Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-02-01
Exciting Times IN Rutland.


For Il period extending over several
years, Rutland has been visited with
series OF fires, the circumstance cOnnec-
ted with which, no doubt, in the minds
of the public, in and Ou of that place,
that they We're the work of iucendaries,
belief which was fully confirmed on
the night of December 18th, last, when
no less than three fires occurred in the
village, two of which were burning at
the same time. The village Trustees at
once offered q reward of $1,000 for the
apprehension of the offenders, and pro-
cured the assistance of three detectives
from New York, to aid them in bring
ing the criminals tojustice. These de-
tectives arrived IN few days, and the
work of discovery and apprehension of
the incendiaries was placed i'll their
hands. One OF them hired out to a
blacksmith as book-keeper another set
himself up rs cCrn doctor; while a
third, named Whipple, h ing around
low groggeries great portion of the
time, and became the boon companion
of drunkards and loaters. While so
spending his time, he fell in with James
and Thomas Butterfly, members of q
family bearing decidedly bad reputa-
ton, the matrOn of which keeps gin
mill" on East Street. The Buttertiys
soon introduced him to two other noted
characters named Peter Neary and Mar
tin Duffy, and from that time until
Thursday night, Mr.. Whlpple was with
them in all their scrapes, indulging in
liquor apparentlya as free as any OF them.
and willing to accede to all their propo-
sitions, while he was not at all behind
in proposing times" during which
Butterfly & Co. had no secrets from
him.
On Thursday night, Whipple. who
had hitherto, since his arrival in Rut.
land, been rather "short," received
from some source, q considerable amount
of money, and proposed to the crowd
that they should all have a spree, which
was scented to, when they repaired to
the shanty of Dame Butterfly, and all
drank freely, Mr.. Whipple becoming
Others. This, being euidem to the
crowd, they determined to rob him,
which they set about doing, and sue
ceeded in rifling his pockets to some eX-
tent, in doing which they discovered a
police badge, when they concluded their
game was up unless he could be dispOs-
ed Of and accordingly, eXtinguishing
the lights, the entire party set upon
him, beating him numerically wi h
their fists and clubs. He, however,
succeeded in getting away, and started
for the Bardwell House, where he had
been stopping, they not daring to pur-
sue him, believing that he was armed
with one or more revOlvers. At the
Bardwell House he procured the assist
ance of John w. CramtOn, Chairman OF
the Board of Village Trustees, Chief OF
Police, George w. Crawford, and some
dozen citizens, and returned to the
headquartersO of the gang on East Street
which he entered with his posse and
succeeded in capturing every one OF
them, including the landlady, and lodg-
ing them in the County Jail. This
, done, he returned to the Bardwell, when
i, was found that his injuries were of SC
serious nature as to require the attend.
ance OF n physician. DR.. Goldsmith was
called, who dressed his wounds, and
) though suffering considerably, his inju.
ries are not considered serious, and he
will probably be out Monday to testify
against the prisoners at their prelimin.
AIRY examination.
Since their arrest we learn that Ncary
: has confessed to firing the Town Hall
: and the building on the night of the 18th
of December, while Detective Whipple
is confident that he can produce evi.
dence enough to convict every one OF
them of arson.
: The prisoners have bad notoriety
and the people Of Rutland will rejoice il
they can only be rid of the incendia-
ries that have SO long carried terror tc
their households, but also of gang
, whose very presence is sufficient tC
/ contaminate the morals of any commu.
nity.-Free Press.