Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-08-14
The Shrewsbury Murder Case.

the muruer VI louhS 'h'' ~
bury, commenced at Rutland on Mon
day. The testimony of Daniel Balch
seems to cover the murder and fight and
we give it entire as reported in the Rut-
land Herald:
Daniel .Balch testified | reside in
Shrewsbury, ten miles from Rutland
part of my farm is south of Ziba Plum
ley's lot | was moving in the bayfield, ;
my brother Israel told me they had gone
to make the appraisal, when Napoleon
Quarter, myself and Abraham VIM
went up the road it was between 2 and
A o'clock; on reaching the road discov-
cred John Gilman, ST., seated by the
roadside; had not seen him before du-
ring the day; Quastier went up into the
cornfeld; do not know why he went
there; boy named Eugene Arthur was
also present; he and Winn remained
with Gilman and myself; in about half
an hour, Mr.. Gilman spoke and said he
would go home, and asked Arthur if he
would not go up and tell his son, John
Gilman, Jr., to come down; Mr.. Gilman
then started east on the road; Soon saw
John Gilman, Jr., and the boy coming
from the cornfeld, toward the highway,
and in the direction of their home; had
not seen John Gilman previously that
day; next saw Ziba and Horace Plum
ley, Fred. G Plumley, and Abraham
Squires, coming up the road from the
direction of Ziba's residence; Ziba was
on horseback and the rest on foot when
they reached the bar-way, near the fight,
they went over into the field; Horace
had gun in his hand and Frederick
pitchfork; they were ten or fifteen rods
distant from where / was standing; |
could plainly see everything that was
done; when they entered the field young
Gilman was approaching them; Horace
Plumley went towards John Gilman, Jr.,
with the gun, when words ensued, after
which G., seized it by the barrel and
pushed it away; did not hear the CONVEX.
sation that took place, except something
about lot" at this time Fred approach
ed Gilman with the pitchfork don't
know whether he struck Gilman with
the pitchfork or not; words passed be-
tween Gilman and Fred, which / did
not hear Gilman let go of the gun and
moved toward the wall, when Horace
stepped back and drew up his gun, when
Ziba Plumley said cd d-n him,
shoot him." at which Horace fred and
Gilman instantly fell to the ground the
firing occurred about q minute after
Gilman let go of the gun; after seeing
Gilman fall | went down and found him
dead; his head was near the wall and he
was IN a crouching posture, with his
knees and face touching the ground Hor-
ace then set the gun down and drew a re-
volver and shot at John Gilman, Sen.
and Abraham VIM, who were standing
in theroad just below where Gilman, Jr.,
was killed they were four or five rods
distant from Horace; he then fred one
or two shots at them, when Winn re-
turned the fire, with revolver; Quar-
tier also fired, suppose, at Horace; Ziba
Plumley, Horace and Abraham Squires,
In few moments after this, started north
toward the woods they went up to the
upper part of the field, turned to the
west and went down to George Plumley's:
they carried their weapons with them
Eugene Arthur returned with John Gil
man, Jr., from the cornfeld and remained
In the lot till the firing was ended: Hor
ace Plumley fred the first shot that was
fired, the one which killed Gilman: it
was from a shotgun heard no previous
shots; one or two shots were fred bv
Horace before the party in the road re-
tnrned the fire; the body was not remov-
ed until after | left the scene of conflict
young Gilman was cousin of mine. 7
am married to Ziba Plumley's daughter
md George Plumley is married to my
sister,