Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-08-09
Local Intelligence.
uratfleliOrO.


SHOW HIS WHEREABOUTS ON SATURDAY.
CAREFUL STATEMENT OF THE WHOLE AFFA1R.
No event of n LEGAL character has created
such n feeling Of intense excitement and in
dignntion in this community within the mem
Dry of the present generation rs was aroused
by the brutal outrage perpetrated presumG-
bly, by a tramp upon the person of a young
girl last Saturday morning. The facts in the
case IRE briefly these About 10 o'clock on
that morning I'M adopted daughter of Mr..
Edward Crosby, l years Of age, went to the
orchard in the rear Of Mr. Crosby's residence
on Western Avenue to gather apples. After
picking up her apples she climbed fence
just beyond, thinking to 90 to spring near
by to get some spearmnt which grew there.
Just rs she had got over the fence and start
ed for the spring she was seized from behind,
thrown down. handkerchief was stuffed in
her mouth, and the outrage was committed.
How long she lay there after the villain left
her the girl does not know but it seemed a
long time to her as she expected every instant
that he would murder her, rs has been done
in so many similar cases. The time must
have been only short, however, ms she reached
the house before II o'clock. The fact that
the crime had been committed did not be-
come known upon the street or to the officers
until about . o'clock in the afternoon. The
criminal was u stranger to the girl and it was
therefore at once concluded that he must
have been Il tramp Bills were got out de-
scribing his appearance as nearly as possible
from the girls description of him, and offer
ing reward Of $500 for his apprehension.
A general search for him Immediately began,
ana meantime the excitement spread through
out the town, and became, rs we have already
intimated of the most intense character.
Several tramps were arrested and brought in
during the afternoon, among them squad of
nine who were found upon the bank between
the railroad and the river. at a point in the
rear Of the Congregational church or Mr..
Herricks. Saturday night every road lead
ing into Brattleboro, including the railroad in
both directions, was picketcd in order TO APP
prchend any person who might attempt to
escape under cover of darkness. Sunday,
teams were sent out in every direction to
bring in any tramps who might be found. A
great many people joined in the search
throughout the day. In the afternoon II
fresh excitement was occasonCd by n report
that strange man had been seen on L. ID.
Thayers farm beyond Esteyville. who ran
away to the woods upon being discovered. A
search of the vicinity by some 300 or 100 peo-
| pie, however, failed to discover the man. Up
to Sunday night - or IA tramps were brought
in and lodged in the lookup. About O'Clock
Monday morning two more Of the fraternity
passed down Western avenue and through
the village They We're followed by Mr.. Adj
ans Mr.. Crosby's son-in-law, and at his sug-
gestion officer Wood apprehended them
ut or near the railroad crossing aud took them
with two others who had also appeared in that
| vicinity, to the lookup. About . o'clock the
| girl was brought down to the town hall for
the purpose Of ascertaining if she could iden-
| tfy any one Of the tramps then in custody as
the criminal. She was seated in one of the
ante-rooms, the tramps We're all brought up
into the hall and one by one they were TAX
en- before her Nearly all of them had been
brought in. and she had in succession indi-
Gated that the right one had not been found
when one of the two men, above spoken Of
as having come down Western avenue and
been arrested that morning, was taken before
| her and she at once identified him with
much positiveness as the criminal. He
was afterward brought before her again
and she still persisted in identifying him as
the guilty one The young man upon whom
the guilt seemed thus to be fixed gave the
name of Patrick Comerford, and was appa-
rently about 20 or 81 years of age. He pro
tested his innocence said that, being out of
work, he had started ont from Middlctown,
Conn, in search of work a fortnight ago
that when he got to North Adams, Mass, he
fell in with the companion who was arrested
with him. who was going TO Keene, y. H., to
try to get work on the new railroad now being
built to that place that lie set out from
| North Adams, Saturday morning with this
companion, intending to so TO Keene that
he was in ReadsborO Saturday night, and that
he could retrace his course and show his
whereabouts on Saturday and Sunday, if given
a chance. OF course the first thing TO be done
was to give him this opportunity, and, ac-
cordingly, about o'clock Monday afternoon,
Mr.. Herrick took him in his team. and nc
companied by Mr.. Thomas S. Hall, who had
actively interested himself in the matter,
started out to see if the man could retrace his
course to Readsboro and North Adams. Pass
ing up through West Brattleboro and taking
the road toward Green River. in accordance
with his instructions, he showed his custo-
dams where he and his companion had spent
Sunday night under an apple tree near Mr.. S.
+. Goodenough's; further on he pointed out
the place (Mr J. H. Richmonds) where the
children We're feeding the chickens, anda boy
was looking from the barn window as they
passed, Sunday afternoon, all of which tailed
with the statements Of the family at another
place he showed where they had tried to buy
pint of milk, the owner of the house verify.
ing his story, and identifying him as the man
who asked for the milk at another house he
said the woman gave him 1.-TWO biscuits and
a cookie" the woman confirming the state
ment and so on to Sadawga, where the house
was found at which he was given some gin
gerbread on Sunday morning. The party
staid at Sadawga Monday night and early
Tuesday morning pushed on toward Reads
boro, the fellow pointing out by the way the
deserted Dalrymple place where he said h,
Slept III the narh nhIuIuay h'bn'' ."hei
Readsboro city was reached, the man wa'
identified by parties at the hotel as having
been there between and o'clock Saturday
night. From this place it was proposed Il
push on to North Adams for the purpose Of
either proving or disproving the fellow
story as to his being in that place Saturday
morning, but, after going short distance
| both Mr. Herrick and Mr. Hall found them
selves, upon consultation, mutually satisfied
that, wherever their prisoner might have beer
Saturday morning, he was at any rate il
Readsboro, 81 miles from Brattleboro, Satur
day night between the hours of and
o'clock. In view of this fact and of the lonl
and hard road before them, and the bad stat
of the weather, it was decided to return Il