Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-02-23

at Derby In 1876, and the belief came 10 INV mind
mat the deed was done when he was temporarily
insane"
MR. W. q. PIERCE
Of the firm OF W. q. Pierce & Co, jobbers Of dry
goods, No. 30 Summer street, Boston, testifies
that In October, 1876, he was at Chiltonvle near
Plymouth, Massachusetts, with Hayden ion a
hunting excursion, hunting and shooting ducks
the party, There were ten In the party besides my.
SELF Said Hayden acted very qneeriy, like a per.
son not in his right mind. That night he slept In
an ADJOINING room to the one In which slept and
the door was open between the rooms 40 that
could hear all that TRANSFERRED in his room. He was
up nearly all night pacing the room and talking
TO his dogs who were in the same room with him.
as IL he was training them, talking to the dogs
about imaginary ducks, coot and other birds. It
was pitch dark all the time he was 40 pacing
about and talking to his dogs. Do not think he
slept two hours that night All the next day he
acted In very excited and unnatural manner lie
was very careless with his gun, so much so as to
excite apprehension In the minds OF all of IA that
ne would shoot himself or some OF us while la
boring, rs he evidently was, under great and I'M
natural mental excitement At times during this
day, the 10th OF October 1872, he would hold his
hands'up to his head and sigh and roll his ewes
and comfort his face as II suffering pain in his
head. He also ran and tore around like an insane
person and would suddenly begin TO whip his
dogs severely without any reason therefor, and
continued TO do so for several minutes at n time
At several other times | noticed, both prior and
subsequent TO the time before mentioned actions
OF similar character"
Mr.. Pierce is corroborated by Nathaniel Hoxie
Of Chiltonville, who guided the party and who
says that Hayden acted like an insane person.
NORRIS RICHARDS
Of East Bridgewater, Massachusetts, lived in
Stanstead with Hayden on the Martin farm In
December, 1875, when his wife left him and went
TO Boston, ostensibly visit, and never re-
turned 10 live with him. lie said that Hayden
" seemed TO feel the separation from his wife
very much, and it seemed to affect his mind |
noticed a great change in him; he acted very
strangely he was very anxious for her return
After she went away he would 90 to the post-oiice
distance about a mile, every night when he re-
ceiyed letter from his wife he was very happy
and eated, but when he received none he would
be much depressed and despondent; he answered
his wifes letters at once be received frequent
letters from his wife, Hayden continued In a ner-
yous frame of mind for about three weeks after
his wife left, when he said he was going TO Bos-
ton after herr he went, and In about week came
back; on his return he said his wife was coming
back to live with him and he appeared very happy
over the thought of IL. About this time left and
have not seen Hayden since. During all the time
lived with Hayden he treated his wife in a kind
manner. and never saw or knew OF his misusing
her, and never heard him make any threats; he
often told me his wfes family were doing all they
could to make trouble, and think he believed 1t
Hayden was a very queer and peculiar man, and
would often do unreasonable things, for which
there seemed to be no reasonable excuse or mo-
tive"
LEADING POINT
made by the defence at the trial in the county
court was that Hsyden's insanity was mainly in
duced by the failure OF his wife to fulfill prom
Use which they alleged she made him in the spring
OF 1876 that she would return to him by the first
Of September II he behaved himself meanwhile
To show that she did not make such promise, a
letter, OF which the following is copy, was put in
evidence. There was no date affixed, but the
post-mark on the envelope was Boston, Mass.
March Q, a. NJ" and the address was, ''Mr
Edwin c. Hayden, Derby Line Vermont"
MONDAY, A. NJ
My Dear Ed,oin.-I have Just received your
letter, and hasten to answer 1t. You do very
wrong to accuse any one Of Influencing me- NV
decision has been made by me undided and undd-
uised. Now don't wish you to accuse any one
you are mistaken in your surmses. | have meant
everything have written, and my hope and love
for you has made me write as | have | meant
six months from noU, till the first Of September
Now, Edwin, when years OF happiness are to be
considered, what Is six months? hope and pray
you'll do nothing rash, but try and keep good
faith and courage. don't know what you are go
ing to do as what you wrote Is rather vague, but
sincerely trust you see the wisdom of my decision
think II you do confde in any one that they will
see am in the right. want you to keep on in
your good endeavors and look at the matter in the
same way as do. shall look anxiously for your
next as don't quite understand what you mean
by making your final decision and what steps you
intend to take. am firm in my resolutions and
nothing but your own right actions till the time
is over can induce me to change them am writ.
ing in hurry so that this can go in to-day's mail
Hoping to hear you are satisfied and full OF hopes
that you will not disappoint me and ruin your
whole life i m loving vifa
AUston, Mass.
