Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-08-01
Tue weathersTieId Tragedy.

horrible murder OF Mr.. and Mrs. Gowing
at Ascutneyville;
"About o'clock on the morning of
Tuesday the 23d inst, Mr.. Hitchcock,
living in Ascutneyville, a small village
in Weathersfield, about four and half
miles below Windsor, on the Connecticut
River, had occasion to 30 to the house
of Joshua g. Gowing, a farmer living
near him on the river, but a short dis
lance below Ascutneyvlle. On arriving
there aud seeing no stir about the house,
which was unusual at that hour in the
morning, Mr.. H. knocked at the door
leading into the kitchen, and receiving
no response and hearing no noise, he
ventured to try the door to see if it was
locked. The door easily opened and Mr.
Gowing was fouBd lying upon the
kitchen foOr partially dressed and dead.
His head was found TO have been struck
with club, which lay near by, and cut
open with an axe. A large quantity of
blood lay beneath and around him on
the floor. Mr.. II. went into other rooms
in the house, but saw no one, and upon
going into the bedroom where Mr.. Cow.
ing and his wife slept, he saw some one
covered up in bed. He spoke and no
one replying he went to the bedside and
raised the bedClothes and found Mrs.
Gowing, wife of the murdered man, dead
in the bed, having been killed with
blow from an axe, with which she was
struck in the face, the axe going nearly
through-her head, passing from her eye
a little to the right Of her nose down
through her mouth, killing her probably
instantly. On looking further, their
daughter, young but simple minded
girl Of thirteen years of age, was found
under the bed where her murdered
mother lay. Upon getting her out she
had no knowledge that her father and
mother had been murdered, but said
that toward morning she thought she
heard some one knock on the outside
door and her father called out to know
who was there. A name OF one of his
near neighbors was given and upon Mr..
GOwing asking what he wanted, he said
he called to tell him there was some cat.
tie in his corn. Upon this she said her
father got up and partially dressed him
and went to the door. She then heard
some blows and some one fall, and that
she was much scared and went and got
under her mothers bed in her fright,
and lay there until she went to sleep,
and until she came out as above related,
She has no recollection or knowledge of
the murderous attack upon her mother.
On further inquiry, the girl said she
knew the voice of the man who came to
the door and told her father there were
cattle in his corn, and that it was the
hired man who worked for her father
and lived at their house last summer,
whose name was - Williams, man
of French descent, as we learn.
A little later in the day it was discov-
cred that williams came into the place
that morning, and went to two places
to let himself to work, and at the last
place, which was Mr.. Weston's, he did
engage himself but said that before 60
ing to work he wished to go to Windsor
to get him truss on account of breach
with which he was troubled, his old one
being broke, and left early to go to
Windsor to get one.
In an hour or two after he left, after
hearing what the girl said, an officer,
Mr.. Bowen, was sent in pursuit he was
followed to Windsor, and into the stores
there, where he inquired for a scythe in
one store and for a truss in another, and
in which he bought a truss and then left,
going off in the direction OF Ascutney
Vile. The officers went TO Windsor, and
after inQuiring, found he was last seen
going towards AsCutneyville, not far
from the South Church in Windsor viii
lage. They soon overlook and arrested
him.
He accounts for himself as follows :
That he left the town of Jay in Orleans
county, Vt. in the morning on Monday
the 22d, to 90 to Ascutneyville to work
out that he took the cars and came
down on the second train and got off at
the high bridge in Caremont, N. H.,
about two o'clock in the morning of
Tuesday, the 23d, and started for AsCut-
neville, distance of a little over one
mile. On getting to the covered bridge
that crosses the Connecticut river at
that place, it not being daylight, he lay
down ia the bridge and fell asleep.
When he awoke it was broad day and he
then went into Ascutneyville to find
place to work and let himself to Mr..
Weston. He then left for Windsor to
get truss where he was arrested.
1t is said there had been some diff
Guilty between Mr.. Gowing and this
Williams last year, when he worked for
Mr.. Gowing, but as to this we are not
fully informed. If the object of the
murder was money he failed. 1t was
found that one or more of the bureau
drawers in the room where Mr.. and Mrs.
Gowing slept had the appearance of
having been searched, but the money was
not found. Mr.. Gowing had S400 in
government bonds, which were in the
straw ticking of the bed they occupied,
and there was also $3.50 in greenback
currency between the feather and straw
beds, all of which was undisturbed.
Mr.. GowiDg and wife were respect
able, we'll to do people, quiet aud indus
trious, and aged about 30 years. He
owned the farm where he lived on Con-
necticut river, worth about six thous-
and dollars and well stocked and sup
piled. He was probably owing some
debts. Two children are left, a boy who
is under 20 years of age and non cOmpos,
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