Monmouth County, New Jersey Newspapers

Monmouth County, NJ
Crime News Stories

Murder

The Trenton True American relates a most barbarous occurrence which took place on the 4th inst., at Middletown, Monmouth county, New Jersey, the substance of which is as follows:
A Mr. Read, Teacher in the Academy in that place, had for sometime paid his addresses to a widow Conover, but had not been successful. Mrs. Conover was invited, at Read’s secret instigation, to visit a woman who lived in a part of the house in which he lodged, on the afternoon above mentioned, with which invitation she unsuspectedly complied. Read took advantage of the ambience of the landlady, to press Mrs. Conover to go into a chamber and view a piece of writing, which he said was of a private nature. Curiosity prevailed, and she soon found herself locked into a room, with this villain who had pocketed the key, the windows of which had been previously fastened. He bid her sit down which she did, on the foot of the bed. He then took a razor (before concealed) and attempted, at one violent pass at her throat, to put an end to her existence! Supposing the wound given effectual, he gave himself a fatal gash! Finding his attempt on Mrs. Conover, ineffectual, he repeated the exercise of his bloody instrument, several times; but she parried his murderous attempts, which loss of blood at length compelled him to give over. Her screams at length alarmed the neighbours, who broke into the room and found both weltering in their gore, on the bed! He expired immediately, but she though much haggled, is likely to recover. They were both respectable, - she about 40 years of age, and he, it is said, had specie and checks to the amount of 1000 dollars, in his pocket, at the time. -- Temperate Zone.
[Submitted by Nancy Piper]