Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-07-31
Shocking Murder.

double murder exceeding anything in
savage ferocity that ever took place in Yer
mont, perpetrated in Weathersfield on
Tuesday morning, the Odd inst.
About & o'clock that morning a Mr. Hitch
cock, living in Ascutneyville, abou. four and
half miles below Windsor, had occasion to
go to the house of Joshua c. Gowing
farmer living near him. On arriving there
and seeing no stir, Mr. II. knocked at the
door, and receiving no responce ventured to
try the door. The door easily opened and
Mr.. Gowing was found lying upon the kitch-
en- floor, partially dressed and dead his head
strnck with club which lay near by, and
cut open with an axe. large quantity of
blood lay beneath and around him on the
floor. Upon going into the bedroom where
Mr.. Gowing and his wife slept, he 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 little to the right of
her nose down through her mouth On look
ing further 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 towards morning she thought
she heard some one knock the outside
door and her father called out to know who
was there A name of one of his neighbOrs
was given, and upon Mr.. Gowing asking
what he wanted he said he called to tell him
there were some cattle 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 scared and went and got under
her mothers bed in her fright, and lay there
until she went to sleep, and until she came
81 4 IL,
ton 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 the
corn, and that il the hired man who
worked for her father and lived at their
house last summer, whose name was
Williams, man of French descent
A little later in the day it was discovered
that Williams came into the place that morn
ing to let himself to work, and did engage
himself. but said that before going to work
he wished to 20 to Windsor to get him a truss
on account of breach. with which he was
troubled, his old one being broke. and left
early to 90 to Windsor to get one.
An officer was sent in pursuit, and he was
followed to Windsor. and into the stores
there, where he inquired for a scythe in one
store, and a truss in an other. aud in which
he bought truss. and then left, going off in
the direction of Ascutneyville. The officers
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 ODD, to
go to Ascutneyville TO work out; that he
took the ears and came down on the second
train and got off at the high bridge in Clare
mont. about two o'clock in the morning of
the ODD and started for Ascutnevville, dis
tanee of little over one mile. On getting to
the covered bridge that crossed Connecticut
river at that place, it not being daylight,
he lay down in the bridge and fell asleep.
When he awoke it was broad day and he
then went into Ascutneyyille, and let him
self to a Mr.. Weston. He then left for
Windsor t. get n truss, when he was arrested.
If the object of the murder 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 hav
ing been searched. but the money was not
found Mr.. Gowing had 800 in govern
ment bonds, which were in the straw ticking
of the bed they occupied, and there was also
$50 in greenback currency between the
feather and straw beds. all which was undis-
turbed
Mr.. Gowing and wife were respectable, well
to do people. quiet and industrious, and aged
about fifty years. He owned the farm where
he lived on Connecticut river, worth about
six thousand dollars and well stocked and
supplied He probably owing some
debts. Two children are left, a boy who is
under twenty years Of age and non compos,
and the girl above spoken of.
Williams had preliminary examination
at Windsor, on Tuesday, and was held to an
swer for the murder. Blood was found upon
his clothes, which he could or would not ac-
count for. and all the circumstances seem to
point to him the guilty man.