Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-06-10
4 sHOOTLNG TRAGEDY
At Springfield, Mass, which has n Pain.
ful Local Intereat.

AihBo NNuhttNlOuh III tllb county, has an lnLl=
mate and painful interest for many of our To-
cal readers:
Charles d. Kiddor, the well-knowf commercial tray
eler and young Democratic politician was shot and
almost instantly killed the sidewalk IN front Of his
evening, by his 17-years-old brother, Dwight Kidder
The shooting was the result Of quarrel which had
been going between the brothers for two or three
days II seems that their father Dwight Kidder who
Is cutter for Haynes Co.'s tailoring department
mas been sick for long time and that he rode out
CHARLES, who lived at the opposite end Of the brick
block from the father said that the family should not
nave allowed such thing. Young Dwight Kidder,
who lived with his father directly back Of the horse
railroad station, took oense at the criticism and also
opnoa s thS d s9 ,asS During yesterday az
the Boston dry goods firm Of Libby Clark. who em-
poyed him, and IN the evening he went down to the
depot 70 mail his letters He knew that his brother
was getting greatly excited, and hesltated time
about going ont for fear Of collision with him, but
finally concluded to do so. Meanwhile the boy kept
coming to his brothers door to a about the trouble
After O. d. Kidder had returned from the depot,
Dwight came again and rang the bell Charles, who
was downstairs proposed to his wife who In the
second story that she open the door but she did not
seem TO think was worth while for her 10 come down
stairs Tor the sake Of doing II, he went himself.
Dwight stood on the steps, and asked II Charles had
said that their father should not have been allowed to
and that he would not take 1t back Hot words ensued
between both for short time and Charles told Dwight
that he must go away aud stop calling him such names
During the conversation both brothers got the side
walk, and an alteration occurred. Dwight az once
pulled out pistol and shot Charles, the ball passing
through the detoid muscle into the base Of the heart
Charles staggered into the house, through the hail.
and into bedroom, crying, "I'm dead-I'm dead"
HIS wife had seen the shooting scene while standing
In the door, but was unable to interfere. When
Charles reached the bedroom he called TO the
want girl, Nora help me-" He was helped on 10 the
bed, and died about Ave minutes after the shot
fred. DR.. Foster summoned by telephone, but
kdder had been dead some time when he arrived. Az
soon as Dwight had hred the shot, he around the
back side Of the block to his home and into the attic
shortly aerward letting his mother know that he was
IN the house In some way DR.. Foster found that he
was at home, and advised him 10 give himself up TO
the police without delay. Consequently he aud his
mother started for the station after the lapse Of some
time, and although she turned back because Of
the peltng rain, he went alone, delivering himself
TO Marshal Blair about one O'Clock. The condition Of
the father is so precarous that attempt will be
made to keep all knowledge OF the AFFAIR from him.
The mother is also in feeble health Is also Mrs. O.
D. kdder and It is impossible TO predict what results
viii follow In the wake Of this horrible affair. The
boy who did the shooting has never borne bad repu-
tation, except that he has the habit OF nyng into
violent passion when angered in any way. He was
very cool at the station, remarkng as he came in. 81
shot man at half-past ten tonight 1 want 10 give
myself up" He had long interview with Marshal
Blair, in which he claimed that the shooting was acc-
DENTAL and, that while be had the revolver in his hand
Il went Oh as he was trying to ward OF a blow from
his brothers appraised arm.
On Wednesday young Kidder was arraigned
before the police court and pleaded not guilty
to a charge of manslaughter had his bail Tx
ed at $4,000 and went to Jail till next
Wednesday, when preliminary examination
will be held. He made a long statement 10
Marshal Blair from which il would appear
that the boy had been greatly wrought upon
by remarks which his mother had heard
made in @. ID. Kidder's house about her
treatment Of her sick husband The Repubh.
