Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-01-31
The Troy Murder,
DETAILED ACCOUNT OF the AFFAIR.

evening we take the following detailed
account of the murder which occurred
in that city on Saturday evening last:
One of those terrible tragedies which
sometimes stSrtles whole communities
and awaken the opposite emotions Of
sorrow for the slain and of indignation
against those who causeessly sacrifice
human life, was enacted in this city on
Saturday evening last. Joel B. Th0mp-
son, theson Of widowed mother for
whom all hearts are blent in kindly
sympathy, a young man not more than
thirty years of age and well known In
Troy, on our most public thorOughfare,
at the early hour o! 8 O'Clock, cause
lesslv shot and killed Thomas H. Bailey.
engineer of the Rankin steamer company.
The affair is one of the most terrible that
ever occurred in Troy. Both young men
were well known-prominent characters
in the City-and up to the very moment
of the tragic occurrence had been on
terms of perfect friendship, though
never Of intimacy. Thompson, with his
mother, was a wholesale fruit and OyS-
ter dealer on Third street, and Bailey's
connection with the fire department had
given him prominence in the city and
made him known TO- as he made himself
respected by very large portian Of our
citizens. Both were respectfully con-
nected-the one leaves young Vile VINO
has not yet witnessed the nrst annlVer-
sary Of her marriage, a mother aud
large circle Of relatives, to mourn his
loss; the other, by mad act, pIunges
dotlng mother, TWO sisters ana young
brother into the deepest vortex Oh misery
for whom
"a fearful hope is all the world contains.
The murder was the work Of a mo-
ment. 4 word is spoken, perhaps Il
blow is given, a pistol is drawn, flash,
q loud report, the bullet piprCes the vi
tails, the strong and rONns5 man i2tt2
with cry to the earth, lew CASA, ana
the volume Of q life is sealed forever
The remote cause Of the murder was
an insult given by Thompson TO BaileY's
sister, Miss Joanna Bailey, a teacher IN
| one Of the public schools Of the city,
and young lady Of the very highest re-
| speCtability, and the most excellent asso-
citation in society. The more direct
cause Of the act is rum-Thompson be-
ing at the time Of its commission some
what under the influence OF liquor,
| though not by any means drunk in the
! fullest aCceptation. We will speak OF
the more direct cause first. Formerly,
Thompsons propensity to drink broke
out in frequent scenes Of debauchery and
revel, but about eighteen months ago he
signed the pledge, and up to within the
past week or two, had led perfectly
sober and temperate life. The heart OF
his widowed mother was cheered by the
work Of reformation, and the promise 1t
gave Of life Of usefulness and honor to
her son, who, when he was Joel B
Thompson, was generous, kind-hearted
and courteous in his demeanor toward
all. But the promise was broken at last
The fatal cup was again seized, and like
hundreds and thousands of others its
victim fell, ne'er to rise again.
On this fatal occasion OF intoxlcatlon
Thompson met Miss Bailey with a lady
friend on River street, and pacing MS
hands before his mouth somewhat IN the
shape OF tunnel, blew a dlscordan'
SOUND IN MISS BIS ear. She turned upor
him and remarked, That Is not very
gentlemanly," when thompson replied
with 1oul ana vulgar expression Iht
!ady passed on ana soon returned nome
Here she IOund ner orotner, IhomaS
VINO had IKE htrsell returned from 3
Walk with ms VIE Young lazy de
tailed the circumstances OF the insult u
her brother, who, without Temath, lei
the house. 1t was not the nature 0
Tom Bailey to pass an insult 20 nimseI
or illend lightly by. lie closed the 600
-lelt his young wlte-and fifteen MN
utes afterwards was corpse
Bailey passed down the street.-the
residence was No. 80 North Third stree
to the Rankin engine house, where h'
met John Law, the driver Of the com
pany, and asked him ITO take walk
The two proceeded down River street
and on the way,E Mr.. Bailey explained
to Law the insult to his sister, and thai
he intended simply to caution Thomp
son not to do it again. Mr.. Law very
| properly declines to state until he i:
sworn what transpired after this con
versation and up to the commission o
the fatal act; but from variety Of cir.
cumstances we believe this will appear