Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-18
Shooting ARRAY.

lies in critical condition. but strong hopes
are now entertained that he will recover.
The place of the shooting was "potato
patch," on the farm occupied by Richard
Dodce and his wife, and situated some
eight or nine miles from this village, in
what is known as the Bear Swamp"
region of Middlesex. Toreach this famed
locality. the road up Worcester Branch
NAV be taken, until the village of Wright's
Mills is passed. A couple of miles beyond
Wright's Mills the Branch road is.left, ard
the road TO the left taken that leads through
the "Shady Rill'' valley. Up this road
some four miles is the house that Richard
Dodge, commonly known rs "Shack"
Dodge, occupies.
This house and the farm on which it is
situated belong to Joel Dodge. Some
years ago Richard made 4 contract to pur-
chase a few acres off one side of this farm
from his brother Joel, and made q part
payment turning over a note and mortgage
to Joel against third party. Meanwhile
Richard and wife continued to occupy
Joels farm, as well.as the adjacent piece
they had bought There came to be trou
BILE, Richard wanting deed of what he
had paid over. Joel claimed that Richard
and wife should account for the rents of
the farm and offset them against all or
part of what had been paid him on the
contract. Last year Joel brought an
ciectment suit before Justice Robinson but
the Justice decided that six months notice
was required and hadn't been given, and
so Richard and wife remained in posses
sion. Last spring the latter made An offer
of compromise that. if Joel would pay
them one hundred dollars they would quit.
This was refused, he claiming that he owed
them nothing a suit is now pending in
the County Court, in which Richard seeks
to recover back what he paid on the land
contract.
Last spring Joel. who lives little this
side of Wright's Mills, went up to the farm,
planted some potatoes near the house and
did Il little other work. There are various
stories as 10 incidents Of the contest prior
to Saturday, it being stated on the one side
that Joel last winter took the windows out
of the house and used other means to an
nov and distress the occupants. and Also
on the other hand, that they have burned
fences and sheds for fire-wood.
Last Friday Joel went with two men,
Dennis Gibbons and WILDER Gould, up to
the farm and after gathering some apples
began digging the potatoes west of the
house. Shack was absent from home,
but his wife was there with force and arms.
She and Joel had some hard words as the
work progressed and she began THROWN Q
stones ut him after ordering him off the
premises. He started for her with his
hoe rs some say. when one of the men,
Dennis called out Shes got pistol.
This she had kept under her apron till hi.
advance Joel who had come quite near
to her, on finding she had 4 pistol bowcl
his head forward Just before the pistol was
discharged 1t was an old horse pisto
loaded with shot and the charge cu
through the brim of his straw hat Il LITTLE
in front of lis right ear.
The charge Of duck shot passed into hi
right check Just below the check bone ant
passing downward and toward the left
broke the right side of his upper jaw. leav
inc one tooth ut the back of that side, Gu
his tongue very badly, and broke tn
lower jaw upon the left side. \ portion
! of the charge also passed down in front O
i the roots of the tongue and made 4 hol
down the neck in front Of the tongue. TIL
wad lodged in this and was taken on
Monday.
The wounded man was taken home.
distance of six or seven miles, and DIR!
Chandler and Kemp. We're called an
dressed his wounds.
Mrs. Dodge, was arrested Friday after
O noon. Deputy Sheriff Vail, of Worcester
n undertook to do that part of the work, bu
Mrs. Dodge, preferred to remlin at home
!, and under the circumstances Mr.. Vail, di
y not capture her. But Deputy Sheri
Meader, of Calais, and Mr.. Porter of Dan
. Vile, afterwards took her and brought he
, to Montpelier jill. A complaint ft
4 assault with intent to kill, was made [
# States Attorney Dillingham;, and h
y agreement between the States Attorne
: counsel the examination was set for thi
"a Wednesday morning. at the office Of J {
i Livingston, before Justice IIuse.
o "Shack Dodge, the husband of Il
o accused, and brother of the man who
II she shot, was q soldier in the Mexico
:, war, and also served in the war of the l
10 bellion. His wife's name was Elvir:l Sto,
dard. and she is about fifty years of 40
-, and is we'll known in the neighborhoo
north-e east and north of here. Some yea
ago she was the cOnsOrt of one Eli
Wakefield, who kept a tavern or place
resort some four miles from here. in
'. town of East Montpelier, on the Cal;
~ one Freeman Smith, who worked
Wakefield, and made 4 target Of his seal
Mr.. Smith, did not appear when she W
tried for the offence and nothing WAS dor
&c There is a good deal of excitement oH
~ the affair of Friday, in the places who
the parties reside, and both assailant 4
assailed have sympathizers. many think
:, that Joel has treated Richard and his W
in badly. Mrs. Dodge, we understand, clan
. that she intended to hit him in the leg, a
that but for his sudden discovery of t
bo pistol and unexpected lowering of his he
r. the wound would have been lodged whc
she intended and not in his face
- The hearing in the case, on the eharg,
assault with intent to kill or murder, v
~, this morning adjourned to August 2Gth,
. A. VI.