Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-12-29

lick him again harder than ever this was two
years ago, at Bristol
s-examned-Thompson may or may not
have told me how the other whipping began
said If he ever got chance would whip him
again d" il he ever got to fighting" was his
language.
Joseph Greenough, lives in New Hsven-Saw
Thompson and Ring together at Bristol two or
three years ago Thompson abused Hing King /
said nothing.
Walter J. Hilton lives in New Haven-Heard |
Thompson ssy year ago that Ring was the only /
man in the United States be wanted to whip and
he would do it ; told Ring of it !; Ring said at
that time that he was not afraid of Thompson
Hiram Cook, untington-Thompson was in
nv company in the army from Sept. 10. lo6l'
m Jnne %. 1862, 9th regiment, Co. u. lie
was bad man to handle very liable to get in
to a fight; a very strong man | was at the
shooting match Thompson and Ring got into
a coufict in the bar room we had private
room /; Ring was in the room with US Ihomp-
son tried to get in he Was refused admlttancei
he burst the door open said ne Wsn'ed 10
whip Ring had done it ard could DO II Asain
ST last we got him out of the ROOM
Two or three years ago Ring and Ihonpion
sat together and Thompson cam in and called
Ring son OF bitch Ring got uo and went 70
the grocery Thompson followed and abused
Ring Ring said nothing, only that he did not
want ANYTHING to do with Thompson.
Henry She1rick - Live in Bristol heard
Thomson at Belden's Falls say that he saw
Ring rear Bristol. and hit him once or twice in
the back Of the head if Ring had not whipped
his horse. he would have made it hot for him;
said AZ another time, tso or three weeks before
he was killed, be would like 10 get hold Of
Ring.
son was killed; heard Ring say, " Keep away
from me - saw Thompson snd hing striking
each other; the horse was north Of them; II was
too dark to see plsinly.
Cross-examinei-Cculd see well enough to
tell which man struck hrst. don't know which
struck first: could not see any knife.
Daniel Nimlitz-Live in Bristol; three years
400 heard him say, during the quarrel IN the
barn, to Ring, q" You are ID son OF
bitch - Ring told Thompson he did not want
.nvtbipg TO do with him; Thompson followed
Ring M. and said he would smash his head
Ring left the barn; Thompson followed Ring Two
rods from the barn, abusing him, and threat
eaiug.
Cross-exsmined-I dill not hear Ring abuse
Thompson; Thompson did not attempt to as
ssult Ring.
Michael Mack-The Sunday night before
Thompson was killed, at the top Of the Mil
Hill. 10 Bristol, heard Thompson say that be hsd
been 10 Bancroft's for whisky and saw King
there. who drove of Wher be saw him (Ihomp-
son): said Ring always ran away when he saw
him; if be got hold Of him he would never rue
any more; tod Ring of it on the Tuesday after.
Cross-examiuei-He told me he had seen
Ring; be sai4 he was watching for hing
Thompson vent to BancrOft's barn and watched
for Ring
EVENING.
L.B. Bllings-Was going up the mountain
at Ripton with Thompson last February; Ihoup-
son said tbst be met Ring at the Bristol House;
walked NJ to Ring and pushed him; then
stamped and kicked him; Ring steppei on ana
said that he did not want anything TO DO wan
him; said he and Ring would never have but
one more fight; Ring should die or he would.
the eopaicl would be deadly one; Ring is afraid
ofme: Thompson sAid Ring was his greatest
enemy: spoke Of ether trouble he and Hing had
had; said Ring vas quarreliDg with some man
when he attacked him; gave, as reason for his
hatred for Ring, that there was come connection
with Rings wife; this WAS good many years
before: | told Ring what Thompson hst sad;
Ring said. "I sha1t have any trouble with
Thompson"
EW. Enis-Saw Thompson st Huntington
Centre four years sgo, al turkey shoot, or
dance; Thompson showed ne pistol; and SAID
he carried il for Rings benefit; Thompson Was
blowing about Ring Ring was in the house
Warren Goodrich In a shop az East Middle
bury. I heard Thompson say that he was seen
coming of Cobble Hill with Rings wife; sid he
would kill Ring OF Ring would him.
