Was Thomas Cornell Guilty of Killing His Mother?

What happened on the evening of 8 February, 1673 at the Cornell house in Portsmouth? The facts seemed fairly straight-forward: an elderly widow living with her son and family was found dead from burns in her bedroom. An initial inquest found that she "was brought to her untimely death by an Unhappie Accident of fire as She sat in her Room".  And yet in May, 1673, her son Thomas was brought to trial "at the Generall Court of Tryalls Held for the Collony at Newport", indicted for his mother's murder. What transpired in between? This is the subject of an original play being performed this Saturday and Sunday by the Portsmouth Community Theater. Hear the testimony of some of the witnesses and then decide how you would judge Thomas Cornell if you were on the jury. 
This real-life mystery took place on the Cornell property in Portsmouth near where the Valley Inn stands today. The play was based on the original trial transcripts and shows the power that the supernatural had on our 17th century forebearers.

THE PORTSMOUTH COMMUNITY THEATER presents
the World Premier of "The Ghostly Witness: the Untimely and uncertain death of Rebecca Cornell" writen by Cindy Killavey, Gloria and Richard Schmidt
and
Dark true stories from Portsmouth's Past.
Collected and edited by Gloria and Richard Schmidt
"Legend of the Old Quahauger" by Peter Kelley
on stage at
The Aquidneck Christian Academy
321 East Main Road Portsmouth, R.I. 02871
3 Performances only!
Saturday, October 5th at 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 6th at 2 & 7:00 pm

Tickets available at the door
Adults $10; Senior & Military $8

This performance is not suitable for young children
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