Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-18


AND COMMITS SUICIDE
Last Saturday forenoon, Frank BrGssor
while out bunting about mile and a hal
from BRAID village, was shot and il
stantly killed by tramp. AMI his gun. d
valuable Winchester ffteen-shooter rifle,
taken by his mu, d.rcr The mud red boy,
was a son of Frank B. < u + sIcct-
c1 French citiz,n OF Brand tn lie
had that morning hired out for rse
Summer to work for c. NJ WiusOw. to be
gin Monday; and desiring holiday had
borrowed Mr.. VS. rifle, and gone out for a
day s shooting. At about eleven O'Clock
two or three hours afterwards, his lileless
body was found in the ditch by the road
side. His remains were taken to the resi-
dence. of his father. where Drs.
Woodward and Page made an autopsy, re-
vesling the fact that he had been murder
ed. and that his assassin had evidently ap
preached his victim. and fired on him, from
behind, as two bullets had entered his back
one passing entirely trough his body, the
other lodging just under the skin in trot
The position of the wounds, together with
the fact that the bullet found in the body
was larger than those carried by the rifle,
precluded any theory of suicide. Nothing
is known as to the immediate circumstances
attending the murder save that an old man,
cutting brush near where the body was
found, said he had heard two or three
shots followed by al interval, and then
two mere and voice crying. OH" lie
thought nothing more of it for the sounds
ceased and he went on with his work.
The news of the murder spread rapidly,
and search for the perpetrator was immedi
ately commenced but no definite trace was
found of the tramp until Saturday
evening about S o'clock, when be was met
on the railroad track about 81 Eiles south
of Brandon by John Pendergrsss, of Pitts
ford, section hand, whom the tramp at
tempted to shoot. The man, as be met him.
stepped off about two or three feet and
asked Pendergrass if he was good
shot. at the same time aiming
the riffs at him, when Pendergras;
Immediately sprang toward him and
with blow struck him down and
caught him by the throat. The stranger
cried II give up; don't choke me- any
more, do anything; take me to the guard
house if you want to, but don't choke me-"
During the struggle the two men rolled |
down the embankment, and the rifle went 4
out of the strangers hands thougha fence. |
Pendergrass got the rifl,. lighted mis- lantern |
which had gone out in the melee and not |
having heard Of the murder started |
on north. and the stranger went south.
When separated about twenty rods |
revolver at Pendergrass without fleet.
Pendergrass met a section man from Bran
don. about a mile south of there. to whom
he related his adventure. The rifle was
by the Brandon man from de
scription given here as the one carried by
and the officers here were notified.
Having procured handcar they proceeded
ID return at eleven o'clock. They bad
passed the scene Of Pendergrass' en-
with the tramp about forty rods,
VI hon they came upon the body of the tramp
wing between the rails with bullet hole
in his right temple and the discharged re-
7olver by his side. The body was taken to
Brandon by the authorities. Nothing was
found TO indicate the name or former resi-
ience of the murderer and suicide; that he
vas a dangerous character seemed to be fol
Y proved BY the finding OF a revolver, felt
mask. and burnt cork upon his person.
The body laid in the town ball. Sunday and
Monday, and crowds visited the place, but
10 one identified the remains until tho
inquest, when the body was fully identified by
Mr.. Williams, a farmer OF Hubbardton, as
hat of young Englishman, calling HIM
elf Charles Williams, who worked for him
* months last year, and who STAYED with
i'm on Thursday and Friday last. Mrs.
Brink and Mrs. Goodnow, wives of two
Brandon farm, -, testified that the tramp
allied at their houses on Saturday. asked
or milk to drink and made inquiries about
he train for Montreal.
HB INQUEsT-TEsTIN0NY OF EUGENE c. Will
LIAMS.
| reside in Hubbardton, about eight miles
rom Brandon on Thursday afternoon :
bout > O'Clock young man called at my
ouse; dressed in dark clothes and wore a
God felt hat; that shown and identiiied)
is hair was black he said he had had 1t
Olored; be said he was going to Montreal
sup vi u NGSStl lUT L uTSl StN
he same man year ago the 4th of May
Ihen he first came to my house; said he ,
smc from England u New York, and had !
cen in Baltimore; he stad at my house i
.om May 4th to the autumn, six or seven :
lonths, working for me on the farm; his !
anne was Charles Williams; he came from :
ristol, England; he often received letters =
Importing to come from an uncle and aunt
! England he staid at my house Thursday =
nd Friday night of last week; he had |
istol with him, (pistol shown and id .ntiii- :
~; said he got the pistol IN England left =
~ house in the direction OF Brandon, Situr !
ay morning between and s O'Clock had !
bundle in handkerchief my wife gave = !,
i'm an old soft drab hat the mask found :,
q the tramp was shown and pronounced to =
. similar in material to the hat; (witness !,
entited the handkerchief, leather belt. !,
.issors, wristers, neck tie, check shirt and +
.her articles taken from the body; can !
lily identify the body as that Of Charles :,
'llliams, who worked for me last year and /
no stayed at my house on Thursday and i
rl5ay night; his habits were good while !,
orking for me; his temper was usually 4
BOD (; had no reason to think he was dis ,
1nest had sister in England but no },
carer relatives. lie said that when no 4,
ent back 70 England he found that his ,
ster was unfortunate in love matters and =
lat he couldn't see her; did not then care :.
UGH what did become Of him and shipped =
l a vessel for this country he showed at n
} time any appearance of insanity he :,
as apparently well educated, great :,
ader and used good language; | paid
i'm only his boa-d and clothes and mon
to get back to New York, as he was
holly unacquainted with farm work he |
i'd he got his clothes in England. and also u
at he had five dollars and nifty cents with II
IN his hair was quite light when work j
g Tor me; his age was Is; he did not ask )
r employment when he was at my house Il
st said he came from the south and lett y
10 train a Fairhayen. t,
A deposition of Drs. g. G. Dyer and a
rank W. Page, of Brandon. was put in. o
ating that they had examined the body of s.
e tramp, found that death resulted from Il
gunshot would in. the head, the ball er L
ring just above and in front of the right q
IT, and expressing the opinion that it was 1
ease of suicide, and thpt death result "a in o
IntaneOusly. II
TESTIMONY OF JOHN FENDEECRASS l.
John Pcndcrgrass, sworn | reside in p
ttsford, Vt. am section man from rittsford II
alton north towards Brandon; started j
ON my house on Saturday last, at Z 4. N. Z
met a man ON the track 20 or 30 rods north !.
llolIen's crossing; the man saying to me II
Good evening, Boss | replied Good eve {
NJ, sir liz then asked me II was It "
nod rifle shot replied, pretty good one. n
e asked me what brought me out nj that t
me of night? replied WAS out ON my c.
lslnoss. lie then said to me. "this is no 81
me of night for YOU to be out, at the same b
mo taking the rifle he had in his hand and "
Iinting 1t at my face. seized the lille and Il
hooked him down. had lantern in my =
md Mt the time, which tell out of my hand II
al relied down the bank lie then got up "
nj clutched me; We had u tu,slr, and We ;
9TH rolled down to the fence. In the tusslr
Ii Al -. l.. l.