David Abbott (abt. 1797 - aft. 1841)

Born about 1 Jan 1797 in Connecticut, United States

Ancestors

Died after 18 Jul 1841 after about age 44 in Connecticut, United States

Biography

son of David and Sarah (Tyler) Abbott

Hi killed his wife on July 18, 1841

Sources

• Humiston, Rev. Wallace. Two Private Connecticut Mortuary Lists, The American Genealogist (1950) Vol. 26, Page 47.
• Evening Post (Saturday, Jul 17, 1841 New York, NY) Issue: 11972 Page: 2: "Murder And Attempt At Suicide"

• "On Tuesday night last, Mr. David Abbott, of Middlebury, in a fit of derangement, killed his wife by strangling her, (it is supposed while asleep) and the cutting his own throat, which had not yet proved fatal, thoughhis situation is very precarious. He has eight or ten children."

• Norwich Courier (Wednesday, Jul 21, 1841 Norwich, CT) Vol: XX Issue: 19 Page: 3: "Murder and Suicide"

• "... David Abbot, a farmer in good circumstances as regards property; and the victim is his own wife. The deed was perpetrated in Middlebury, in this county. Abbott is 45 years of age. He has been for some time intemperate; and had often abused his wife, and on Tuesday night he strangled her to death and cut his own throat. He was living when last hear from, and we understand there is a prospect of his recovery.... It is enough to know that Rum was the instagating cause of this crime, ..."

• Commercial Advertiser (Saturday, Oct 30, 1841 New York, NY) Page: 2: "Another Conviction"

• "David Abbott, after a trial of several days, has been convicted at New Haven of the murder of his wife, and sentenced to be executed on the 3d of next July. The murder was undoubtedly committed under the influence of frenzy, but it was frenzy caused by rum and cider."

• Newark Daily Advertiser (Saturday, Jun 04, 1842 Newark, NJ) Page: 2: "Commutation of Punishment"

• "The House were engaged for two hours this morning on the order of the day, to commute the sentence of David Abbott, for the murder of his wife, for imprisonment for life. The Committee to whom the subject was referred unanimously reported in favor of the communtation, upon the testimony of a number of the most eminent members of the Medical Faculty, that he was insane, subject to a monomania which reason had no power to govern..."