Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-23
The POultney Murder = A Letter
From the Herald's Regular Cor
respondent.


respondent
PoULTNEY, March II.
Editor Rutland Herald My previous
reports concerning the death OF McUratn'
have been confined to a simple statement
of the occurrence, without filling your
columns with the conflicting opinions, or
wild speoulations Of the community,
which would only excite and confuse
your readers, without leading to an in
telligent and correct understanding OF
the case. And, although this is the fourth
day since the occurrence, and the author
tiles have been making dilligent investi-
cations, assisted by the citizens, yet there
Is 90 m uch remaining dark and uncertain,
Il ,s deficient to sustain any one theory
az to the cause of the death by we'll CON-
nected train of facts Enough has been
developed, however, to make it highly
probable, If not certain, that the death of
MoGrath was not a simple railroad ac-
cident, but a murder. Aud if public
opinion may be accepted as of any impor.
lance in the case, after studying the facts
and circumstances, nine tenths of the peo-
pie are of this opinion: Among the facts
which seem to sustain this view are
these: His boots were off and of the
bridge, and thrown partly down the bank
about twenty feet from the body, with
out any appearance of being removed by
force of cars; his coat, stockings and hat
were removed, and in such positions as to
indicate design, rather than the acoiden.
tai work of an engine; the cuts upon the
head, face, shoulder and breast, had the
appearance of being made by an instru-
ment sharper than anything connected
with an engine; the loss of blood where
the body lay was not at all in proportion
to what would be expected from wounds
80 severe and deeply cut. These. with
other circumstances, lead to the SUPPOSE
ton that the man was murdered and car
ried to the place and thrown down to give
the appearance of death by the cars. This
view seems to be strengthened by the
fact that the engineers Of both night
trains say they know that no man was on
the track. and tho man who passed over
the track after the trains saw nothing
wrong. A little blood has been found
upon the stonas near the river, about a
quarter of mile below the bridge, and
some upon grass land not far from this,
also the tracks of men at the same places.
Among the circumstances apparently
affordinR objections to this view is-the
clothing remaining on him was but very
little soiled with blood, and not drop
upon bis boots, and think it impossible to
make those wounds in an ARRAY without
more appearance of blood-this view is
met with the fact that this man was in
the habit when about to engage in an af-
fray to strip off most of his clothing in
moment, in which case it would not be
likely to get bloody and might have been
carried separately to the place where the
BODY was thrown.
Those who think this death accidental,
say mCCrAtn was KNOWN tO nave D6eu III"
toxicated on the day of his death, and
probably wandered to the track, and in
his confused and half conscious condition
took off part of his clothing and
oroucbed down on a place on the abut-
ment about three feet below the rails, and
might have been aroused by the approach
ing train Just in time to be struck by the
engine without being seen by the en-
gineer. These are some of the circum-
stances which sustain the different views
entertained.
Adopting either view there are some
circumstances difficult to explain or har-
monize with the light we have at present
We will await further developments.
have purposely avoided giving any testi-
mony placing suspicion upon any parties
for the reason if there is any evidence
worth anything it will be presented at the
proper time and place. Besides it might
Interfere with the successful working upl
of the case. OBSERVER