The Untimely Death of Nettie Belle Douglass: The Story of Henniker, New Hampshire's First Murder

The Untimely Death of Nettie Belle Douglass: The Story of Henniker, New Hampshire's First Murder

In the early hours of August 15, 1894, the peaceful village of Henniker, NH was shaken to its core by news of a gruesome murder- the first in its 126-year history. Fitz Courser, owner of the local livery stable, was awakened by the eerie sounds of a horse and carriage rattling through his yard, then disappearing up the road into the foggy night. Lantern in hand, he stumbled outside and to his horror, discovered the bloodstained body of 14-year-old Nettie Belle Douglass lying just outside his home. She had been shot three times in the head. The suspected killer, her 21-year-old beau, Arthur McLean, was nowhere to be found. What happened on that moonlit ride that drove Arthur to murder his young sweetheart? Only McLean knew the answer, and he wasn't talking. This is the true story of that fateful night.