Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-08-06
Bellows falls Zines,
The Berlin Tramp Assault

PaibicuiuicOi thS tiaih r. ooSsNasi" ANA''N'
by which itappears that the first report
were in no degree exaggerated. The,
went to the house Of Emerson Hill
Mrs. Hill was alone, the men being
away about mile haying. They de
manded a dinner and she got ii for them
They then inquired where the men folk
were, to which Mrs. Hill replied tina
"they were about" Then they begar
to be abusive and insulting. There were
two of the tramps at this time, and one
said he was going to bed and thereupon
entered bed room and threw himself
on the bed, where he laid few moments,
using profane and insulting language
all the while. The other entered an
other room and rumaged over some pri-
waite papers. 1t was at this point that
Mrs. Hill resolved on the hot water
charge. She at first told them that she
would call the men folks. AT this one
then seized her, she sprang from him
and seizing the hot water on the stove
dashed it into his face and he howled-
"by Cd I'm burnt" The hot wa
ter cooled his attack on her, and the 9TH
er then tried to seize her, and she gave
him dose of hot water also, but he
lodged and received the water on one
arm, but it had the desired effect, and
he retreated with volley of oaths and
told her that they would burn the build
ings to ashes before Sunday night. I" We
have been hired to burn buildings, and
get hundred dollars month for doing
it," They retired after this, the burnt
one led by his companion as if he were
blind from the effects of his scalding.
The balance of the account we copy
from the Montpelier Journal, as follows !:
ATTEMPTED INcEND1ARIsM
Mrs. Hill locked the doors Immediate
ly and went across lots to Patrick Muir
ray, the nearest neighbor on the north.
Mr.. Murray, his son, and hired man,
we're in the hay field, She told them
what had happened, and they started
in pursuit of the villains but the fif-
teen minutes occupied in arousing them
gave the tramps an opportunity to reach
the thick bushes not far from Mrs. Hills
house, and no traces of them could be
found. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hill alarmed
her husband, their son George, and their
hired man. Hurrying back to the house,
afraid Of the miscreants' threats, she
went in, and discovering the fire needed
replenishing, she went to the wood-shed
for some shavings. And providential it
was that she did, for in few moments
the house would have been in a blaze.
From under some boards she discovered
a thick smudge coming, and pulling
them apart, pile of shavings was dis
closed in full blaze, just ready to spread
She ran to the water-trough, got pail
of water, put it out and saved the house.
ANOTHER ATTACK.
On Sunday some of the neighbors
came over to Mr.. Hills and talked the
matter up. The countryis quite thickly
wooded in this vicinity, and in the win
ter numbering forms a large portion of
the business done. The Central railroad
runs in the valley short distance to the
east, and it was generally believed that
the tramps, having come by the railroad,
had returned thither through the bushes,
and had left the vicinity But Mrs.
Hill was to have another adventure with
the villains yet, and one even more seri-
GUS than on Saturday. On Monday
morning the men folks went to the other
farm to hay, leaving Mrs Hill alone as
on Saturday. A short distance from the
house are two small houses, erected by
Mr.. Hill for the residence of his wood
choppers in the winter During the
forenoon Mrs. Hill saw a smoke in this
direction. She ran and summoned Mr..
Murray's folks They discovered that
these shanties had been set on fire, and
extinguished the flames. At about half
past two in the afternoon, woman
came TO the house. Mrs. Hill went to
the door, and the woman said. Il would
like to come in and sit down and rest
me, for | am tired" Mrs. Hill, rightly
suspecting that some rascality was in the
wind, replied, am tired too, | can't
have you here; and shut the door in
her face. Thereupon four men stepped
to the door and tried the latch. Find
ing it was fastened, they took an axe
lying near by, smashed the door in, and
entered. Mrs. Hill did not wait to pass
the time of day, but jumped out of the
kitchen window and ran. She noticed
that the men had revolvers, and as she
ran, they fired two shots at her, and one
bullet just grazed her ear She reached
the house of Mr.. Gardner p. Rowell as
quick as her limbs could take her, and
informed his wife of this last outrage.
Thence going to the Herrick place, she
informed her own folks of the affair