Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-10-08

We copy the following particulars, con-
corning this awful tragedy, of which we
spoke briefly yesterday, from the Burling-
ton Free Press:
Again has murder like that which /
Mortified the community when Mrs. CHS
void met her fate in Williston. two ye~ro
ago, convulsed one of our quiet Vermont
towns, and set all to trembling for their
safety Perry Russell. an old and well
known citizen of Hinesburgh, was muir
dered Saturday night at his own door
The facts Of this dreadful affair are sub
stantially as follows:
About half-past eight o'clock Saturday
evening, Mr. Russell and his wife, who
had Just gone tQ bed, were reused by
knocking at the door. Mr.. Russell had
already dropped asleep, and Mrs r., who
first heard the knock, awakened him with
the words there is some one at the door"
and babe him not open it till he knew who
it was; then calling ont "what do you
want was answered want to come in.
who are you ?" said Mr.. Russell, getting
out of bed Joe Busha,' was the reply I;
what do you want y want to come in"
was again answered.
Mr. Russell, knowing who Joe Busha
was-a boy who had worked for him in
August laSt-stepped to the door in his
night clothes and unlocked it. The bed
where Mr.. and Mrs. Russell slept com
manded full view of the side door where
the stranger was, and Mrs. Russell sitting
up, saw by the dim light which the just
risen moon shed in the room, man crowd
in rs soon as the door was unholted, and
instantly strike her husband blow on
the head cry of Oh my Lord y and
the noise Of his fall followed. Springing
from her bed, Mrs Russell rushed through
the room and by an entry way out of the
house at another door, distinctly seeing
her husband PROSTATE on the floor, appa-
rcntly on his face, and the murderer kneel-
ing by or on him with one hand apparent
" holding him down, and with the other
beating him upon the head with some
weapon. Groans reached her ear as she
fed out of the door, and in momentary
expectation of being herself knocked down
/ by the murderer or some of his comrades,
she made her way as fast as age and mfr
mites would permit to the nearest house,
Jerry Coleman's, about fifty rods south.
She reused the Colemans, but she was so
exhausted with fright and her .exertions
that it was some time before she could tell
her sad story. The women refusing to be
left unprotected, Mr. Coleman went with
them to Mr.. Walstons, one hundred rods
still farther south, where the women re-
manned and Mr. Coleman went to the
next house south, where he found Mr..
Hutchinson and Mr. d. Brow, then a
quarter of mile ON the cross road east tc
Mr. N r. Miles, son-in-law of Mr.. Rus.
sells, and returning the five together
went back to Mr. Russelrs and found the
door shut, and on opening it, discovered
Mr. Russell lying on the floor on his face
in pool of his own blood, his head about
six inches from the door, mis- hands
by his side, alive but unconscious
Hastily dragging the mattrass out
some laid Mr. Russell on it, while
others went to arouse the family of hi
son, Edward Russell, who lives half {
, mile north, on the road to Burlington
His frightened family, on hearing tn,
dreadful news their neighbors brought
refused to let him 20 from them, so thu
whole family went down the hill together
Medical assistance was at once sent tor
aud Drs j. +. and J. w. Miles were 1901
on the spot, but Mr.. Russell could not b
! brought to consciousness, and died abou
10 a. m, Sunday, having not spoken ;
word, and apparently suffering no pain
! There were eight wounds on the top anc
4 back of his head, and two on his face, ont
of the latter on the left temple and tn
other striking across his nose. The uppe
part of the head was cut to pieces by tn
blows, and undoubtedly the skull wa
S fractured, though no post norton exam
r ination has yet been made.
The weapon used by the murderer wa
an old-fashioned strap gate-hinge, abou
d twenty inches long and two and a-hal
s inches wide; it was discovered lying Oh
the floor by the side Of the body.