Litchfield enquirer., 1879-01-16
Goshen No. 371.

the store of Lucas & Hurlbut in West Goshen
 The murderer was secured and taken to the Center. and as soon as the necessary paper.
 could be made out, by Grand Juror M. E Gaylord and Justice Wadhams, he was arrest
 ed by Constable Albert Sperrv, and put under keeper Mir. Sperry then summoned Cor oner's jury, who went immediately to West Goshen, and after viewing the body on the floor in the store. and hearing the witnesses,
 rendered the following verdict.
 ''The undersigned, Jurors, summoned to
 view the body of Myron l.. Beach. of Goshen,
 whose death was sudden and untimely, finJ
 that said Myron l.. Beach came te his death
 from wound in the neck made by blow
 from knife, or sharp instrument, from the hand of and struck by John Tanning, of Goshen.
 HENRY G. WRIGHT, Foreman.
 Henry Norton, Frank W. Seaton, John H.
 Wadhams, F. A. Lucas, F. E. Hurlbut, Chas. J. Porter, Frank W. Griswold, Dyer s. Howe, Darius D. Thompson Frank E. Wadhams, 5.
 B. Prindle.
 Goshen January 9th, 1S79."
 Tanning was brought before Albert Wad- hams Esq, the next day, on charge of mur- der, and sent to Litchfield. There are some things not exactly correct in the account pub lshed in the Waterbury American, and will try to give correct statement of the facts, avoiding things which might make it difficult to get jury, if he should live to be tried by the Superior Court.
 Beach was native of Goshen, aged 21 years of age He was to be married in about three weeks. His father, MT. Amz Beach, and he, had lately bought the Howe farm, so as to have more land. He was quiet young man, and lived )uth of the Methodist church. while Tanning lived near neighbor to him. Tanning was IS years old, and was born here soon after his father enlisted in our ninth Reg iment and went to New Orleans where, or at the South. he died. John grew up bad boy making much trouble in the West Goshen school, and was very disobedient to his mother He was sent te the Reform School for stealing clothes at the West Goshen store, for five years, but he ran away few months ago, and came back here; he was then taken back to Meriden by Goshen officer, but came home three weeks ago, stating that he had been dis charged for good conduct. Last Tuesday, he had been drinking cider, and was very noisy in the streets and it is said that he had cider Wednesday. just enough to make him quar- relsome. He was swearing terribly when he came down to the village early i" the evening.
 Beach and Fanning were first seen together, by some boys who were sliding down hill; they were standing, in earnest conversation, on the corner by Mir. Hurlbuts house, east of the store. Beach was gong to the store, and had nearly reached the steps, when Tanning says, hold on minute" Beach replies, "Yes, two or three of them" Tanning comes up with his hand in his pocket, and hits Beach with his elbow. It is supposed that he had opened his knife, when he called to Beach, and that his object was to get to him with his knife. One of the boys who was near, testifies that when Tanning hit Beach ''Myron went for him. A scuffie ensued and the boy opened the store door, and several stepped out. Some one asks, ''what is going on ?" Beach replies, ''he struck me when I had not done anything to him." Tanning said some thing, and then gave Beach an upward blow, and Beach made a sudden move, hurling Fan ming from him. Immediately, Beach says to Charles Adams, Charley, help me, and fell into his arms, and upon the ground. Tanning tried to renew the attack, but was kept back by Mr. Adams. Beach was then taken into the store, the blood spirting out of the long gash under the ear which had cut off the iu- ute. When the body was laid out cut was found in the region of the heart and great cut one arm and another which went through the clothes, but did not reach the body We all saw that the wound under the ear was peculiar one, looking as if made by two blades at once
 Tanning started up the hill, followed by Mir. Lucas, MT. Stent, and Geo. and Frank Colby, Soon Eugene Allyn came up, and told the oth- CTS if they would watch the sheds, he would go back to the store and get lantern. Gle did get the lantern and loaded musket also ) While this was going on, Mir. Lucas started South to tell the family of the murder of their son, but hearing noise back at the sheds, he retraced his steps, and very soon met Fan ming. John is that you? we want you" Tanning said, ''damn you ! if you come near me, 1 will serve you as did the fellow down to the store" and then went down the road. When Allyn returned, Mir Hurlbut was with him, and had d rope in his hand. One of the Colbys went with them, but the other two got ahead of Hurlbut, and turned into the lot and found Earnings tracks in the snow, leading into the woods. Here they lost the tracks. but finally found them by the fence; then they turned up towards Mir. Beach's house, then back into the swamp. Allyn saw Hurlbut west of the fence and told him to keep up nearer the road. Tanning must have heard the talk, for he turned to the southeast and went across Dog pond, the two after him, AL lyn having the lantern in one hand, and the gun in the other. Allyn was ahead of Colby, and went up the bank into the woods, and was stopping down to avoid the hemlock branches, when he saw Tanning standing close to hemlock tree, very near him, with his knife in his hand.
 John Tanning, drop that knife, and give yourself up." Tanning says, You want piece of me don't you Ehr' He advanced a step from the tree, with his knife in hand, and Allyn sad, Drop that knife" John says. You want a bit of me-" still advancing. Allyn then said for the third time, John, drop that knife. or I will shoot you" With his knife raised, he sprang towards Allyn, who to save himself, fired the musket, the charge taking effect in the shoulder. Allyn and Col by waited until Hurlbut came across the pond when they found the knife in the snow It is an eight bladed one, and two of the middle blades were open, close together, and there was blood on the knife. It remains in the keepinp of the foreman of the Jury of Innuest