Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-08-02
Murder in Weathersfeld.

"A most atrocious double murder
was committed at Ascutneyyille, in
the town of Weathersfield on July
23d, which for fendishness exceeds
anything that has ever occurred in
the State. We take the following &C
count of it from the Bellows Falls
Times, which will give as clear an
idea Of it as can be had:
We gather few more particulars
of the terrible tragedy at Ascutney-
vile. 1t appears that Williams had
worked for Gowing this season up to
the first of June last, and was engaged
for the season, but for some reason
refused to work longer, and on settle
ment they did not agree as to the
amount to be paid, Gowing claiming
damages because he was going to leave
at that season, and did not pay him
the full amount claimed into ten dol
lars.
This fired the passions of Williams
who then declared and threatened
that he would be even with him some
day. Williams admits that he came
down on BOWS train and got off at
Sugar River Bridge-that he did not
get off at Windsor as there was no
one there he knew, that he went to-
ward Ascutneyville till he came to the
covered bridge, where he thought he
would stop till daylight and then go
over to Gowing's. If this story had
been true, and he had gone to Cow
ing's he would Of course have found
the murdered family, instead of go
ing further off and letting himself to
work. The blood on his clothes he
accounts for by saying that his nose
had bled. Mr.. Gowing is man who
has dealt considerably in cattle, and
kept money by him for that purpose.
This fact was known to Williams
Mr.. Gowing was killed at his door as
before stated. Mrs. GOwing was
murdered in her bed with an axe, her
head being cut open in two Places
Mr.. G's head was also cut in two
places beside the blow with the lever,
which was a cart stake. In one blow
the blade Of the AK went through his
head into the floor. The child, thir-
teen years old, who had in her ter
rible fright entirely covered herself
under the clothes iii her trundie-bed.
says the murderer put his hand on
her, that she lay still as though asleep
and he evidently thought She wa5
asleep, and doubtless that was ali
That saved her life She went to sleep
afterwards, pcrulp, ,hiukiug she mad
been through Il horrible dream, OF
from exhaustion from her fright.
In seeking Ior p.uuder, the murder
er used the same AK with which he
mad committed the horrible butchery.
to smash open a bureau where he ex-
pecJed TO find money. The blood and
hair was spattcred from the ak and
left on the bureau. He ransacked
other places, but the money, some
5000, which he did not fnd, was all
this while in the bed under the muir.
dered woman where it has since been
found.
Williams admits that another mat
got off with him at Sugar River
Bridge, but claims to know nothing
more about him. The opinion at As
cutneyville prevails considerably thai
he had an accomplice.
1t appears also that Mr.. Gowins
has had four children, and buried two
and two are still living, one the cir
before mentioned and the other a boy
who IS a non compOs mentiS. Thu
boy slept up stairs, and reports tt
his sister that some one came VI
stairs in the night, but did not fine
him. His way of communication i
understood by his sister, but not b,
others. While at the State Prison a
Windsor, Williams was asked twic,
by Supt. Pollard, "are you guilty or no
guilty" to which he made the sam,
reply each time, think / am no
guilty"
On Tuesday at some way below
Ascutneyville, a bundle of clothes OF
different colors was observed float
ing in the river. At first it did no
attract much attention, but a woman
thought possibly it might be drown
ed child floating, and others though
it might be connected with the mur
der, and on Wednesday two parties
separate, Of two men each, one in
boat, and one in a team, came dow
the river as far as this place, in scare
Of the bundle but it was not found.
The excitement i 5 greater an
more intense than we first reported
In Claremont, n. H., on Tuesdav, a
soOu as the news became known, a
most the entire population visited tn
scene OF the awful tragedy, thos
who could not get teams going 0
foot.
4 SMART FOOL.-AbDut a f1rtnIgl