The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-13
The East MONTPELIER Tragedy.


We take the following additional and
more minute particulars of the East Mont
pelier tragedy from the Montpelier Watch
man and Journal:
THE FIRST SHOOTING.
About three o'clock in the afternoon,
Ply Clifford, Joel Nichols, and l.. Ii. Gun
ningham, with George W. Short, boy
about sixteen years OF age, were sitting in
Norcross' grist mill, when Hiram Arbuckle
appeared at the door, and, without word
of warning, raised large navy revolver
aud fired at young Short. The ball struck
Shorts arm and he sprang from his seat,
exclaiming, 81 am shot !" lie moved
toward door for the purpose of escaping,
when Arbuckle fred again. the ball enter
ing Shorts body in the vicinity of his
lungs. He fell upon the floor, but rose i'm
mediately, hitched up his team and drove
10 bis home.
THE SECOND AND FATAL SHOOTING.
Arbuckle then proceeded to the black
smith shop of G. w. Bancroft, near the
mill, where, without uttering word, he
raised his revolver and fired at Mr.. Ban
croft, the ball striking him in the arm. The
wounded man ran toward the mill. Ar
buckle followed him, and just as Bancroft
neared the door, Arbuckle fired a second
time, the ball penetrating just under the
ear of his victim, who stumbled at the
threshold of the mill and fell to the floor.
He lived only few moments. The muir
derer then went on up the hill towards the
residence of MIR. L. II. Cunningham. APP
preaching Mrs. Cunningham, he told her
not to be afraid, for he would not shoot
her. He owed her no grudge.
THE MURDERER's BOAST.
He said to her, "Thats the kind of
man l am. have been thinking of this a
| long time, and made my will and got all
ready to do this thing three months ago."
| He had made up his mind not toibe taken
alive. He was not going to live till SUM-
down, for he had revolver with six balls
| in it, and meant to use it. He then went
| to his home.
TIE SUICIDE.
! When Constable George Rowland, who
had been sent for. arrived, he went at
once to the home of Arbuckle to arrest
him. The latter heard him coming, and
ran out of the house toward the barn.
When he got about halfway from the back
door to the barn he stopped, and, placing
the revolver TO his breast, fired. He drop
ped instantly, and when found by the con-
stable was dead. He had kept his word,
and made ct ending for his hellish deeds
by putting an end to his own life.
THE MURDERER.
| Hiram Arbuckle was about thirty years
| old, unmarried, and son of Philander Ar
buckle, of East Montpelier. In the family
were three sons and one daughter, and they
had long been residents of that place. The
murderer's father was always a drinking
and quarrelsome man. Several years ago
be was indicted for an attempt to kill his
son Hiram and forced to leave the state.
He went TO Kansas and remained there un-
til about two years ago. Mrs. Arbuckle is
a sister of Hiram Bennett, of East Montpe-
lier, and is spoken of by those who know
her as a fine woman. The boys are said TO
have kept the family together, and have
done well as a general rule. Hiram never
was addicted to drinking. He has lived
here in Montpelier most of the time, and
recently worked for Mr.. Fales, at the hotel.
His disposition is said to have been bad
one, and he was an ugly man to get along
with. There had been some trouble IN the
family for long time. Previous to the
shooting he had borrowed revolver of Mr..
A. N. Norcross. When the revolver was
looked for at the close of the tragedy, it
was nowhere to be found.
THE VICTIMS.
The murderer's first victim, young Short,
is the son of o. w. Short, of East Mont
pelier. He is about sixteen years of age,
aid never intentionally provoking or quar-
relsome. His injuries are very severe in
deed, and at last accounts he was in crti.
cal condition. The ball entered his right
nipple, and striking against his left breast,
glanced inwardly and has not been found.
George W. Bancroft, the second victim,
was about fifty years of age, and son of
Aaron Bancroft. The family comprised
three sons-D. W., Aaron and George
and they, also, were long residents of East
Montpelier. George went to Massachusetts,
when twenty live years old, and remained
soma twenty years. He has been back
about five years. He bought a blacksmith
shop at East Montpelier village. and mar
ried-as hi. second wfe-the sister of his
murderer, about two years ago. His dis
position is reported TO have been none OF
the best, the bad blood shown on both
sides being the cause of the family troubles.
He had at one time considerable property,
but had disposed of most of it. His father
was the son of Boston man, who made
provision for the support of his family at
East Montpelier.