Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-20
shocking Murder I'm Bristei-Thrii'
ling Details by a Correspondent.

tants of our village were startled, las
Saturday night, BY the report that Joh'
Ring had murdered Noah Thompson II
the street, near the hotel. The shadow
of twilight were whispering OF Sabbath
rest, when suddenly unusual noise and
} profanity arrested our attention, and I
hurrying crowd gathered around tn
murderer and murdered.
Ring, the assailant, was partly into1i
Gated and as usual dangerous, while hi
antagonist, had long entertained bitter
feelings of hatred and Jealousy TOWARD
him. Ring had just been talking rough
ly to the hostler in the hotel, and as h'
passed into the street Thompson said some
: sneeriug words which aggravated hin
whenR ing swors he would kill him il hi
did not stand back. Thompson dared
him, and while his brain was heated BY
the demon of alcohol, he drew Q knife
and struck a blow that severed the life
currents from the heart of Thompson.
i After this death wound, Thompson
clinched him and they fell to the ground,
when Ring dealt nine more blows on diff.
ferent parts of his body. The last words
of Thompson were 81 have got the knife,
when he became unconscious and died.
Sheriff Vinton was ordered to arrest
Ring, but ere he did SO, Ring eluded him
and rushed into the darkness, but seeing
all chances of escape fruitless gave himself
up after brief effort. Due form of trial
was held and at one o'clock Sabbath
morning he was taken to Niddlebury Jail
by Vinton and his efficient assistants.
When he became sebered be manifested
deep contrition at what he had done.
When his associates took leave of him
his emotions were painful to witness.
King is stout man, about forty years
of age, of respectable parentage, and
generous impulses, but the demon of
drink dragged him hellwsrd, and years
ago resulted in the tragic death of love.
ly wife, and now the termination OF his
career is the inevitable result of appetite
and passion unrestrained. The deceased
had been a soldier in the Union army and
peaceable citizen. He was about thirty
years of age and leaves no children to
mourn his untimely fate.
Gam my brothers keeper" cries the
blood from the street, and this terrible
temperance advocate calls loud for reform
in the strong undercurrent of society.
God speed the day. tic.
Bristol, April II, 1871.
Since the above was put in type, we
have received tho following details
through the courtesy of the MiddIebury
Register, from the special correspondent
of that paper at Bristol:
COMMENCING THE ArFRAY.
The row had it's beginning between
Ring and the hostler at the Bristol House.
Thompson said something to the hostler
which Ring noticed and replied TO, which |
changed the scene from the hostler to |
Thompson as the opponent of Ring.
AS Ring moved towards his horse and
wagon which stood near, Thompson fol-
lowed, not very close, however. Ring in
the meantime saying, do not follow me
too far )" when he reached the wagon the
person holding the horse handed the
lines to him, but he laid them down and
said to Thompson, if you come here (men-
tioning particular spot 1 will make
hole through you, you never will go any
further, Thompson replying that he was
not afraid, and that he had a right to
walk where he pleased and he came near
the spot named by Ring.
THE sTABBINe
This last movement of ThompsonI
brought the two quite near together. At
his moment Ring made a sort of spring
owards Thompson, plunging bis knife in
ust at the upper edge of the collar bone
They struck at each other once or twice.
when Thompson gave Ring suoh blow ,
n the face that he staggered back and
downward, Thompson falling upon him.
King turned Thompson and then the BY
flanders heard the cutting of bis clothes.
Ring was then seized and taken off.
Thompson said, after he was down, that
lie had got the knife away from Ring.
which proved true.
REMOVAL OF THE BODY.
Thompson never moved after Ring was I
AIKEN off from him. He was taken M {
nd carried and laid on the front steps Of q
Dr.. Hasseltine's drug store. He pasned :
wo or three times after he was laid down. =
)rs. Hasseltine and Prime examined the /
round little, but no human skill could t
ave him. q
APPEARANCE OF THE BODY.
The appearance of the body a. it Law =
here upon the steIs, a lifeless form, wei. =
ering In its gore, that ten minutes be. q
IRE was full of life and vigor, now GOV. n
red with blood and still bleeding, was =
'rrible to look upon-a sight that would q
voluntarily cause the beholder te shud. !,
er, and humanity to weep. . h
THE MURDERER. c,
We can call him nothing less. He :
salt the first blow-it was fatal. he a
as taken the life blood of q fellow man
e robbed the wife of husband he e.
bbed the husband of life. He was i'm y
ediately put under arrest by our consta- ~
e, yet was not taken from the spot where &c
had committed the deed. (the spot was "
few feet west of the Boot and Shoe "a
ore OF M. S. Wild,) nor was he hand. "
fled, which should have been dsns at ~
zee, and which was urged by some of n q:
ose present. nj
HIS ESCAPE. =,
Watching his opportunity when the at
stables attention was turned is another he
rectlon, he sprang away and ran for vi
ar life. Those present started in pur.
it. He passed around the hotel and M
nth street as far as Rev. D. Bosworth's. ",