Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-01-29
The ClaremOnt Murder.

Claremont have been somewhat various,
as usual in such cases. The following
from Claremont correspondent OF the
Boston Journal, written we presume by
one of the coroner's jury, or at least by
some one present at the inquest, is prob
ably correct statement of the tragedy
and surroundings. The writer says:
| James Woodcll, father of Geo. Wood
ell, the murdered man, and grandfather
of William N. Kenney, the murderer, is
eighty-six years old, but is verywell and
active for man of his age. He is a
very honest, upright man, though some
what eccentric. He came to this coun-
try from England, with his wife, when
quite young, and worked upon the farm
of the late Isaac Hubbard, as his fore
man, for many years, his wife working
on the farm much of the summer, and in
\ the house of Mr. Hubbard the rest of
the time. BY great industry and pru-
dcnce he earned and saved money enough
to buy the farm on which he now lives.
! The farm contains about two hundred
acres, is four miles from the village, on
the western slope of what is known as
Town Hill, borders on Connecticut river,
is nearly two miles from any public road,
and about mile from any neighbor.-
Mr.. Woodell had five children, two sons
and three daughters. The oldest son,
George, the murdered man, was neither
very intelligent or good tempered. He
married and raised up two daughters,
and some ten or twelve years since his
wife died, and three or four years ago he
married widow with one boy, now
about eighteen years old, and came home
to live ON the farm with his father. This
boy lived at home with his mother until
about week before the murder, when.
by reason of fear of Kenney, who had
threatened him, he left and went to live
with a relative at Lebanon. Kenney
married the third and favorite daughter
of Woodell, who gave birth to William
N. Kenney, and died when he was but a
few years old. He was the only child of
his favorite daughter, and the old man
Woodell took him home, brought him
up, gave him good common school ed
ucation, and it is said intended to make
him heir to large share of his property.
Kenney lived with his grandfather until
three or four years ago., or about the time
when George came home. Last summer
he spent in the lumber regions of Maine
and came home the last of October. -
George lived in an old house few rods
from his fathers. A jealousy sprang VI
between George and Kenney about tn,
final disposition of the old mans prop
erty; they had frequently quarreled
Kenney had threatened the life of George
and was of such disposition tina
neighbors had feared that he would xii
some of the family.
Mrs. Woodell, the mother of George
and grandmother of Kenney, has bee
surraeed TO be ;ncano FOL several years
although she has been at home all tn,
WHILE
On the afternoon of the murder, abou
halfpast four o'clock, Kenney went int
Georges house without any coat on, sing
ing and jumping, and took a chair an
broke it. Mrs Woodell demonstrate
with him, to which he showed the grea
est indifference. He soon started to r
out, when George asked him what h
hurry was. He said he was going
milk, and went out. He went to h
grandfather's, took the pail, mikes
carried the milk into the house, went d
rectly out, took an ak, which he ha
ground few days before, rom the WOO
+. shed, went to Georges house, rushed
with kind of Indian war whoop, al
made an attack upon George, who WI
at the supper-table with child about
year old in his arms.
Mrs. Woodell came from the bedroo
adjoining and said: willie, don't Xxi
: George and the baby" and tried to Sc
: arate them, when Kenney struck her vii
: the ak twice, cutting through her sku
( over the right eye, and inhicting anoth
! severe wound upon the side of her hea
! She was insensible for few moment
, and when she came to George was lyil
upon his face on the floor, the bloc
streaming from his neck. Kenney sa
and appearance seems to justify tt
conclusion--that he felled George TO t
: floor with the AK, sprang upon his bac
and with large pocket knife, belongir
; to his grandfather, cut his throat, al
Immediately made his escape. The
were three terrible gashes upon the IL
: side of the neck, one of which sever
4 the juglar vein and carotid artery. Nj
a Woodell asked George if she should n
60 and tell his father, and he replied
faint whisper, yes. She took the chi
!. from the floor in one arm, and with t
. other hand to her head, went down