The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-04-12
ronnnrrt APPEAL.

row hAt&A AFFAAL.
i We have never known q 10 strong
an appeal ~ temperance as the follow.
ing account Of transaction in Dalton
In. II.
/ Among the frequent cases Of murder
and brutality caused by rum, few are
equal 10 atroeity to that at Dalton last
week, 10 which johnson G.. Kimball
killed bis wife. He has been arrested
aud waived examination by pleading
gullly to the charge. II appears that
be went 10 a drug store and bought a
bottle ofacohol aud bottle Of whisky,
the alcohol, as he says. being for the
Brooks boy at home who had a sore leg
He got home about two o'clock 10 the
afternoon, having drauk once on the
way lie saws that he fixed some
whiskey for his wife TO drink and she
took il, and after she refused to make
tea 49, till she got ready" took to
drinking alcohol, and be and his wife
quarreled, which was followed by the
murder.
The terrible tragedy was witnessed
by the Brooks boy, aged 10 years. who
Is thoroughly crippled by deformed
leg, and can walk only by using a
heavy cane. while one of his arms is
lame from having been recently broken.
He and the baby a little boy fifteen
months old, were the only parties in
the house at the time Of the murder
The Brooks boy says the wife drank
whiskey once but was not crazy.
Soon after six O'Clock the two came
to blows, and the scene that followed
seems too terrible to be described.
Kimball suddenly grasped heavy
walnut cane and struck his wife sew.
eral terrible blows on her head and
breast. She tried to defend herself and
succeeded instriking her assaIlant with
stick of wood once, but the only ef-
feet it had was to render him still more
Infatuated Kimball beat his victim
with the cane until it broke, and left
her faint and wounded on the kitchen
floor. The poor frightened cripple was
powerless to render any aid to the wo-
man. He once attempted it, but Kim
ball went up to him like maniac, and
the only wonder is that he did not with
one blow crush Brooks to the floor. The
cripple could have screamed but there
was no one TO answer his cries.
About seven o'clock the wounded
woman managed to get on to her feet,
whereupon Kimball caught up heavy
elm OK goad and commenced to beat
her again. In her desperation the
woman ran from room to room, crying
and screaming for help, while Kimball
pursued her, striking her at every step
and tearing her clothes entirely from
her body. The goad was splintered at
both ends, and then he got amurderous
whip. which be used until his victims
body was mangled from head to foot
As he beat her the blood flew in all di.
rections, scattering the walls md stain
ing the floors Of every room. The Grip
Pile saw this aud was almost crazed
He believed that il be attempted to
leave the house. himball would strike
him dead. He listened, hoping to hear
some one pass, that be might give one
cry for assistance but he heard moth
ing but the wind "a it meaned dismaly
through the trees
kimhall continued his dreadful work
until his victim fell apparently lieless
upon the floor Of the sitting room
Even then he was not satisfied, but he
Kicked her with Iris heavy boots aud
broke three of her ribs. in the mean
time the baby had waked Mp and began
to cry. he dying woman gaspcd the
word baby" and the little hoy ac-
tually crawled to her. when she clasped
it with Que arm. although the child was
soon crimsoned with the blood that
oozed from lis mothers wounds.
At this point two absent members OF
the family returned Crawford boy
aged Is, and Ellsworth Dow. aged IA
but in some manner kimball sends
them to bed without their knowing the
crime he had committed but bis rea-
son began to return, and he then lifted
his wife on the bed. she speaks once
saying, "6iIe. | am badly hurt, her
last words. aud death ends her suffer-
ings. He takes the child 10 bis arms.
sits crying by the dead body Of his
wife AMI is thus found by the neigh
bors be has sent for, and the horror is
soon developed 10 he town and the
country