Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-13
The Dnmas Investigation.

Many witnesses have been examined, and vo-
luminous testimony taken, relative to the disap-
pearance and death of Joseph Dumas, whose body
was found In the Worcester branch on Friday, the
oath utimo, The evidence on the main fact il in
the highest degree conflicting and affords no sat
isfactory clue to the mysterious taking of OF the
unfortunate man. The tarties who are known to
have been with Dumas at the point where all
trace of him while living disappears are Felix
Stone and wife, who came with him from North
field to MONTPELIER on Monday, September Goth,
and George Butterfly and his wife, at whose house
at the upper end Of Main street. in the "clay hill
locality the entire party were on Monday even
ing, and where they took supper Mr.. and Mrs.
Stones testimony az to what happened here is
substantially to the effect that Dumas had agreed
to take them from Mortified to Montpelier.
Reaching MONTPELIER Dumas put up his horse at
the Union house stables, with instructions TO the
hoster to deliver II only to himself. The i'm
pulses of vicious instincts brought the party to-
gether at Butterly's. All had doubtless drank
freely OF alcohol, bottle Of which they had with
them, but Dumas only seems to have been grossly
intoxicated After supper Dumas started out to
go to the Union house to get his team, and take
the Stones TO Waterbury As Dumas was 30 much
under the influence OF liquor at the suggestion Of
others in the party George Butterfly set out to ac
company him. After the lapse Of about an hour
Butterfly returned and in reply to Stones en-
quiries for Dumas and the team, answered sub
stantially that he knew nothing Of Dumas or his
team, had not seen them, knew nothing about
them. In reply to the remark by Stone that 1t
was very odd that he knew nothing about Dumas
when he had left the house with him only short
time before, Butterfly answered vaguely and eva
sively The Stones subsequently left the Butter
fly house in search of Dumas, being directed by
Butterfly to the Union house, where the team had
been left. They were informed by the hostler
that Dumas had not been there, and that as he
had given positive directions to deliver the team
only to himself he, the hostler, could not allow it
to be taken. The testimony Of Mr.. and Mrs. But
terfy Is in fiat contradiction OF the above. They
swore that Dumas left the house about seven
OF clock to go for his team that Mrs. Butterfly
lighted him out of the house, and directed him to
go straight ahead, thinking Of course that he
would turn when he reached the road. Hearing
a noise as OF some one falling, 1t was supposed
Dumas instead of turning when he reached the
road, had gone directly across and fallen over
slight embankment into Mrs. Weeks garden 1t
being suggested that some one had better go out
and look after Dumas, Butterfly replied that old
Joe had been drunk before, and could take
care of himself. Some time passing, and Du-
mas not returning, Butterfly went down to the
Union house in search of him, and returned
about nine o'clock, saying he could find moth
ing Of him, that the Union house hoster
told him he should shut up at nine O'Clock as
Dumas was the only horse left and il it was not
called for before nine 1t could not be had that