cans statement of the boys story is substan-
TALLY this
His mother went TO o. d. Kidder's house Tuesday
evening, while the family were at supper 90 see Mrs
kdders sister, Mrs. Williams who was visiting there
While waiting moment 1.-THE head Of the dining
room stairs she overheard C. D. Kldder say that she
did not care whether his father lived mott aud Mrs
Williams said she thought too for II she had cared
she would not have given him iced tea and that she
would not give Il TO her son. Mrs. @. d. Kidder
gave her assent to these opinions About this time
Dwight came in, and the family met in the parlor
when the brothers had some words about umbrella
which Dwight had aud both claimed. Finally his
mother persuaded him to go home, Remaining, ANY
thing that you and say is not believed here When
they got home she began to cry and at his request
repeated the conversation she had overheard. This
seemed TO ranke In the boys mind all the rest OF the
evening. little later he went back TO his brothers
efrRnd and Mrs. williams asked how his father
was he replied that he was all right, and she said
that she hoped he would get we'll He said be hoped
so too and added that anybody who said his mother
had not taken good care OF his father was liar This
the younger told Charles that he ought 10 pay M
father the note that had been due 80 long He said
that he would, and added, as Dwight left that he
needn't come back TO his house. After while the
boy returned bringing back post-ofce key He then
went home and sat down in the pAror, and talked with
his mother and Mrs. Dawley, who boards there, for
about an hour. Finally he said he thought he would
go over and see Charles once more thinning he might
have misunderstood what had been said about the
his mother had taken Of his father His mother tried
20 dissuade him from such a step saying the matter
and when Charles answered the bell he told him hs
wanted few words with him, and they could have
them right there on the steps, But the older brother
said he must come in II he wanted 10 talk; 90 they
entered the sittingroom. Dwight then asked Charles
II he had said certain things about his mother and
the latter admitted them and added ''If father didn't
have $1,000 life insurance, mother would take better
care OF him." "Dn you think, said Dwight "that abe
wAnts him TO die that she may get that insurance
money!" eyes, do" said charies; land would
Just as soon tell her anybody else" Then Dwight
told Charles II he heard him say that again he
would kill him, and was told to leave the house or be
kicked out He that he then started for the door
his brother following close behind and that the latter
afraid Of him, and II he wanted 70 kin him he could
commence then. Abusive language was exchanged
while Dwight ran few steps towards home followed
closely by Charles. Then the former stopped telling
the latter not to hit him bat he says that he did ht
him with his left hand, the right side Of his head
Then the boy jumped back and red being so excited
he says by what had been said and the blow that he
did not know what he was doing. The older brother
cried out that he was killed and spranQ into the honse
as has been related His wife stood In the door aud
sA. the shooting, part OF the AFFAIR being witnessed
by Mrs. Williams from the chamber window and the
boys mother that she the shot nred from her
door having rst heard Charles strike Dwight on the
cheek. Mrs kidder also says that the relations be-
tween the two families have been Of the
nature, and that the brothers have been exceedingly
iona OF eacn Otnor5 thAt the trouble arose in
ment, like clap Of thunder from clear sky.
The family OF G. D. Kidder take a very different
view OF the matter They feel that there Is evidence
which points to the killing deliberate premedtated;
that Dwight wanted to get Charles away from witness
es so that he could shoot him; that he would have
shot him in the house IL It had suited his convenience
and say that he has for long time been exceedingly
abusive Of the dead man and his wife. There are
many stories anoat concerning what the boy has done
in the pastrumors OF shooting scrapes and Of threats
to use that omnpresent revolver the part Of this
exceptionally bright boy. Mrs G. D. Kidder, who is
in delicate health has been placed in precarious
dition by the homicide and her friends very
ious in her behalf.
his habit OF carrying pistol; that he has carried
pistol since he was II years DID, and that he had
boy who carried one he would "breAk bis neck
The mother of O. D. Kidder, the murdered
man, was daughter of Asa Lawton of Dunn
merston, who still survives in a venerable old
age. The mother died some years ago. When
Kidder and his older brother were mere boys,
some 30 years ago, their father was for some
time cutter in the clothing store of Pratt,
Wheeler q Co., in this place. Afterward the
boys were members of the Brattleboro high
school, and are well remembered as such by
their mates at the time, like Sidney Miner,
Charley Clancy, and others. The father and
mother were in the mean time divorced and
both married again. The wife of O. d. Kid
der, who is made widow by the act of her
husbands step-brother, is daughter of the
lhte MAJ A. ID. Onnub OF wilmington, and a
sister of Mrs. Kittredge Haskins and F. w.
Childs of this village. Mr.. Kidder, as stated
above, had been for some years a travelling
salesman for leading Boston dry goods house,
and Brattleboro was one Of the points on his
beat which he regularly visited once in two
or three weeks. He had good trade with
our Brattleboro dry goods men, and was held
in esteem by his customers. He was a man
of good parts and pleasing address, and had
many acquaintance here outside Of his trade
and his marriage connections. This was the
last place he visited in the prosecution of his
business He was in town on Tuesday, and
undoubtedly sold his last bill of goods 10
Houghton a Kuech, he having left their store
Tuesday afternoon just in season TO take the
4il5 train for Springfield The letters which
the Republican speaks of his having written
on Tuesday evening were undoubtedly orders
for goods for his Brattleboro customers.