Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-10-13
State News.

The Burlington Free Press gives
the details OF thrilling tragedy at !
Hinesburg, Vt, on Saturday night,
when an old man named Perry Russell
was brutality murdered for his money.
The circumstances were these:
"About half-past eight o'clock Sat
urday evening Mr.. Russell and his
wife, who had just gone to bed, were
aroused by knocking at their 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 out what do
you want? was answered want to
come in Who are you? said Mr..
Russell, getting out of bed Joe Blu
sha, was the reply; what do you
want 2 want to come in, was again
answered.
Mr.. Russell, knowing who Joe Blu
sha 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. Rus
sell slept commanded 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 as soon as the door was unbolted,
and instantly strike her husband a
blow on the head; cry of ooh, my
Lord ! and the noise of his fall follow
ed. 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-
rently on his face, and the murderer
kneeling by or on him with one hand
apparently holding him down, and
with the other beating him upon the
head with some weapon. GrOans
reached her ear as she fled out of the
door; and in mOmentary eXpecta-
ton of being herself knocked down by
the murderer or some of his comrades
she made her way as fast as age and
infrmities would permit to the near
est house, Jerry Coleman's, about fifty
rods south. She reused the Cole.
mans, but she was so exhausted with
fright and her eXertions that it was
some time before she could tell hel
sad story.
The women refusing to be left un
protected Mr. Coleman went with
them TO Mr.. WalsLon's, one hundred
rods still further south. where the wo
men remained 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 to Mr.. n. r. Miles, a
son in-law of Mr. Russell's, aud re-
turning the five together went back
to Mr.. Russells and found the door
shut, and on opening it discovered Mr.
Russell lying on the floor on his face
in a pool of his own blood, his head
about six inches from the door, his
hands by his side, alive but uncon-
scious Hastily dragging the mat
tress out, some one laid Mr.. Russell
on it.
! Medical assistance onoe
sent for, and Drs. j. F. and j. W.
Miles were soon on the spot, but Mr.
Russell could not be brought to con
seriousness, and died about 10 A. NJ
Sunday, having not spoken a word
and apparently suffering no pain
There were eight wounds on the toI
and back of his head, and two on hi
face, one of the latter on the left TEN
pie and the other striking across hi
= nose. The scalp on the back and up
per part Of the head was terribl.
; bruised and lacerated, and the CORES
j ponding inner table of the skull wa
= probably depressed by fracture, whic
: woulh produce compression OF tn
4 brain and consequent Inconsistencies;
e even if the outer table was not broker
: The weapon used by the murdere
q was an old-fashioned strap gate-hingt
+ about twenty inches long, and tw
r and half inches wide; it was discoN
\ cred lying on the floor by the side o
the body. A little search reveale
=. the motive for the crime. In littl
closet at the foot of Mr.. Russell'S be
on shelf he had kept for thirty year
J small leather-covered trunk, i
k which were his bills, receipts, none,
d &c. This was gone; his pantaloon
h had not been rihed, his wallet wit
! $113 in it being found untouched, an
nothing else in the house was disturb
: ed, except one drawer in little tab
at the head of the bed In the sleepin
n ROOM"
n A search was at once began for th
o murderer, and tracks supposed to [
his were followed to a meadow aboI
e a quarter of mile distant, where tt
z stolen trunk was found, broken opeI
a and its contents scattered arounC
y so far as is known, there was at I'll
n time no money in it, and the assassi
, got absolutely nothing for his horri
crime, unless possibly closer scare
L. may show some bank certificates @
= bank stock have been carried off,
Suspicion was naturally directed ,
4. BuSha as the perpetrator of the Grim
{ and he was found in Burlington wit
his mother. They claimed to haS
- arrived there Saturday morning an
D remained all night. Nothing to su
= tain suspicion against Busha could /
n discovered, and he was allowed to g