Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-07-26
Murder at Ascutneyville.
HORRIBLE BUrcHrRY OF A MAN AND

DAY nlgnt' we give hrSt the account
which we find in the Springfield Republi-
can, following it with such other particu-
lars as we gather from other sources, viz !;
" An unprovoked and atrocious murder
was committed, Monday night, at Assent
NEVILLE, in the town of Weathersfield, VI.
The victims were farmer named Cow
ing, about As years old, and his wife
few years younger, and the perpetrator of
tho crime was Frenchman, an ugly and
desperate character, who was employed
last summer, by Mr.. Gowing upon his
farm. Some time Monday night, proba-
bly, about 10 o'clock, Mr.. Gowing heard a
knocking at his door, while voice from
outside called out, The cows are in the
corn" On going to the door Mr.. Gowing
was met by the Frenchman, who, proba.
bly, as soon as he opened it struck him a
frightful blow over the head with an axe,
and completed bis bloody work by beating
out his brains and mutilating his body in
a most shocking manner. All this was
done in a few moments, and the French
man then crept to the bedroom of Mrs.
Gowing knowing that she was the only
other adult in the house. The same aw-
full fate was hers. He beat and cut her
so horribly that she survived but very
short time. The double murder accom-
plished, the Frenchman rified the house
for the money and valuables which he
supposed it to contain, and thoroughly
cleaned out bureau, where, to his knowl-
edge, Mr.. Gowing had last year kept
5000 or $500 in government securities :
How much be found and carried away is
not known.
But his crime had not been unobserved.
In the same room where her mother was
murdered was frightened little girl, who
through the whole tragedy lay in her
trundle-bed, afraid to speak, dimly realiz-
ing that there was some great trouble, but
knowing not what TO do. She heard and
recognized the Frenchman's voice, calling
her father to the door; heard the slight
noise attending the murder of her father,
and the close at hand struggle for life
which her poor mother made. What
could she do? She covered her face with
the sheet and from fright, probably by her
silence saving her own life, and so drop
ped asleep. Early next morning Lemu-
Ell Hitchcock, the nearest neighbor, went
to Gowing's to grind scythe. He nei-
Their saw nor heard any one about the
house, and, knowing the family to be ear
ly risers, his suspicious were excited, and
he entered the dwelling. The picture
that met his vision startled him like clap
of thunder from clear sky. There on
the floor was the lifeless body of Mr..
Gowing, besmeared with its own blood
and horribly disfigured. Fearing that a
like fate had befallen Mrs. Gowing, he
went quickly to her room, and there found
his worst apprehensions realized. In the
same room where her mother was lying
in her gore, her little daughter was dis
covered unframed and fast asleep.
Mr.. Gowing's residence was nearly
mile south of Ascutneyville, and five miles
from Windsor,on the direct road from the
latter place to Charlestown, N. Fl. He
had resided there six or seven years, hav-
ing removed thiiher from Springfield, VT.
He was regarded by his townsmen as
rather peculiar, but was always quiet and
peaceable, and the motives of the French
man in killing him could have been only
mercenary, as Mr.. Gowing had had no
difficulty with him. Gowing was close
listed and had saved some $1,000 or $4,000.
He has had four children, three of whom
have been somewhat ijiotic, and all of the
three have died, one of them by drowning
in the Connecticut river. 1t is mentioned
that wealthy man, of whose heirs Cow
ing purchased the farm, committed suicide
from fear of coming TO want. There is a
report that the Frenchman was arrested
at Windsor, yesterday afternoon, for the
murder of Gowiug. His conviction will
probably be easily secured, and he GER
tainly ought to suffer the EXTREMIST pen
atty of the law"
From correspondents and others w
learn some further particulars. Two mel
came down on BOWS night train whicl
gets TO this place at about three o'clock ii
the morning, and got off at Sugar Rive
Bridge in Claremont, N. II. One or boil
of them are supposed to be concerned il
the murders, and conductor Dow was sum
moned as witness at the inquest held O.
Wednesday. The man arrested at Wind
sor, on the morning after the murder at
o'clock, lie. himself TO work for Geo. Da
Wis, a farmer near Windsor, but afte
working about an hour, complained that h
was not well, that he had bad breeci