Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-11-24
Was it Suicide, Murder or Starva-
tion7

Cpa., IN, =, IN the Town oil UdlWdy,
stands little old barn known as the
"Hull barn" Though close to the
road it is but little used, and is not
known to have been opened for sew
eral weeks. On Wednesday morning
last, a lad residing near by was pass
ing the barn, when suddenly his dog
ran through hole in the foundation
wall or underpinning, and commenced
a furious barking. The lad suppos-
ing that he had "treed" some interest
ing game, went into the barn to OBJ
tain a pitchfork with which to aid the
animal in dispatching him. Climbing
upon the haymow, which was four or
five feet high from the floor, he was
startled by discovering spread out up
on the hay a black shawl, from be-
meath which protruded a human hand.
Being badly frightened he ran out and
found another lad, with whom he went
to his father, who came to the barn,
and lifting the shawl, discovered the
dead body of an aged and respecta-
bly, dressed woman, in good state
of preservation. 1t was clad in
black silk dress, quite old and tender
to the touch, a good black bombazine
bonnet trimmed with Grape, silk gauze
veil. underclothes of good quality,
good stockings, and shoes that were
considerably worn.
All the clothing was very neat and
showed that she had been dressed
with scrupulous care. 1t was noticed
particularly that the shoes were per-
fectly clean, as were also the stock
ings, showing that she had done lit
tie or no walking in them. BY her
side was black silk parasol, and In
her pocket pair of old fashioned sill
yer mounted spectacles. The peck
: ct also contained purse, in which
was So, SO, viz: two IS bills on the
: bank of Waterfowl, one S. bill on
the bank of Orangetown, (both old
state banks.) $40 greenback, and
h the balance in postal currency and
k pennies. The remains were those of
e a person apparently seventy years old
b or over, and were very poor in flesh
e being described as a perfect skeleton
o An examination failed to disclose any
b marks of violence upon the body, OF
: any other than a natural death. But
g how came the body in the barn? Al
o efforts to identify it failed, and there
IS was no person in the city who coult
1t remember having seen such person
, walking in the highways. The stable
,t door, which fastened with a button
# had not been disturbed; but the 9th
- er, which was braced by rail, haC
st evidently been opened, as the rail haC
a been moved outward from its founda
ut ton in the ground about loot. Blu
S. if the old lady had gained the en-
tn trance alone and alive, she could no
in possibly have closed it again. Their
v was no mud or dirt upon her shoe;
lie WlttlOub "ulSu Wdo III pOoolplO L
- have walked in the barn within tn
last two weeks, that being the tim
r the body is supposed to have bee
- dead. Besides the haymow on whic
~ she lay was four OF five feet higI
- without ladder or any other mean
~ by which a lady Of her age and ev
- dent feebleness could have climbe
~ upon it, while the careful spreadin
~ of the shawl over the entire form
81 not compatible with the suppositio
~ that a death struggle ever took pla'
A. beneath it. The whole affair is dee
"a mystery, which has created vel
~ great impression in the quiet neig
- borhood where it occurred. Coron,
o D. f. White of Ballston, Spa, he
4; an inquest Wednesday afternoon, b
- failed to elicit any satisfactory intel
"a gence in regard to the causes OF t
tIr strange decease, and verdict W
~ rendered accordingly.