The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-30
A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT
BELLOWS FALLS.
A MAN SUPPOSED TO BE DROWNED.
DR.. Wallace Stewart, of Clarendon,
Said to be the Person.


A man Is supposed TO have been drowned
in the Connecticut river at Bellows Falls,
Tuesday evening last, about half-past five
o'clock. Another man was with him, says
the Bellows Falls Times from which we
gather this statement, and rs both were
strangers no particulars could be ascertain
ed and many rumors got afloat and much
doubt prevailed as to whether any one had
been drowned. More especially did the
mystery increase as the companion of the
drowned man left during the evening.
During Wednesday forenoon the compan-
ion returned for the search for the body or
any evidence as to whether he was drown
ed by the finding of his hat or otherwise.
From him we obtained the following par
tculars
He gave his name as d. Ii. Perry, of
Brldgewater. The name of the man drown
ed was Wallace Stewart. Mr.. and Mrs.
Perry came to Springfield near Bartons-
vile, visiting at his fathers, Jas. s Perry.
Stewart was there, and Tuesday he perry
took his team and they came together to
this place, strangers, simply TO see the
place At about 81 o'clock they were walk
ing by the side of the river at the lower end
of the railroad yard, near the small Ches-
hire railroad repair shop, when Stewart
saw something, or claimed 10 have seen it,
floating in the river, at the narrows of
the rapids above the falls, and thereupOn
went out and down on the rocks project
ing at that place. In was very cloudy and
quite dark, but Mr.. Perry, who remained
upon the bank, says he saw Stewart near
the water, and looked away for moment
only, and on Unlocking again at the point of
rocks Stewart was not to be seen. This
startled him and he instantly changed his
position so as to look on each side of the
rock, but saw or heard nothing of Stewart.
He called for him in vain, and then gave
the alarm to others, but it was not possible
| to render him any aid. He went back to
Springfield and returned for further search
Wednesday morning accompanied by Tyler
Putnam, and tic two spent the entire fore
noon in trying to discover some trace of
| Stewards body but none was found. Mr..
Perry supposes he slipped into the water
| by accident, but it may have been sui
| eide he thinks Of nothing that would
| have caused him To commit suicide. Some
| two years ago Stewart had brother killed
ON the railroad near Brockway's mills, be-
ing struck by "A bridge. Perry says he
spoke of it when they arrived at that place.
and after that appeared more sober and
said but little, but he attributed it simply
to the thought of the death OF his brother.
1t was possible, he said, that Stewart had
played game or trick on him, and slipped
him in that way, but he knew of no reason
why he shouldrdo SO and did not think he
had.
In reply to questions, MIR. Perry further
informed us that Stewards father lived in
Clarendon, that lie had a wife and one OIL
for some years, and who were living in the
west; that Stewart had formerly been g
practcing physician at Rutland that he
had also formerly lived in Brdgewater
that in this last place Stewart had beer
charged with tar and feathering affair
which occurred some time ago; THAT the
constable at Bridgewater had shot at him
two or three times in trying to arrest him
and that frien is in Rutland were aiding
him in prosecuting the constable for hav
ing so used firearms; and that he GERRY
had known him for some twenty years.
On inquiry ii Stewart was or could havi
been under the influence of intoxicating
liquor, Mr.. Perry said no that he was no
aware that he had drank any that day o.
that there had been any opportunity fol-
him to have obtained any liquor after ar
irving in this place.
Suspicious of foul play, or of foolng
have been expressed in the street, yer,
naturally, as the parties are all stranger
here, but there is nothing to indicate any
such thing. Mr.. Perry appears like har,
working and truthful man, and gave hi
story to us with much feeling.
At about nine o'clock, Tuesday evening
Mr.. Buss, who keeps the toll gate at tn
bridge, says man called there and mad
some unusual noise in aud about the brdg
and also made rather lncoherent inquire
il man had been there, and on being in
formed that there had not, said he mus
have gone down the river. On calling MI
Perry's attention to this, he ,said he ha
been about town during the evening, t
see If Mr.. Stewart might not be found
that he was under great stateuOf excite
ment and hardly knew what he did say.
This seems to be all that is known of tn
affair here now, and should what is state
above as having occurred at Rutland an
Bridgewater prove true, it will so far cor
firm Mr. Perry's statement, Of which W
shall be likely to hear next week.
LATER.
, Since writing the above we learn tbs
, Perry has been identified as the man VIII
, was with Stewart in Il. A. Turner'S stoi
at about 8 o'clock Tuesday afternoon
where they bought some crackers an
,, cheese, and at which time Stewart was az
parently in decided state of intoxicatior
This conflicts with Mr.. Perry's statemer
to us on this point, and throws food c
light on the whole affair.