Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-08-02
The Aseutneyville Tragedy.
ATTEMPT TO LYNCH THE PRISONER

we published them last week, but many of
the details not given last week are of sad
interest, and we give them below:
The prisoners real name proves to be
Hiram Miller, though for sometime he has
called himself, Williams. Nor is he a |
Frenchman, but American born, his pa
rents living at Richford, VT His real
name was discovered in this wise: Mr.. L.
S. Goss Of Richford, was attending U.
S. Court at Windsor, and hearing of the
murder felt interested and went TO attend
the examination of the prisoner, when he
was astonished to find Miller as the pris-
oner, whom he had known from boyhood,
and whom he had never known by any
other name. He spoke to him and called
him by name, saying, is this you, Miller,
and the prisoner then owned up that his
name was Miller.
TIE editor of the Clarcmont, IN. H.)
Advocate visited the scene Of the murder,
and thus writes TO his paper:
In the kitchen, where Mr.. Gowing
was murdered, we found the blood stains
still on the floor. though efforts had been
made to remove them, in the midst of
which was the cut on the floor made by
the axe as it passed through the victims
head. From here the villain evidently
passed into the bedroom, when he COM
pleted his hellish purpose, the papering of
the room being stained with the blood as
it flew from the CHASTITY wounds inflicted
upon the head and face Of Mrs. Gowing.
Everything in those apartments wore an
awful aspect-the shattered bureaus, the
stained floors and partitions, the bloody
implements of death, and the lifeless forms
Of the united head of that family who a
very few hours previous were in full health
and strength, with fair prospects for the
future, attending to their accustomed avo-
cations-all conspired to cast gloom upon
the scene before us which we hope never
again to witness. The little daughter we
found sitting, probably in her accustomed
place when no sorrow had stricken her
youthful heart, " buried in silent Sadness"
her fountain of tears apparently exhaust
ed. The boy, older in years, but with no
mental faculties to realize the import of
what was passing around him, or the awful
tragedy that had left him helpless or
phan. The hearts of all present seemed
to be touched with the deepest sympathy
for these two remaining children of the
deceased
The funeral took place on Wednesday.
After brief service at the house, the
more public exercises were held in the
church at Weathersfield Corners both of
the bodies, in neatly finished caskets, be-
ing placed in front of the altar. The
house was crowded, and the religious SER
vices brief and appropriate to the occasion.
The remarks Of the clergymen, Revs.
kimball and White, were extemporaneous,
and had reference mainly TO the tragical
event that had called them together, and
the varied feelings of solemnity, sorrow
and pity, it had created in the minds of
the community.
Opportunity was then given to view the
remains, after which the procession moved
TO the burial yard at the Corners, where
they were both deposited in one grave"
The examination OF the prisoners was
commenced on Wednesday before Justice
John Spafford, the prosecution being con-
Quoted by Hon. John L. Desne, of Cav
endish, states Attorney, assisted by Col.
L. o. Seaver, and James administer of
Windsor, and j. b. Farnsworth of Wind
sor. counsel for prisoner.
We omit some OF the testimony as be-
] ing the some as the statements published
by us last week, particularly that of DIR.
Stiles of Windsor, who fully confirmed all
the statements made last week of the mu-
tilation of the bodies of the murdered
persons. Henry Williams, alias Hiram
Miller, was then formally arragned. He
was requested to stand up, and in answer
TO the question, what is your name," put
by" Mr.. Dean, said, My honest name is
Hiram Miller" He plead not guilty and
the examination commenced. The first
witness called was Mr.. Lemuel Hitchcock,
who lives about quarter of mile from
Mr.. Gowing's. He went there about six
o'clock in the morning TO grind scythe.
Seeing or hearing no one stirring about the
premises he went to the door entering into
the kitchen, raped twice, and no one re-
spending he found the door unfastened and
went in. The first object that met his
gaze was the dead body of Mr.. Gowing
lying on the right side in pool of blood
near the door. His head appeared 10 be
chopped through, the deadly instrument
having penetrated the floor as it passed
through, from just back of the left ear.
Recovering from the momentary shock
occasioned by the dreadful sight before