Louis PAreni-Thompsou Was IN my shop At
East Midilebury year ago and said he should
never have trouble with Ring but once more
said Ring had a5usei him said one or both Of
them had got % be ended heard him say this
often; | tod Ring what be said and warned him
10 look out Tor Thompson Thompson spoke Of
the story About himself and Rings wife did
aot hear him say Ring hsd threatened him.
Suilman Eenirick-IIeard Thompson, last
February, Oh the road to Ripton, talk about
Ring; told about a trouble in Starksboro with
Ring; said il they ever met again, 1t would be
the last meeting; told uf trouble with Ring a.
Bristol; Thompson said he slapped Ring IN the
face; Ring said he did not want anything to do
with him
Cross-erAmiuei- Ring said 90 away let ne
alone: Thompson said he would never begin
another fight With Ring, but If Ring began it
would iIish him.
Alfred Varney-Was at work in Parents
shop; Thompson was tAlking there about Ring;
said. you will never hesr Of but one more
clinch between me and Ring"
Edward Gginan-Ssw Ring and Thompson
meet three years sgo went into a saloon
Ring Thompson stood outside with stick IN
bis hand Ring asked me TO look out and see Il
Thompson was there Ring ssked the proprietor
% let him out at the back door 20 avoid IhomI-
son al another time he sad he would pound
HI cut Of Ring said he would finish him If
he ever met him a. another time in the village,
Thompson said if he could catch Ring he would
give him id licking at another time Ring
hid himself from Thompson, Thompson said '' ne
better keep out Of my sight - Ring never sid
anything to Thompson, only to keep him away
Ring always appeared to avoid Thompson vas
present at the homicide Ring retreStei from
Thompson toward bis wagon, Thompson followed;
Ring said .. keep away from me = Thompson
kicked Ring, knocked Ring down and fell on
him Ring did not advance toward Thompson,
retreste3 all the time Thompson followed aous-
ing Ring.
Cross-exSuinei-Ring dii not sppear to be
angry AZ first Thompson was coming directly
towards Ring all the time he was retreating
Thompson crossed the gully TO the east side
Ring vent south Of the horses head | was fur
feet fran them when they struck Thompson
struck first Thompson hit him twice ; Ring
did not strike Thompson did not see him st
least Thompson jumped at Ring as soon as be
struck hin !; Ring never advanced toEard
Thompson an inch has known Ring for SIX
Years an not more intimate with hin than with
Thompson.
David Hau,in-Saw Thompson on the day he
was killed he asked number OF people for
pistol this vas two hours before ne WAS
killed
Observation-Disclosures talked with ne
ha.f sn hour, he said he would whip Ring, % be
fore sleep will pound him." said Thompson
never hsi 3 pistol suppose Thompson wanted
to shoot Ring With the pistol ; told Of this next
dsy told Ring Immediately
TESTIMONY OF The PRISONER.
John A. Ring-I am 80 years old have s
wife and boy knew Thompson fourteen or If
teen years ago I had trouble with Thompson
10 years ago ne weat in the army sitter this
fuss i've years sgo | saw him next never
hSi dollars worlh Of deal with him when
Thompson came home be pretended 70 be friend
ly to me told him did not want anything to
do with him. At Huntington, Al a shooting
match, some one told ne Thompson was coming.
| went up stairs to avoid him Thompson came
10 the door he burst in the door | sat eight
feet from the door he said be was going to
maui Ring I clipped out into another room
before light in the morning | got out Of the
house and got away he has met me at the Bris-
tol House often he has often called me son Of
bitch, coward, snd dared me cut to fight
be has done this often the landlord once drove
him out Of the house [ never resisted, but al
ways avoided him once began s suit against
him but withdrew i. kept my horse in the
hotel barn | did not dare TO take out my horse
when Thompson was about found him once
lying on a robe Of mine snd in the morning
found the robe all cut to pieces have been
warned sgSinst Thompson many times Mr..
Grsndey has warned me La Francis At Ripton,
warned me not to drive over through Lincoln,
as Thompson had gone on ahead to waylay me
Billings also told me to keep out of the way of