Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-11-04
IRA GEDY AT BELLO FALLS.

A PROBABLE CASE OF MURDER AND SUICIDE.
Our neighboring village of Bellows Falls
had sensation of considerable magnitude
last week, in the finding of an elderly couple,
Ezra P. Cook and wife, dead in their house
on Rockingham street, all the circumstances
indicating that neither died a natural death.
Mr.. Cook was about 81 years old-a quiet and,
as all the neighbors seem to agree, very peace
able and inofTensive man, but one who for a
number of years had taken large quantities of
morphia which had to some extent impaired
his health and given him the appearance of a
broken-down old man, though he was able to
work considerably at times, and only the day
before his death had been laying stone at one
Of the new mills. Some 10 years ago, Mr..
Cook showed symptoms of insanity, and was
placed in the Vermont asylum for short
time His wife, Mary L. Cook, was younger
aud had for many years had the reputation of
being somewhat erratic and very troublesome
to get along with, both in her own family and
with her neighbors Many thought her half
crazy, and she had at times spoken as if she
might make way with herself, but, as it had
been the same for years, little notice was TAX
en- of it. She was never insane enough to be
treated professionally, and neither of the cou-
pie had been considered worse lately than for
y
was caused last Friday when it became known
that they had been found dead by Mr.. f. A.
Bolles, lawyer living near by, who, having
some business to transact with them, went to
the house about noon and found ii closed,
with no appearance of having been open that
day. Thinking it looked strange, he went
again about 2:30, and opened blind SO that
he could look into the sitting room, and saw
the bodies of both lying near the window
the man upon his back on a sofa, and his wife
lying upon her face on the floor Just in front
Of it, her head upon pillow evidently taken
from the sofa. Mr.. Bodies at once procured
medical and legal aid, and an entrance was
effected, both doors being found locked on the
inside. The whole house was in disorder, but
those who knew said it was nothing unusual
The coal fire was still burning, and also a
kerosene lantern on the table. Both were seen
about nine O'Clock the evening before, and
nothing unusual noticed about them. The
death of both had evidently occurred some
time during the night, but the condition of
the bodies showed that the man died first,
rigor mortis being more pronounced with
him. No marks of violence were discovered
on either, except an abrasion above the ear OF
the wife, from which the blood had flown
freely. This blow was probably received in
some CONFUSION after the fatal dose had been
taken, and would not itself have caused death.
On the table were numerous bottles-amonR
them one from which nearly two ounces OF
laudanum had been used, and it is generally
conceded that this was the death.agent. An
undated letter to Mr.. Bodies was found stuck
into the handle of small trunk in which the
deceased kept their valuable papers. 1t was a
disconnected letter, written by the wife, saying
that she was crazy and had lived long enough
to trouble her neighbors if she was found
she did not wish for even a Christian burial,
but wanted to be "buried like dog" She
asked Mr.. Bodies to be kind to Ezra Cher hus-
band), and urge his Mr.. Cooks sister and
their son to be kind to him also-showine
that at the time of writing she had no thought
of her husbands death occurring at the same
time as her own. Money was found in the
trunk and in Mr.. Cook wallet and his watch
was in his pocket there was nothing to indi'
cate that third party had anything to do with
the death of either 1t will probably never
be known what the events of the last few
hours of the lives of these unfortunate per
sons were-whether she changed her mine
after writing the letter, and gave the fatal dose
to her husband without his knowledge, OF
whether they talked it over and decided to die
together, and then drank the fatal draught in
the full knowledge of what they were doing
for, though Mrs. Cook may have been a little
out of her head, yet the letter fully shows
generalization and a knowledge of the effect
They had one son, George w, who lately re-
moved to Haverhill, Mass. He is well known
and well thought of in Bellows Falls, and il
this sore effijction has the sympathy of many
friends. He arrived at noon Saturday, in re
sponse to telegram, and the funeral was hell
at the house of the deceased on Sunday, onl.
avery few being present The remains wer
placed in a vault at Alstead, N. H., at whicl
place they will soon be buried, Mr.. Cook hav
ing relatives inferred there.