Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-09-23
More Victories For Rum.
VERY DECISIVE REsULTs.

There have recently been two very de-
cisive, not to say overwhelming, triumphs
of the great strength and power OF rum
They fare only samples, it is true, OF
similar occurrences throughout the coun-
try, almost every day, but are particu-
larly brilliant q as to their power and
decisive results. There is no draw back
as to what happened in either case
Here they are:
On the Sd inst, Henry ]. Gardner,
the oldest baggage master on the North
ern n. III. Railroad, was killed by l.. q.
Stevens at Franklin, n. II. 1t is prop
err to add that these two men had always
been very friendly, andth circumstance
is given to show the extra power and
quality of the rum to overcome and
break down all common or uncommon
human regard. The circumstances as
brought out at the examination of Ste
vans, charged with murder are thus stat
ed:
Gardner, Stevens, Mcconnell and
w. =. Kelley, sat down in the ell OF Nc
Connell's house, about 8 o'clock, Satur-
day evening, TO play euchre, with two
quarts of rum procured by Mcconnell,
| Just before the playing commenced. =
They all drank freely Of the rum as the
game progressed, and Stevens and Gard
ner bet between themselves various sums
on the different games. The evidence
did not agree as to the number of times
the parties drank, but most Of the rum
was drank up. Kelley and Mcconnell
ceased playing before the others, but at
what precise time did not appear. Kelley
left and Mcconnell turned away from
the table, took smoke and fell asleep
in his chair, from which he was aroused
by the noise of Gardner and Stevens
quarrelling, they having got into dis
pute after Gardner lost bet OF $40
Mcconnell tried 10 separate the combat
tants, but Gardner lodged around him
and seized Stevens by the hair, when the
latter struck at him with jack knife,
inffct;ng the wounds from which Gard,
ner fell and died. This is supposed to
have occurred between one and two
o'clock in the morning. The first per
sons who arrived at tho scene OF the
tragedy, found Gardner on the floor
dead, the cards scattered on the floor
and Stevens covered with blood and bad
ly battered.
The above is splendid scene! for Sun
day morning and the two quart bottl
must have swelled for very joy at hi
work, with cloven foot, horns and fork
ed tail erect! Alas, that some shculC
blame the poor rum seller, and thus ado
to his distress in the loss of at least TIVE
good customers. As for the rum WASH
its work complete and didn'tit cut lik
three edged sword p?
After all, and with all its decisivenes
it was hardly equal to the effect Of an
other quart Of rum in Stoughton, Mass
on the 9th inst. The story was told t
the coroner by little ten year old boy
whose father had murdered his mother.
:" He said that about II o'clock his ia
Their came home intoxicated, and bega
to quarrel with his wife after they ha,
retired. The trouble seemed to be ca Us
ed by the refusal of his wife to give Can
ney sum of money which she had Sc
GREETED from him, as he had been on
continual spree for the past week. Th
refusal exasperated Carney and he lei
his bed and and proceeded to the WOOD
shed and commenced an attack on h
wife, striking her on the head three {
four times with the ak, splitting her hea
open and almost separating it from tn
body. He then retired to bed and wer
to sleep, but awoke in about an hour an
began again to cut the woman on til
head and face in most savage manner
This man is about 40 years Of age, h,
five children four of whom were aslee
in the room at the time of the murde
: and had always been q hard workir
man and always lived happy with h
wife up to within few days, of the la
"spree." With all the extravagant
light that that quart of rum may feel
: the last described tragedy, we may fe
sure that other valiant quarts, GD Il
hands of some peaceful seller,) wi
yet report horrors exceeding even Il
above, trafiicers being SO eager and vi
tins SO plenty.