Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-14
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

W hen Mrs. James Bushnell, OF hnONls-
vile. y Y. gets into an - interesting situa-
ton" the succeeding result is rather a.
founding Thus in 1865, when but 20 years
old she gave birth to three children, who
survived but few months In the succeed
ing year, however, SIX children was the har-
vest at one time. three boys and as many
girls Mrs. Bushnell was unable to walk
for two months prior to her confinement on
this occasion. and after the birth Of her Sec
ond child became unconscious, and when the
heroic mother recovered her senses she was
naturally somewhat horror-stricken TO find
herself the mother Of six children. 1t took
six wet nurses and cost 81 100 to wean this
crop Of infants, four OF whom, only, are in
existence at the present time. Not satisfied
with these achievements, Mrs. Bushnell was
the victim Of another set Of triplets in 1869
making in all - children at three births
in less than eight wears.
\ criminal By the name of Charles Nor
timer. with a half a dozen aliases, now in
confinement al Sacramento, Cal, must be
Mrs. sherman affinity, if that doctrine will
hold At all events he Is kindred spirit,
and has been the cause of sending the same
number Of souls into eternity that the Con
entity, however. for while she Is supremely
happy having her nine murders laid bare
and the whole matter disposed Of. he i a.
decidedly ugly, and not any amount Of con-
finement can tame him His present arrest
is for the murder Of 4 woman of Sacramento,
named Mary Gibson, and there are also
hanging over him charges ofmurdering eight
other women in San Francisco, all having
been done within the last twelve years.
When brought into court for arraignment he
INDUCED in more contempt in a shorter time
than the Judge who examined him probably
ever experienced before When asked by
the District-Attorney if Charles Mortimer
was his true name, he replied that he didn I
know rs that was any OF his business, and
that answer he repeated to Judge and jury.
He said he had spoken 10 Judge Tyler Of
san Francisco, and Judge Curtis to appear
for him. but they didn't seem to be On hand.
The Judge appointed counsel, but Mortimer
refused any but those Of his own selection,
and 80 formidable client did he seem that
all rather shrank from his defence. When
told to sit down he refussd and had TO be
hattened by the Sheriff, after which he wa
taken to Jail
SOlon. o., with attending circumstances -
revolving that the bare recital Of them Is
sickening. The victim was an old bachelor
of 63. George McConoughey, who had lived
all his life in q little hut and carried on
farming. From childhood he had been ad-
dicted to liquor and the habit 50 grew upon
him that druggists and saloon keepers came
by a common understanding 10 refuse him
stimulants. Notwithstanding this fault he
had always been frugal, kept out Of debt,
and attended to his business. He had been
robbed several times, and other attempts had
been made and failed A few days before
his death he was at his brothers house, near
his own, and expressed fear that he should
be killed some night. lie was sitting near
the fire "a an old broken chair, when some
one about twelve feet outside his window, As
the tracks in the snow indicated, fired two
shots, which entered his back and passed
through h.s heart, killing him instantly. He
fell forward into the fire, while the mur
derer broke through the door and rifled his
pockets Of S9j, all he was known to have
had. When the body was discovered it pre-
sented disgusting spectacle. One arm and
Il large portion ofhis left side had been roast
ed away on the hot Goals, but that was not
all. lie had been very fond of cats, and al
ways had five or six Of these animals with
him He had educated them so that at
given signal they would range themselves
in line to be fed, Tempted by the smell of
burning flesh, these ghouls had gorged them
selves ON the old mans body until it was dis
figured almost beyond recognition. \ young
man named Chamberlain, a near neighbor,
has been arrested on suspicion.
\ most diabolical, unproyoked and singu-
lar murder was perpetrated at Cedar Falls,
Ia, recently. in broad daylight Over two
months ago n young man named Byron
Wright. engaged the school in that place,
and went to board with Mrs. Stickley,
widow with one daughter, Almira, l. years
old. The young lady acquired violent at
tachment for Wright, though by her own
subsequent confession he did nothing TO en-
courage that feeling. He saw the drift of
matters. and concluded that he had better
change boarding places. Whenever he men
toned this it angered the old lady and her
daughter exceedingly, and his position be-
came daily more uncomfortable. The other
morning, sleeping late. he went to his school
without breakfast, and feeling faint he re
turned at recess to Mrs. Stiekley's for some
lulllE 10 I'll ~ ne wis stdltu II tue ldDlt
Almira came up behind him and shot him in
the back of the head. Wright sprang up
and went to the widow for air, and while
there one Richard George shot him again
in the left side of the head George and
Almira then hitched up the horses in the
barn and drove to town, whipping the ami
mails at every step. While there the excited
girl told what she had done, and she and
George were arrested, as well as Mrs Stick
ley soon after. The dying man was removed
to his home in Waterloo Later the mother
and daughter made full confession They
had planned the terrible tragedy two weeks
before. and determined that Wright should
marry Almira or be killed. The assistance
of George was secured, because being des-
perately enamored of the young woman, he
thought by getting Wright out of the wav
she might smile on him.
The latest reports are that the Granite
State hank at Exeter will lose $50, 900 by
Shute. lie defaulter. 1t is reported that he
has sailed from New York for Havana or
South America. and many think he will send
an offer of settlement The peculations have
faro ~