Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-11-24
Daring Attempt at Murder in Wal
lingiOrd.
ASSAULT BY THREE NORTHUMBERLAND.
ROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH.

| ASSAULT BY THREE HIGHWAYMEN-NAR-
ROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH.
The Rutland Herald of Tuesday morn
ing has an account of most daring at
tempt at murder in Wallingford on Sat
urday evening last. Whether robbery
was the object or revengeful murder alone
does not yet appear 1t was certainly
one of the boldest and darkest attempts
IN the criminal records of this State -
We copy from the Herald as follows;
AT about nine o'clock in the evening
of Saturday last, Walter Earl, young
man some twenty-five or three years old.
was returning from the will &c of Wal
lingford, in wagon drawn by one horse
and had just ridden into dugway, with
high rocks on the one hand and the
banks of Otter Creek near by on the
other, and was within some sixty rods of
the house of his father, George Earl, a
respectable farmer of that town, when
his further progress was arrested by a
sudden assault from, at least, three dis
guised, masked and we'll armed villains,
who were in deadly earnest in carrying
out deliberately planned and we'll con-
certed scheme of crime, whose end could
only be bloody AMI most foul murder.
The first intimation Mr. Earl had of
the approach of danger, was by seeing a
man jump from the side of the road and
at the same time, grasp the bride near
the horses head. AS quick as thought
Mr.. Earl gathered up the reins of the
bride with one hand, and, with the 9TH
err, gave the horse sharp blow with his
whip. The horse answered to the blow
with a sudden rear and spring, lifting the
assailant bodily from the ground, but
failing to release his hold of the bride,
to which he still chung with that deter
mination born only of the most appall-
ing danger or the most desperate crimi-
nality.
While these scenes were transpiring,
an accomplice, masked and armed, APP
peared at the side OF the wagon and peer
ing up into Mr.. Earl's face, at the same
time making violent and we'll aimed
thrust with dirk k"ife, at his right
breast The blow was true to its aim,
penetrating the coat, cutting it in two
places, and entering pocket memoran-
dunn book in the pocket, where it's fur.
ther advance was stayed by striking
against cent, which fortunately the
book contained. The cent was consider,
ably indented, showing al once the uner.
ring aim and deadly intent of the blow
and at the same time how small thing
stands between time and eternity.
Almost simultaneously with this as
sault two shots were fred at him from be
hind, one ball passing just above the eal
and through his hair, and the othel
striking and penetrating the back of thu
seat. The ball still remains in the wag
on and from its position and the drec.
ton it must have taken in entering, dem
onstrates beyond controversy, that tina
shot at least must have been fred from
an elevation, and by different person
from the one firing the first or other shot
Immediately after the second discharg
and so near to it as to be almost simulta
neous with it, the man who used the dirl
knife, arose from "a STOPPING position
which he had assumed after making hi
allonge, and again looked up into Earl
face. He then for the first time SCENE,
to recognize him, and at once exclaimed
" My God hold on, boys, 1t Is Waiter 2
or, My God hold on, boys, it IS til
aCrong man :" As soon as this exclama
ton was heard, the man who had at frs
caught hold of the horse, and who ha,
remained at his head during the Who'll
time, relied the horseinto the road, from
which he had been partially, or wholly
removed at the commencement of the as
sault, and then turning his back to the
,, wagon, allowed Mr.. Earl to drive by. l
is needless to say that the remainder Of
his trip was accomplished at a REASONABLE,
rapid rate.
Fortunately for the ends of Justice i
is hoped, Mr.. Earl retained his presenc,
of mind, and is able to partially describ,
the persons of two of his assailants, al
though, of course, the fact of their beins
masked rendered it impossible to recog
nize their countenances. The man, whc
used the dirk, is described as being thicl
set with short arms, while the one VIII,
held the horse was taller and stoute
built.
From these brief descriptions, as vel
as from the voice of one of them, it i,
said that the rufhans, or some of them a
least, are now under suspicion and sur
Vigilance, with every possibility of tbeiI
speedy arrest. We trust that these sus
picions may prove correct and that tn,
guilty parties may be brought to speed,
and condign punishment We, from oh
vious reasons, refrain fro n giving a fol