Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-08-06
EXCITEMENT AT BENNINGTON. VT.

Great excitement exists at BENNINGTON
growing ont Of a remarkable case doveloroJ
there, which seems to involve a probability oc
the murder. by farmer in that town in gooJ
circumstances, named Nathaniel STAFFORD or
his wife, and the dangerous POISONING of bis
child and servant girl in his employ. Tho
circumstances. as we have obtained a record
Of them, are these:
Yesterday morning SpafIord rose at an early
hour, before his wife had been awakened
built fire and prepared the coffee for break
fast. 1t was something unusual for him to do
this, but when his wife. who had awakened
meanwhile, offered to attend to the coffee. he
told her not 70 mind, he could make it as
well. When breakfast was served Spafford
remarked that he believed be would not drink
any coffee, and none was poured out for him
His wife asked him the reason for this lie
answered that he had been thinking that the
beverage was hurtful to him, that it destroyed
the tone of his stomach and weakened his
nerves. and therefore he had concluded 70
give itup. No suspicion Of an evil design
on his part being entertained this explanation
was deemed satisfactory Mrs Spaiford, her
child and servant girl employed in the fam
lily, all partook of the coffee.
Very soon after breakfast, Mrs. S. began to
a sensation of mlness which precedes violent
illness from sudden nhammatory attacks. She
remarked this to the servant girl, and the lat
ter replied that sho had been similarly affect
ed. Almost at the same time the child com
planned Of being unwcll. These prcmonitory
symptoms were almostimmcdatoly succeeded
by terrible vomiting, painful retching and
throbbing pains in the head in each case
neighbor, Mrs. Charles Clapp wife Of an
engineer on the Troy and Boston road. enter
ing the house. Mrs. Spahord, remembering
that her husband had drank none Of the cof-
fee in the morning, and coupling it with his
anxiety to prepare the coffee himself, exclaim-
ed that she had been poisoned by the beyer-
age Mrs. Clapp laughed at her lcars, and
asked ior a cup Of the coffee, Of which she
drank small quantity. Soon after she also
was taken sick, and precisely the same symp-
toms were manifested in her case.
Doctors Bruce and Ranney Of the village
were called upon to attond the cases They
remarked at once apparent indications of me-
talic poison Extreme prostration and heavy
pains in the stomach followed the fits Of ON
itng and rctching which marked the strange
Illness. Mrs Spaiford was the most seriously
affected of ell--thc child, which had drank
but little of the coffee, least so The servant
girl was very i'll during the day. but towards
evening her pains appeared 20 be allevated
somewhat, and apparently through the night
she did not suffer very much Mrs. Clapp
did not drink enough of the coffee 90 bo rcn-
dcrcd dangerously sick, but enough 20 oxpe-
rence the fits of vomiting and the burning
pains of which the others complained
The facts thus presented were regarded as
waranting the arrest of Spaford He was
taken in charge yesterday afternoon bv officer
Dyer Justice Toumhs, after a preliminary
examination, committed him % the Benning-
ton Jail, to await the result of the cases. lie
refuses TO say much with regard To the affair,
but denies his guilt After bis examination.
he declared that be would drink a cup of the
coffee, if it was furnished him. He drank
one or two swallows, and set IL aside. Soon
after he too wa, taken sick yomited. and COM
planned of the burning pain.
This morning, the physicians having the
patients I'M charge pronounced the servant
girl and the child ont OF danger Mrs Spaf-
I ford, however, it was thought by them would
/ die. She was sinking rapidly, aud the poison.
whatever it may have been. seemed TO
have operated with a fatal effect upon her
Last evening. \. =. Lyman, States Attorney,
took her ante norton deposition, which was
made by her in full view of the probabilities
OF death her physicians having informed her
that she was not likely TO recover. There is
nothing in hen statement which differs mate
rally from what Wc have stated. Her i'm
preston seemed TO De strong. Judging from
bis conduct. that her husband had poisoned
her-hut an impression, of course, docs not
become evidence until it has been borne out
( by fact.
The remaining portion of the coffee made
/ by Spatiord, and which-from what reason re-
mains TO be doveoped-soems to have been
the cause Of this mysterious sickness, vas
taken to Albany for analyzation this morning
DIR. Coon. an apothecary of the village. saws
that short time since be sold Spaford
quantity OF corrosive sublimate, which he
stated that be wanted for the purpose Of kill
Ing bed-bugs He lives in a new house. how
ever IN which there are no bed bugs, and his
family are not aware Of his having used any
OF the poison against The vermin. The symp-
toms of sickness in all five of the casos were
precisely such would ensue from the adj
mlnistration Of corrosive sublimate--being
oven more rapid in their appearance and Gar
more violent than in cases even where arsenic
mas been taken into the system. This circum-
stance seems to be one in peculiarly COM
piete and unbroken chain Of crcumstantial
evidence
Spaford is a man Of about 35 years. of fair
ropute hitherto, and in the enjoyment Of good
circumstances pecuniarily lie has been en-
ployed as manager of Wm. p Hawkes. farm.
/ With regard to the motive he would have for
committing the terrible crime which suspicion
iastens upon him-if he did commit tit is
stated that he has been for some time
past paying attention to young woman
/ at Salisbury that those attentions have
been OF an equiyocal character. and suspi-
clon is thus induced that he wanted to yet his
wito out of the way. Ii he did, he certainly
went to work IN very bungling manner to
do it,
The family of Spadoyd were visited yester-
day by. large numbers of people, anxious to
ascertain their condition and prospects. Num-
bers called on Spadord himself at the Jail.
but he declined to hold any conversation ON
the subject, remarking that the facts would
all come ont in course of time. This morning
the probability that his wife would die in
creased the interest in the subject, and the
excitement became remarkable, for place Of
the size of Bennington.
Late accounts state that the persons pols-