The New York herald., 1869-01-09

u,,erv;ex Win stephen Abbott In Jaii-Cir-
cuuastantiaI Account Of the West haven
Homicide.
From the New Haven Register JAM 81
One OF our reporters this morning Uthl visiteu
stenhen Abbott, convicted OF the murder OF Appel.
los M Bronson. lie found Abbott quite coiiected
handsome man. but seems 10 be tolerabIy intelli-
gent aud told his story with an ar OF sincerity that
the heare g e ed 70 T. the S snd ID ns
way It took place Is given below, and VIII be found
interesting
and il live untl saturday shall be 1fy-two years
old. / have been acquainted with Bronson some
twelve years, and we have always been the best OF
friends. worked for him q year ago this winter
cutting wood and he used 10 go on to New Haven
and leave me to take care OF his cner sometimes for
three months al time, Last spring, April or May
20 wanted me 10 go to West Haven to dig cellar,
ana / went, and boarded at Preston Hinman's
the house. lRen went home and got in the hay
Bronson did not come up TIL about the middle
OF July. During this visit, thnK II was, we went
TO WaIerville ami got considerable or spree,
ana Bronson told me about his trouble with the
Weton family. The trouble was about girl,
daughter OF AbIjah Welton he said he intended to
marry Bronson got jealous Of the girl and used
violence Abljah We.ton had Bronson taken up,
and 1t cost hin some $500 500 TO settle the afar
Believe there was some charge OF slander. Merritt
Bronson, q lawyer In New Britain, was employed by
Welton to carry on the SUIT against his brother Apol-
los. At Watervillc after drinking pretty freely,
Bronson told me how they had used him. and he was
goins to have revenge and he wanted mo = IN ann
sanI, sairy o". n' D"" owned two sawmllls, one
...ne ana quarter from Waterville WORKED
Toby three miles or Bronson wanted me
TO take a Jug Of liquor, winch ne woud
Henry Welton would get it, and go With him and
set fire 20 Abljah Welton's mill. lie gave me gun gun
to bind the bargain anu was % give me haa my os last
August. then went TO work for ms uncle nayiag
and didn't come TO West Haven TILL the "a OF sep
tember. Bronson was not IN condition 10 woik, anu
Irot la the crols. ON the 2sth OF September we
came INTO town TO get oil, turpentne &c. ~, y was wa
30 late couldn't get 1t, and went round tne COT COT
ner in Chapel street and got drinks. Bronson took
beer and whsAey. We went out on the SIDEWAYS
ana asked MIN what he was gong TO do Tor painting
the painting and they would furnish the matelias.
We had some more drnks ana ! asked , nll, 1, s nn
and believed he wouldn't go home l TOOK tne cans
and carried them home as ne told me- On tne way
stopped at the West Haven Green TO see the BOYS IN
Blue Didn't believe in their doctrines and didn't
stay long. and went TO the barn to bed. Had been
on the door Opened it and found Bronson. said TO
him. IL thought you were not coming over" saw
his Welton troubl q and said, .'Wnen 90 up this
time Pm going TO have satisfaction before move
down" lie mad jug IN which . ne was gong 70 @ ge1
Shouldn't have any hand in it. He said must-that
] TOOK the gun 10 bind the bargain. told him l
part In any thing further He insisted upon II, and
tod him I'd expose the whole plot when went up
He said damn you, you will win you ~ and
me with It.
/ There was plank set up for planning Stats, and
lodged around that, and he struck at me with the
axe. When Ii came down, caught II by the handle
se ior the q the axe and got from
him. He then caught up strip Of board and struck
me with 1t on the left arm mJurng u severely. !
Struck him with the axe fiat ways-that is meant
to do He fell on his knees, and grabbed me by
the legs, and tipped me over back; We mad . good good
got up and hit him again. He dove FOR my feet
and struck him again. and he lay senseless. The
last blow on the back. or side OF the head
When he lay there and didn't show fight, went
ari took hold OF him, to help him up and found he
was dead. had no idea OF killing him, any more
than have Of killing either OF you gentlemen a.
this moment. There was no knife used on Bronson
any time, and all the cuts on him we're made by the
axe After ali was over ] went 70 the door and
thought Of going to Mr.. Hnman and tell him what
had done. But IL was getting light, and my courage
failed me- the devil put 1t into my head not TO so
The thought struck me that perhaps COOK and his
men would be there before could reach Humans 3
and concluded 70 hide Bronson under the moor
things scattered about Burned the bloody
aaDngs IN ags Ise weot ose down Aer putting n
mans and Roger Alling's. Abbott here related the
conversations he had with various parties, about
where Bronson was, and denied most positively that
they were together on the West Haven Green as te
tilted. lie also exp AIMED that II was his left thumb
some OF the Witnesses but it was actually done
ne could not tell IL was sometime In the light. IL
IL, u
clerk 10 pour some laudanum upon II. Went back
TO the barn and had some talk with Cook about
sronson COOK ana ms man 1nr WORKED ~, mere ear al
he continued:-I renamed around the neighborhood
wednesday afternoon, aud went TO the barn at night
About three O'Clock 1 took up the f1oor. and took
the money nom the body. There was one ten, q
nve and two dollar bill and some currency, not
over twenty-five dollars in ALL Carried the body TO-
ward the point where they bed oysters. Laid II
down and stripped myself and waded out with the
body to where tie water three four feet deer
and gave him shove from me towards the iighl
house and stood and saw him foat OF four or i've
rods IN a south and direction. Then came bach
to the barn. empted the feathers from the bed ticL
in the house and put the tick and bed clothing Oh
the same place where Bronson had burned the straw
tick and burned them, putting on shavings, &C, Il
help 1t on. lie then described how he tried tc
destroy the traces Of blood in the barn. lie was IN
tending TO go home that day, and thought he would
try to get a few clans to take along, and used Cook
boat. Related the conversation with Mr.. Cook anc
Mrs. Alling when they came for the boat, su5stan
faIly as testified. He then told how he took Bron
cons watch, which was hanging up In the barn. ant
the city to 20 home, but missed the train. He slep
that night In Mr.. Humans hayloft, and came bach
20 the city IN the morning; snapped Bronsons coat
and went on on the hve O'Clock train. He worked al
home until arrested, week later by four Plymouth
constabcs rne foregoing Is the substance Of Abbot;
statement. In some parts we have been Obliged Il
omit immaterIal matter but most Of II ID In his
Language.
CATHOLIC PRIEST KIIIED.-A sad accident oc
Cured on the Michigan Central few nights since
near Michigan City, with fatal result Father Kerr
gan, q Catholic priest of Lafayette, had been I,
Chicago TO attend the funeral OF prominent ecclesi
astic, and was returning home on the evening II
question. He should have got OF The tram at Michi
gan City but fell asleep and did not awake until thu
tram was just checking up at New Rochester station
More asleep than awake then, he started up, an,
hastily walking out on the platform stepped ol
wh,ie the train was stIll In motion. The corner 0
one struck him In the side. breaking three ribs
and ne was otherwise severely injured. lie fingered
however IN great pain until the 5th inst, when b
expired. Father kerrigan was q man OF mucl
ability and experience, a classical and theological
scholar, and greatly beloved. He was educated a
Naynorth College Ireland.