The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-12-04
Dec. 4, l9A5.
THN GREEN OUTRAGE,


Cur readers, it is probable, have moi
YET forgotten the account Of an affair in
tolving an attempt upon the life Of Mrs.
Vars recently published in the Tribune.
Since The publication of this article a man
by the name of John Johnson, resident
In Greene, has been arrested by the Sher.
if of Broome Co., N. Y. charged with
the murder of the wife of Mr. James Bolt,
Of Triangle, in May. 1914. It was sup
posed that Mrs Vars was informed OF the
Circumstance, and that 10 prevent an ex
posure of his crime, the monster had made
an attempt upon her life, which we have
already noticed
Johnson, the accused is said to be one
OF the wealthiest men in Greene-is over
607years OF age. and is worth some $70,.
600.
james Bolt, of Greene, the husband of
the woman supposed TO have been murder
ed--was the first witness sworn. From
his statements it appears that he had been
q tenant of Johnson's. That Johnson had
had forcl5le connection with his wife
shortly after his removal to the farm, and
had sworn TO kill her if she disclosed the
fact, Bolt accused Johnson, and the lat
ter offered to compromise, either by pay
menl 10 dollars and cents, or ia lands
Boil, refused to be pacifed, and removed
from the farm. This conversation was
held on Saturday. On the next Monday
morning, Mrs. Bolt LEFT the house, (his
was in May l844) since when no lidiogs
have been received of her. Bolt's Gaugh
ter--a young girl of l5-was called upon
as witness, and stated that she had over>
heard Johnson when making the above
threats against her mother. Mrs. Bur
dick (whose case was the same as that Of
Mrs. Vars-having been gagged, bound
and thrown into ditch in similar man
ner, and from the effect of which she be.
came derauged, aud was sent to an asylum
as lunallc.) has recovered from her tens
porary insanity, and returned to her home
whence she has issued an atiilav: that
she was knowing to circumstances which
left no room for doubt upon her mind as
to the guilt Of Johnson in the affair of the
disappearance of Mrs. Bolt. She inferred
ibis from conversations which she had
overheard between the accused and others
that she entered the room where one of
these conversations was taking place in a
very sudden and unexpected manner, and
was asked by Johnson if she had over
heard him. Upon her answering in the
affirmative, he threatened 10 kill her I'M
less she promised TO be siient-which she
did. We extract the following from an
article in The Oxford Times, published in
Chenango Co, the scene OF the mysieri-
Gus occurrences of which It treats:
1--WE are told that Mrs. Burdick says,
about three weeks after this conversation,
Johnson came to her mober's house when
she was alone, and inquired for her moth,
or, that she told him her mo'her had not
got home from Norwich; that he said
wha, shall | do ? that she asked him if he
had any work Tor her TO do-any sewing!
that he said 90, but business of more inn
porance. and said she (Mrs. Burdick)
must do il for him that she then attempt
ed 10 escape that Johnson then seized an
axe and said he would kill her il she left |
the room; that before he (Johnson) left he
led her into the kitchen, tied her hands
behind her with clothes line, and tied
her to bed-pos, lied bonnet over her
face, and then went out doors and came
back WIKI -four bag partly fled-thal
he then took the bonnet from her face, I'm
tied her hands, tied the cord round her
waist long enough so she could go to the
fire while tied to the bed-posl; that he
then took quantity of human bones out
Of The bag, among which was the head,
Sones and others, that he told her they
were Mrs. Bolts bones, and said she must
burn them that she tainted that Johnson
then burnt The bones--that he held 40 axe
over her head, made her get on her knees,
and said he was afraid she would tell Of
it, and that he was a mind 10 kill her OF
the spot that she begged for her life ; that
he said he would destroy her as he had
Mrs. Bolt. and burn her up as she had
seen her bones burn. if she told of it; that
il he was hung he had friends that would |
kill her, and that she knew it, as she had
jus! seen with her own eyes that he then !
united her aud went away
The trial is still progressing, and creates
much interest Throughout. the adjoining
eoun.ies. - Tribune.
EnDEIGN NEWS