Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-16

The friends OF Henry Lucier. who died
suddenly at Mr.. Ormsbee's house in Water
bury, ON the first inst., having persisted IN
their efforts to that enc on the 18th prevailed
upon the civil authority to direct the dis
interment and examination Of the body, and
an inquest was thereon held before Justice
Leusa An inquest was suggested and
urged, We understand, BY Mr.. Selliek and
Others, at the time Lucier's death occurred,
but was not held because the friends Of the
unfortunate man expressed themselves
abundantly satisfied that every person CON
nected with the affair was entirely blame
less, and because his wife would not consent
to post morfen examination. But the
friends of the deceased after he was buried,
clamored for an Investigation. and 1t mas
been had The facts disclosed and put up
on record are substantially these
That on the Ist day Of January, between
eleven and half past eleven in the forenoon,
Henry Lucier, SO drunk as to require as
sistance to walk, and Lewis Taro, ms
brothcr-in-law, somewhat intoxicated. went
into the house of f. E. Ormsbee, who was
liquor agent Of Waterbury, and there
Lucier called for pint of alcohol.
and was refused, and informed that the
reason of this refusal was - because
he had pint the night before. and more
over he was intoxicated then. HIS
demand for the liquor and Mr.. Orms-
bees refusal were several times repeated,
when he was several times requested to
leave the house, to which he replied that he
would not go until he got the liquor, and
made some effort to take it himself, oelng
in the room where it is kept. Mr.. Ormsbee
being sickly man sent for Mr.. Sellick, who
came in, and, being requested by Ormsbee
| to put the two men out, took hold OF the
collar of Lucier's coat and said Come
Hen. come out of here" Lucier then
twisted himself away from Sellick's hold,
stepped off sideways about two feet, leaned
M against barrel, spit ON his hands,
doubled up his fists, put himself IN hight
ing attitude and replied Il will not go
until | get some alcohol" Mr.. Seilick
seized him by both his arms in manner to
prevent his striking and commenced draw
ing him towards the door; he struggled to
free himself from Sellick and before Selllck
had scarcely moved him from his position
he tainted or went into fit and Mr.. Sellick
called upon Taro to assist in carrying him
|
recover consciousness and died in very few
moments.
Doctors james, Fales, Frink and Wash
burne made A post norton examination and
Thus testified DR. james, that he thought
from the examination that Lucier died OF
congestion of the brain Dr. fales. that his
brain was e0ngested to an extent that might
have caused his death, though he had some
doubt about it ; Dr. Frink, that the examl-
nation was made 50 long after death that he
did not think definite opinion could be
formed from the examination as TO the cause
of his death that from the appearance Of
the brain he judged there was congestion OF
the brain that might possibly have caused
death: and DR.. Washburne, that he formed
no definite opiniOS As to the cause oil ms
death. that there was congestion of the
brain.
The physicians all testified that they tid
not find the slightest appearance upon the
body of there having been outward violence
The friends OF Lueier were present at the
inquest, and were given liberty to examine
the witnesses. In view of the facts dlSclOs-
ed at this inquest the writer Of the article
in last weeks issue Of the Argus ana
Patriot WILL need 10 invent another mar
rative full of defamat0ry insinuations, IN
order to do very serious injury to
the citizens oil waterbury therein AZ
tackled That article says that the aced-nt
of this affair published in the FREE Pass
was "a false and garbled mlsrepresenta-
ton. The testimony on the Investigation
shows the contrary 10 be the case -Four
witnesses testified that both Lucier and has
comrade were drunk, particularly Luc!er'
and it also appeared that during hall past
eight and eleven clock a. N, they reduced
with water and drank one quart and one
pint Of alcohol, in connection with two
Other persons. Not the slightest blame
rests upon any person in the mind Of any
one who heard the testimony in this matter,
nor up to the time Of the inquest had any
one cause for suspicion that any body was
blameworthy in this matter, or that Mr..
Ormsbee or Mr.. Sellick were even little
hasty or harsh in their attempts TO eject
Iucier frum the hose. We have respect for
the feelings of the friends of Lucier and re-
gret that it Is necessary 10 rehearse the
testimony relating to his iRtoxicatiOn, but
justice 10 respectable citizens, whom they
have wickediy yilifed, in the Argss, re
quire> that his and their debauch on that
unfortunate occasion be made known. 5