Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-11-08
Murder i'm Coos.

tirst murder case ever tried in that
County, it is still question
whether or not homicide was
ever before committed within the
County limits, the site of the probable
murder of Hines and his son by Rob
bins their companion in hunting and
trapping, being somewhere on the
Umhagog waters which are both in
New Hampshire and Name.
The story of this earlier crime, is
thus told by Col. Kent, in one of his
Letters from the Line"which appear
c,l in the Cnos Repub'ic an in the Au-
tunn of 1858:
lin the earlier history Of the county,
when the means of obGlining money
WIS less easy than at present, the
chief source of income to very many
of the inhabitants arose from the SD T.
of peltries. After the harvesting was
completed. the men of the neighbour
hood won Il band togeather tor hunt.
and after several months sojourn in
the woods, return amply laden with
the skin of the sable and other game.
At one time party of this charac
ter was organized, consisting of Rob-
bins. (who then ownel the farm in
the second College Grant, lIines.and
several other trappers Of the neigh
borhood. They proceeded to the up
per lakes, and after organizinga store
camp, with Robbins for its keeper,
separated to the different hunting
chances on those waters. Weekly at
least, Robbins visited their camps.
taking with him provisions, and re-.
moving their furs to the depot pre-
viously established. When the sud-
len approach of winter warned the
party that they must remain no Ion
ger in those s,litudes, they assembled,
and in a driving storm, after peril
Gus journey reached the location of
their central camp 10 find it gone and
no traces Of its keeper visible. Foul
play was t once suspected. Imme-
liate eXertion was however nccces.
sary' to preserve the lives of the
party; and IL was only by encounter
ing the most severe hardShips that
they, thus left without food or fire,
succeeded in reaching the settlements.
Arrived there, they found Robbins
had preceded them, and wdS ready
with well devised story of fire and
hardship, to account for the burning
Of the camp, the entire loss of the
furs and his own presence, although
not to the satisfaction Of his compan-
ions.
Investigations were at once coin
menccd, and it was soon ascertalncd
that Robbins had disposed Of frs at
Bethel. Maine, which were afterwards
identified to be those belonging to hi,
companions, and which he asserted
had burned. Hines, in behalf of him
self and comrades instituted 4 pTosecu.
ton, and recovering judgement exc.
cution was issued in his favor. Rob.
bins became teariully incenscd and
vowed to kill Hines, should the op
WHtunitv ever offer. These threat,
were regarded as mere idle rantinms
and little notice was taken Of them b,
Hines; a Though often warned hy hi,
friends to be on his guard against tn,
wiles Of Il man Of Rohh ms known
dark and desperate character.
A year passed away and the hunt
ing season had returned. Robbins
with the pretended desire to aceunu
late funds to discharge the execution
against him, induced Hines to accom-
pany him into the woods on anothe
hunt, Ivy the pledge to give to him it.
entire proceeds. They went; Iline
taking with him son,-a lad of
dozen years.
The friends Of him whose life la
been so teartully threatened did al
in their power, hut in vain, to dis
suade him from placing himself in TIL
power OF SO desperate a man. Ilne
laughed ut thel" fears and entered tin
woods. Al the appointed time Rob
bins returned, but returned alone
Hines and his SON came not with him
and evidence afterwards adducn,
proved that they were fou!ly murder
ed. Means were ut once taken to Sc
cure the murderer, and at length h,
was captured by Gen. Lewis Loopi
and !lezckiah Parsons, Esq, rs h.
was stepping from his boat at TIN
head of Aziscohos Falls on the Ma
galloway. lie was conveyed to Ian
caster, and remanded for trial to TIN
old Jail, now burned. Z lblic feeling
ran high, anl so intense was the ex
cite nent over this col | bloDded mnr
der, that money was raised by sub
scription to detray the expenses o
his capture Fer time previous t,
his trial, he had complained of col,
and had been allowed by his jaiIor t,
hang Il cloak over the grated windo,
to his room. On the morning ar
pointed for his trial. he was ioul al
sent. His escape had heeh effecte
through the window, and SO close wa
its shape to his body, that blood an
skin were left upon the rough ends {
the logs. Aid from the outside h
must have had, or his escape Ia1bceI
impossible. or his after life nothin
is Known. Vague rumors are in Ice
current, leaning probably more to til
marvellous than to sober rcalit'