Murderer. Beadle was born in a village near London, England. He emigrated to America in 1762, settling initially in Stratford, Connecticut, then moved to Fairfield where he married and remained for some years, and finally moved to Wethersfield, Connecticut, about 1772. By the time of his arrival in Wethersfield he had acquired property worth about twelve hundred pounds. During the American Revolution he gradually sold off his stock, and shifted his wealth into Continental currency, believing it to increase in value as the United States became independent. Unfortunately, the currency lost value, becoming nearly worthless, and when it became clear that his cash would not regain its former worth, he was thrown into a state of despair. With his estate diminished he adopted a plan of the most rigid family economy while at the same time trying to keep up his former appearances. Beadle was convinced that every man had a right to take his own life and also that the right of self-destruction extended to offspring. He thought about this for around three years and made at least three aborted attempts to murder his family in November 1782 but was still unsure. The morning of December 10th he sent the maid off with a note to the family physician. At that time he had already killed his wife. When the maid had left he went to his children's bedchamber, killed them and laid them out in a row on the floor, covering their bodies with a blanket. Afterward he walked downstairs and placed the muzzle of a pistol into each ear and fired them. The villagers were so outraged at this murder-suicide that they placed his body on a sled, pulled it to the riverside and buried in between the high and low water mark, with the bloody knife fastened to his body.