Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-07-26

AN INoFFRNsIvE OLD MAN KICKED AND POUND
ED TO DEATH BY A DRUNKEN sCoUNDRKL-
THE QUESTION OF PAYING TWENTY-FIVE
CENTS THE ONLY CAUSE OF THE MURDER
Gus ASSAULT.
Fuller details of the brutal murder, Sun
day, at Stamford, Bennington county.
briefly reported by telegraph, are as fol-
lows:
A scissors grinder named james Patrick
Spellman, resident of Pittsfeld. was muir
dered Sunday afternoon by John Daley,
who keeps the State Line House at STAN
ford. Spellman was about 80 years Of age.
Friday night he put up at Dailey's hotel,
and in the morning he did some work for
the people in that vicinity. A little before
noon he sharpened a couple of razors for
Daley, charging him fifty cents for the
lob. Daley, who was drunk at the time.
refused to pay more than twenty-five cents,
whereat the old man placed one Of the
re zors in his pocket, announcing his inten-
ton to keep il until his price was paid him.
This enraged Daley. and be at once
assaulted SpellmRn, who, old as he was,
pluckily resisted the onslaught. Finally
Spellman was overpowsred and thrown to
the ground, and his brutal antagonist
kicked him savagely about the face and
head until he became almost senseless. BY
this time the screams of young woman
named Nellie Grant. who lives in the hotel.
and who saw the whole fair, brought sever
al men to the scene from q neighborlng
bayfield, and Daley retreated into the house.
The fight took place in the road directly in
front of the hotel. The old man was badly
o,f hnut tho fnrehaad ono pash nanetra-
ting the skull. but it was not suspected at
that time that his wounds were fatal.
He managed to stsgger short distance
away from the spot and then fell, faintiDg,
BY the roadside. One of the men summon
ed from the bayfield,, dragged the old mans
grinding machine to where he lay, and then
placed him in some bushes near by .fancying
that his insensibility Was only temporary.
Here the old man died, doubtless within
few minutes after, but his death was not
known until $50 In the afternoon. When
the officers arrived, Daley had locked him
self in the house. threatening to shoot
anybody who would attempt to capture
him or enter the house. The officers
broke in the door and captured their
man as be came out of a bedroom. He
was either stupidity drunk or feigning
such a condition, and affirmed that he
knew nothing about the crime for which he
was arrested. He was handcuffed and taken
to North Adams and lodged in the lookup,
still protesting his entire ignorance Of the
Gauss of his arrest. Daley is about IS years
old, tall, well formed and good looking, bot
bears the reputation of being desperate
character. His hotel, partially situated in
Vermont and partially in Massachusetts, is
a notorious designation house. ald, on &C
count of its peculiar location, the officers
have Jailed to detect him in his wrong do
ing, not being able to tell in which State
his offences were committed. lie is an IN
married man. but has been living with the
Nelly Grant before referred to. She was
taken into custody. as being the most i'm
portant witness. The ARRAY IN which Spell
man received his death wound occurred in
Vermont, and he died in Massachusetts,.