The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-11-06
Region Of Violence nnd Murder-7A
chapter OF Singular Fatalities.
IFrom the Hartford Times.l

There is singular fatality about the
neighborhoodin in Pennington where, last
Saturday evening, Luther G. Thompson
was murdered. It is near the West
Hartford line. Though the people
thereabouts are quiet, industrious, hon
est folks enough, yet murders, and
deaths by violence, seem to be connect
ed with that region and some of the
families living there. We will state
some remarkable facts to illustrate this
truth.
Some thirty-five or six years ago, a
citizen of Pennington by the name Of
Modiah Bird was murdered near the
same spot where Thompson has just
been killed. The murderer, curiously
enough, was mistaken in his man-just
as the murderer of Thompson is supposed
to have been mistaken in the man he
killed last Saturday. Mr.. Bird was
mistaken for Linus Goodrich. The
murderer, wild and violent man
from Bristol, named William Rowe,
had been hanging sbout Good
rich's premises all day, refusing
to leave, and growing more and more
insolent. At length, on refusal of
Goodrich to comply with all his demands
for cider, Rowe followed him into the
house, where his demanOr became 80
threatening as to frighten Goodrich,
who, leaving his family to the mercy of
the stranger, fled to the neighbors for
help. The neighbor, Nodiah Bird, q
resolute man, hastened with Goodrich
to sthe house, and was the first to enter.
On opening the door he was killed by
Rowe. The murderer stood ready with
an axe, and OH the opening of the door
struck the unfortunate Bird such a blow
in the neck as to fairly cut his head off;
the axe severing everything bones,
muscles, flesh and tendOns, and leaving
the head hung to the body by mere
shred of flesh and skin. Instantly the
murderer dashed the axe through the
nearest window and threw himself after
it. dashing out the window as he went.
He fled to the woods and hid. Not being
able after many days of hunting to find
him, and becoming satisfied that he was
in the habit of secretly visiting the
house of cousin at night for food, the
selectmen of Pennington armed half
dozen men with rifles and employed
them to hide themselves and watch the
house. 1t was said the murderer came
wrapped in cloak. And here arose one OF
the extraordinary circumstances OF this
strange affair. About three o'clock, be-
fore the thick darkness had begun to
break, one of the watchers, by the
name of eager, thought he detected the
form of man, ina cloak, obscurely and
stealthily making his way through the
ward, beneath a clothes line. Looking
more intently, his surmise proved cor
rect and he fired. The bullet entered
the mans shoulder and came out at his
ribs, and left the man dead on the
ground: but he proved to be, not the
murderer, but Mr.. Bodwoll, of Farm
ington, one of Gager's own party OF
armed watchers.
Thus there was double murder, and
in both eases the victim proved to be
the wrong man. eager was arrested
and imprisoned; and for more than a
year he remained in Jail, but was finally
released.
The mysterious murderer continued
" oyado all pursuit. AZ length
man, all wfid and
shaggy, his clothing in rags, and his
feet bound around with the bark of
trees for protection, suddenly entered
the house of Mr.. Caldwell, and asked for
to eat. He looked haggard
and dangerous-a regular wild man of
the woods-and Caldwell Gt was the
Caldwell whose son was murdered mt
New Britain two years ago) ordered him
off, saying he would give him nothing.
His wife, however, with q sagac-
ity and presence of mind worthy of
notice, exclaimed, 81 have something
for him-he is hungry-I will cook him
a breakfast" and stepping through the
door as if to enter the kitchen, she told
her son to run for his life, go to the
neighbors and tell them to hurry, pro-
vide themselves with ropes, and come,
for the murderer of Nodiah Bird was in
her house. This was done; half dozen
stout men promptly appeared with
ropes and seized Rowe-for it was he
and. after furious and almost doubtful
struggle, succeeded in binding him fast.
His trial took place in due time, and he
was acquitted on the ground of insanity.
In addition to these four murders
those of Bird. Bodwell, Caldwell and
Thompson-the families of the neigh
borhood in question have not been
without tho experience of further
tragedy, in the shape of the death, by
violence, of cousin of the unfortunate
Luther G. Thompson. We refer to John
W. Thompson, whose tragic death in the
machinery of mill, Zone of the mills
which have just been in arbitration in
the case of the Hartford water supply,)
excited so much feeling and regret in
the neighborhood year or two ago,