St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-04-28
From Advance Slip of Hyde Park Newsdealer.
Horrible Tragedy at Hyde Park.

]
AN INSANE MAN STAYS HIS ONLY SON.
The quiet of the Sabbath was dis
turbed in this village by the horrible
intelligence that ''Crazy Cook" had slain
his son Charlie. The authorities and
citizens at once repaired to the scene of
the tragedy. Our reporter accompanied
them and learned the following particu
lars: At about ) o'clock Sunday morn
ing, Charles arose, fnddered the stock
and went to the sugar house, taking his
father, Edison Cook, with him. In about
an hour afterwards, Mrs. Cook saw her
husband returning alone, which fact
caused feeling of vague apprehension.
! He came in saying. "lve killed the seed
one :" On being asked if he had hurt
| Charlie, he said he had not, and that
Charlie was coming right up to break
fast. Mrs. c. then hurried her break
fast, but feeling apprehensivc, called
her daughter up to 90 to the Sugar-hOnSe
and see what had happened. After
Carrie had got out of doors. her father
told her that he had killed Charlie and
that he was in the sugarhOuse. She
FASTENED to the spot, about IL quarter of
il mile distant, her young and sensitive
mind filled with vague but terrible APP
prehensiOn-a the scene that met her
vision, in which she realized the terri
BILE truth of her fathers statement can
never be described. She then ran to
her nearest neighbor, Mr.. Harlow Bliss,
who with Others repaired to the scene.
On arriving ut the sugar-house they
found life not yet extinct and at once
dispatched Il messenger for IL surgeon
and the authorities. He lived about
half an hour after the men arrived.
though labOred and forced breathing
was the only 81 gnS of life he exhibited.
In the meantime the agOuiZed wife and
mother was alone with the maniac at
the house, not knowing the awful fate
of her son, but fearing something ter
rIble, went ont of doors and remained
till some men came up and brought the
intelligence. Mr.. Cook had got IL bat
tle-gI Ound staked out in his door ward
and bad brought ont the pillow. pitch
fork and such edge tools as he could
find. NJ. Manning, senior, then came
up and Mr.. Cook went for him. but
Manning taking Il belligcrent attitude.
threw Cook down, when slIacklcS were
placed on his hands and feet. and sheriff
Dwinell soon after came with warrant
and removed him to Jail. where he now
lies, awaiting examination.
The body of the deceased was fear
fully maugled. and presented one of the
most horrible and sickrning sights we
ever Witnessed. DIS. Hendrick and
Grover say they found il compound
comminuted fracture of the frontal and
parietal bones. with Slight nozimg of
- q,
which shows that IL large number of
blows were struck while he WAS pros
trate. They also found eight or ten
wounds of the integument of the head
and face. \ blow from the bit of the
TX fractured the tibiL of the left leo
midway between the knee and ankle.
Opposite this wound on the right leg
WAS Il wound evidently made 10y the
head of the axe, and there were bruises
on each thigh made in the same man
mel.
From Cooks statement and appear
;InceS at the Sugar-housc the manner of
the killing was is follows 1T appears
that Charlie went to making Il fire in
the arch and set his father to gathering
sap, as some sap had evidently been
gathered into the pan, when Cook sta
toned himself just outside the entrance
and round the corner with an uplifted
axe. 50 when Charlie attempted to pass
out, struck him Il blow that knocked /
HIM down backwards into the sugar
house, sensclc>>, when he went in and /
pounded away till his insane wrath was
apPeased
The deceased WAS ~ years of age. /
had always lived at home on the farm
where his violent death occurred, and |
had borne Il good reputation for frugal |
ity and industry. The demented assas-
sin has been called Cray Cook" for
Years, owing to fits of insanity Will.
under excitement. hut was not cousid-
cred dangerous person till last fall. /
when he was sent to Brattlrhoro. His .
friends thought they could care for him |
ut home, and he MAS returned them in |
JanIarN, since which time he has been
allowed to work more or less, though
always under close supervision. When
sane he WAS Il good and respected citi-
zen.
Carrie. the hereavcd daughter and
sister and the first to reach the scene.
had been confined To her bed with "A
qiIln>N sore. Tor several days under the
care OF II physician. and ii required all
her strength to go through the terrible
ordeal. and II is wonderful that her
proved sufficient.
The mother of Congressman Joyce
died at the residence of her Son-in-law
III Montpelier. April Eth. aged ia.
Stillman {. Lawrence of East Mont
peliei. has been arrested and iaIIed.
pending trial i'll the county court. for
the larceny of 100 pounds of maple sugar
from {. W. Ormsbce.
Governor Peck has decided to pardon
Inn Hanlon, the youthful MontpcIi,r
burglar, to whose efforts mainly. the
detection of the attempted escape of
Miles from state prison was due
Mrs. Martha +. Mercy, of STAFFORD
became 100 Years old on the 10th inst.
and the centennial WAS celebrated bv a
large gathering of her descendants.
nclghl"rS and friends. She is still the
earliest riser III the house and cniovs
domestic industry. Her welded lit,
~ years. her husband diving
at ~. Her mother lived to he IOI.
\ little boy visited the sugar place
with his father some days since. aud de
sired tn see the trees run, His father
pointed to II tree from which the san
was rapidly dropping and asked him if
ne d'dnt see 1t run. Me-" SAID the
boy, lit don't run, it leaks" The ma
pies havn't leaked" very much for the
last few days. Monitor.
Inc ltica Observer promulgates Seq