Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-09-08
A Startling Tragedy,
A Hotel Keeper Shoots his Wife and her
Brother-in-Law-The W oman not Expect
ed TO Live-The Would-be Murderer Ar
DERBY LINE, Vt, Aug. 81.

rested.
DERBY LINE, VT, Aug. 81.
A terrible shooting affair has just oc-
Cured at the Derby Line hotel. E. C.
Hayden, formerly of Boston, shot his
wife in the abdomen twice with revolv-
er. One bullet, which passed through
the left kidney, has been taken out at
the back. The other has not been found
Hayden also shot her brother.in. law, c..
o. Brigham, lawyer of this place, in
the breast. The physicians think now
that the woman cannot possibly recover.
Hayden has been arrested.
He had not been living with his wife
for about ten months, she having left
him because of his abuse of her and his
dissipated habits. He has been clerking
the past summer at the St. Leon house,
st. Leon springs, and came here yester-
day afternoon, and now admits having
come for the express purpose of killing
his wife if she would not agree to live
with him. The revolver with which he
committed the deed he borrowed from
Messrs. Parsons q Carpenter, druggists,
Rich Island, 2. O., saying that he want
ed to kill dog that had bitten him.
Hayden then went to the Derby Line
hotel, and a few minutes before the
shooting he was talking with his wife
and her sister, Mrs. Brigham, in the
presence of Mr.. Brigham, and not con-
Quoting himself properly. Brigham
threatened to have him arrested, and
suggested that the ladies go into another
room.
THE SHOOTING.
Hayden then went down stairs, saying
4" I'll go down and get drink and come
back and settle with you" A few min
utes later he went up, found Brigham
guarding the door, and without word
shot him in the right breast. The ball,
which is 80 calibre long, passed into the
lungs. Brigham staggered to the ver-
anda, when Hayden sprang into the
room, the door of which had at this mo-
ment been opened by Mrs. Brigham. He
pointed the revolver at her head and
she sprang behind the door into the cor
ner, drawing the door back to shield
herself from the assassin. He then
pointed the revolver at his wife's head.
" For Gods sake, Ned, think what you
are doing" she exclaimed, at the same
time striking his extended arm down,
but too late. AT this instant he fred,
the bullet entering the abdomen. She
partly turned, and as she was falling he
fired second time, hitting her in the
left side of the small of the back. BY
this time Brigham had rallied sufficient
ly to rush in and grapple with Hayden,
throwing him to the floor and holding
him there. This was the position in
which they were when the people below,
hearing the shots and shrieks, ran up
and found them.
THE MURDERER's FERMENTATION.
That the attack was premeditated is
shown by the assassin's admission when
being taken down stairs by the officer,
f" have done what | came for" and as
he was being taken through the street
he said to the assembled crowd, "The
fun's all over, boys" An examination
was had of the prisoner Thursday after
noon before H. d. Holmes. He plead
guilty, and he came for the express pur-
pose of killing "Gerty," his wife, but
was sorry he had to shoot Brigham to |
get at her, and that he had thought of |
all this for months. His bonds we're set
at $4,000 in each case, and he is on his
way to Irasburg Jail. The physicians
have no hope of Mrs. Hayden's recov-
cry, and of Mr.. Brigham it is doubtful. |
Hayden had been drinking, but was per-
fectly rational.
LATER ADSICEs
report that the victims of the fearful
tragedy remain in about the same condi- |
ton. Hardly any hopes are entertained
by the physicians of their recovery. The
ball which passed into Mr.. Brigham's
left side passed through the ribs and
cannot be extracted Mrs. Hayden's
condition is considered very precarious,
and we fear that ere the morrow it will
be our sad duty to chronicle her death.
THE PRISONER IN JAIL.
Edwin G. Hayden, the would-be muir
derer, has been committed to the county
Jail in lrasburgh to await trial at the
petty September term of the Orleans
county court. He maintains the same
bravado which characterized his an
pearance since the shooting and ex
presses no regret for the deed. The
people of this town are terribly insensed,