PATRICK BOYLE
of Morgan, Vermont, worked for Hayden on the
Martin farm in stanstead, in 1874, while he was
still living with his wife. "They were a very af-
fectionate couple and he always treated her we'll
/ can state that | often seen Hayden when |
deemed him insane and unconscious Of what he
was doing, when stimulants had nothing to do
with it, Aud further states that I" he had very
severe attacks of headaches which Yearly pros
trated him from any active labor, and In such
spells he would rub his head AID to oil appear
ance would lie in great distress and his eyes be-
came red and infiamed, and his veins would be-
come enlarged"
WILLIAM J. MAYHEM
OF Stanstead Plain testifes that he worked for
Hayden on the Martin farm and that thew were a
very afectionate couple and narrated instances OF
insane conduct on the farm and while keeping the
hotel at Stanstead afterwards John S. Heath
corroborated this testimony
. truckman Of Boston, deposed that he had
known Hayden for about twenty years, that he
appeared to be quiet, decent fellow until the
TALL OF 1872, when he began to act in a frantic
manner and like an insane person. lone day in
October, 1872 | was near my team In front Of M
J. Milk street and heard shouting of somebody
n trouble and | looked around and saw said Edwin
T. Hayden quarreling with one Peter Doherty
with hatchet raised In his hand and about to
strike said Doherty with the Ratchet. | rushed
yOWAf0 them MI arp, nj ,a;l H..
len and held him fast, telling him not to strike
'aid Doherty and at the same time told said
Doherty to run away He did So then Hayden
urned upon me and tried to kill me with the
latchet, struggling all the time In a most violent
md excited manner held him until he got over
his crazy fit and then he sat down and talked in
calm manner, but all Of sudden without any
warming he jumped out of his chair and ran TO
ne with 1t raised up in the air and tried to cut
ny head of, striking at my neck in frantic ex-
ted manner put up my arm to ward off the |
bow Inc saw struck on my arm, cutting through |
ny coat and shirt, badly wounding my arm. |
hen struck Hayden with my fist and knocked |
lin down. He had no cause to come at me at all |
With the saw, and while doing so he acted like a |
nan out OF his head. About this time. shortly |
liter, he sent to my house without any notice six
hunting dogs, bird dogs, for me to take care Of |
kept them long time, asking him every few +
lays to take them away, but he did not do So
.inally took them into his office and left them
Vt the Boston fire. November, 1872, he lost large
mount OF money and ever after acted like per-
on out OF his head. have several times known
lin to come to me and say, have good job for
'ou, and hand me five dollars in money without |
iaving the job done or even telling me what the |
OBJ was. All along from 1879 to 1876 used to
ee him often and he acted and talked like an in
ane person. would ask him what was the mat
or with him and he would reply, "Well, Tyner,
you had as much tn contend with rs have
ou would not have much brain left" He was
lot under the influence Of liquor any of the times
poken Of During the period from 1872 10 1876
10 would frequently rush out and get on TO my
cam and say "drive me as soon az possible to
he fitchburg or the Eastern depot rs quick as you
an. would do so, and when we got there he
you'd sometimes say, "turn around and go
ack y and would do so, and he would pay me,
here being no evident reason for his being driven
0 the station, and sometimes he would 90 into
he depot, stay moment and then get in TO be
riven back. would watch him on such occa-
ions and he would speak To no one aud have no
nut an insane freak on his part to be driven some
shere.' Peter Doherty corroborates the story OF
be assault, says there was no cause for II and
hat Hayden was insane at the time.
FRANK r. PECK
I Boston was fellow clerk with Hayden In the
ry-goods store OF S. s. Drew, on Washington
treet, In 1867, and says that owing TO Hayden's
ecnlar and eccentric ways at that time he was
allied crazy Hayden" He narrates several in
tances OF insane conduct on the part of Hayden
nd especially an instance In the spring OF 1876
1st before Hayden went to st, Leon, when Hay
EN- was talking about his wife and her friends
lie talked and acted like a man who was insane
at least on the verge OF insanity, so that 1t
'ould take but little TO make him insane. He
'as very pale the veins In his forehead stood out |
nd his eyes had wild and vacant look. When
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