> From the Rhode Island American, Vol. XVII, Iss. 35, pg. 2, > >>> 1825-01-28: "At a recent term of the Supreme Court of Connecticut in > >>> Windham county, Adonijah Bailey, aged eighty years, was convicted of > >>> the > >>> murder of Jeremiah W. Pollock, and sentenced to be executed on the 8th > >>> of > >>> June next. It is stated that the testimony disclosed the most cruel > >>> and > >>> awful murder that has been committed in Connecticut for many years." > >>> > >>> From the Middlesex Gazette, Vol. XL, Iss. 2062, pg. 3, 1825-06-01: > >>> "On > >>> the night of the 24th inst. Adonijah Bailey who was sentenced to be > >>> executed on the 8th day of June next, for the murder of Jeremiah W. > >>> Pollock, evaded the sentence of the Judge by hanging himself, during > >>> the > >>> silence of the night in the dreary mansion of the Goal [sic], without > >>> any > >>> one to assist him. He made his rope of bandages which he took from his > >>> sore > >>> leg, and attached one end of it by a nail to the hinge of the door, > >>> and the > >>> other part of the rope round his neck, he was found hanging with his > >>> knees > >>> nearly to the floor, when the Goaler [sic] entered his room in the > >>> morning, > >>> the body was interred on Thursday. / Since his death we understand the > >>> Gaoler has found many papers in the room where he was confined which > >>> contain his confession of many black crimes, and among which, is the > >>> murder > >>> of Jeremiah W. Pollock, he has confessed how and in what manner he > >>> committed the bloody deed but not the cause, all of which will soon > >>> appear > >>> in a pamphlet containing also his trial. -- Brooklyn Obser." > >>> > >>> > >>> Perhaps you can track down that pamphlet, if it was ever actually > >>> published. Maybe a local historical society would have a copy. > >>> > >>> Regards, > >>> Margaret > >>> > >>> > >>> At 07:49 AM 3/15/2006, you wrote: > >>> >Hi Gang, > >>> >Here is another murder nightmare that I have in my genealogy. Maybe > >>> one of > >>> >you that have all this access to these great books can find > >>> something. > >>> >I certainly would appreciate it... > >>> >Jeremiah Wilson Pollock is my 5th gr grandfather..B 1769 > >>> Wakefield...died 23 > >>> >Oct 1824 Sterling, CT > >>> >Per Arnold...Jeremiah Wilson Pollock was a postal carrier and Whig > >>> >Also he was murdered in Sterling, Ct. as was his brother 2 months > >>> prior. > >>> >Wonder if the murders are related. > >>> > > >>> >Sincerely, Jean B > >>> > > >>>