The Republican journal., 1877-05-17
The Hanson Tragedy.

The arrest of Charles " Cook and his confession
OF the part he acted in the terrible murder of Miss
Susan }. Hanson of Brookfeld, the brief details of
which have already been given. has created in
tense excitement in New Hampshire
The story of the murder will be readily recalled
Miss Hanson a lady of culture and refinement, was
cruelty murdered by some one then unknowil. The
room in which she was sitting was violently shaken,
the lamp went out and Miss Hanson fell to the
floor. The physicians found seventeen shot and
slugs in the murdered woman'S face, neck and
breast and there were other terrible wounds. SuS-
picion was directed against Joseph Buzzcll lis the
murderer, he having been the accepted suitor of
Miss Hanson The time for the marriage had been
arranged but was postponed by BuZzcli on various
excuses. Thus matters went on for several years
until Il few months before the tragedy, to the
complete surprise of the community. Buzzell mar
ried another woman Subsequently Miss Hanson
brought a breach of promise suit against Buzze
and hearing III the case had been fixed upon to
take place on the dav that followed the murder
The evidence against Buzzell accumulated so rap
idly that only five days after the murder he
arrested charged with the commission of the crime
but after a long trial he was acquitted.
Cook. who is now under arrest was one of the
witnesses at the trial He testified that he was at
work at Buzzells on the day of the murder; that
he ate his supper at o'clock and in very few
minutes went to bed. In March, 1876. the farm
buildings Df John Churchill neigh5or Of Buzze
mvsteriOuSv burned. and subsequently, the
barn Of Noah II. Roberts another Brooktied
farmer. burned. and. as III the former case, no
cause could be ascertalned. During the last winter
the barn and live stock of Leonard ShortbridEe OF
Brookfeld were burned by an incendiary. These
three fires naturally caused much comment, as it
was well known that all the persons whose proper
ty had thus been burned were witnesses for the
prosecution i'll the Buzze trial. The question i'm
mediately arose in the minds Of the town officials
whether BuzZe was not connected with the fires,
and III that way endeavoring to be reyeuged upon
some of the witnesses. On the Eth of March last
the selectmen of Broollteld offered il reward of
$1,000 for the detection and cOu 7cton of the party
or parties to the lncendarism. soon after dctec-
tives from Boston were employed to shadow Cook
at Pennington in regard alone to the iuccndar acts.
The result of the police work are substantially
known to the public. Cook was arrested at the
Howe farm in Pennington on Saturday evening by
the detectives. Monday Cook was taken to USsipco
and his confession i'll the presence only of Hon. j.
W. Sanborn and c. b. Gaincv. u lawycr of Roch-
ester, was made. He confessed to his connection
with the Churchill fire and said that he hired
to do ii by BuZzcll. but had never been paid His
connection with the murder i'll all its details is
withheld by the officials for proper reasons 1t is
known from Mr.. Sanborn who now holds the con
frSSiOn in writing that Cook fired the gun but that
BuZ2ell stood by his side when he did it, Cook was
at first r0aXed to take part III the adar hv the ol,r
Of money, but when the time came To commit the
murder ne Shrank from the act. hut BuZZcll told
him that if he did not take good aim and fire that
he Wuuld take til" guu and blow his U'uok>l
brains out. A. tile period Of the murder Cook was
only Il years old. He born in West Milton,
and until he was years old he lived on the Buz
zclt farm. Atttrwar0 he worked for farmers IN
different places in this section. and lust previous
to the tragedy he was living AT taruul41uu. Bul
zell went to Pennington on Suud3} the day hrtnr,'
the murder, and took Cock with him 10 BroolirId.
and there, during Sunday evening, arrangements
We're made for the commission of the crime Nu
Monday Cook worked all duy uu the BuzZrll lanu.
He ate his supper on Monday he stated anu
went to his chamber, but soon afterwards escaped
from his room and hurried away to conceal himself
IL b,.p l,.+ II :