Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-04
Murder in Burlington.


About IL O'Clock. Saturday night, one
Frank Mccullough was stabbed near Bat
terry street in Burlington, it is alleged by
Albert Mercier. After lingering twenty
six hours he died at O'Clock Monday
morning. We condense the following par
tieulars of the affair from the Free Press !:
1t appears that an hour or two previous
to the stabbing, the murdered man with
several companions were in Lavigne's
grocery on Battery street, and all had
been drinking Mccullough was consider
ably intoxicated. At about ii O'Clock,
Albert MERCER and his sixteen years old
brother entered the place, accompanied by
one Paul Viens. After little time,
Lqvigne handed the KEY of the store to
Young MERCER and asked him to get the
whole party out and lock the door. This
request the Mccullough crowd declined to
comply with, and Immediately attacked
the two Merciers. A general fight ensued.
MERCER saws his brother and Viens were
knocked down and he himself took to
flight. Mccullough claimed that the Mer-
ciers struck the first blow; aud hat AL
bert MERCER first struck him and then
threw a stone at him. However, Mercer
ran, and Mccullough and his friend Fassett
after him In the pursuit, MERCER claims
that these men threw stones at him, but
that he made his escape from them; that
rs he came up College street be heard that
some one had been hurt in the fight. Fear
ing it was his brother, he FASTENED back
and found his brother safe at his mothers;
then he went TO his own house and to bed.
Mccullough claimed that he overlook
MERCER in the chase, when the latter sud
denly faced about, and, as Mccullough
leaped upon him, with IA quick, sharp, un-
derhanded blow, he drove knife into his
pursuers vitals, and fled into the depot.
Mccullough sank upon the ground. In
second Fasselt came up and Mccullough
exclaimed, "he's stuck me; 60 for him!'
Fassett however, found that Mccullough
was badly hurt and he therefore led him
back up the hill and laid him down upon
the doorstep of house. DIR. Bingham
was called, and had Mccullough removed
TO the Fletcher hospital. The wound was
| found to be i'll the lower side OF the
abdomen, Just above the left groin, and
was stab (apparently Inflicted with II
very sharp jlckknife) one and one-hall
inches in length and penetrating into the
abdominal cavity and opening one of the
intestnes. The wound was at once pro-
nounced necessarily fatal and Mccullough
was informed to that effect the Informal
ton, however, seeming to affect him but
slightly or not at all.
Sunday morning, Mccullough made a
statement to Sheriff Drew. and again in
the afternoon to the states and city attorn-
cys. lie manifested great anxiety not TO
say any thing that would criminate Lavigne
of violation OF the liquor law or of MERCER
in the homicide. The Free Press says his
reputation was bad he has been arranged
several times in the city court, and has
served one term in the house of correction.
He was twenty-eight years old, unmarried
and worked in Booth lumber yard. He
was attended in his last hours by his sister
nd Rev Father o Sullivan. The Free
| Press say: He exhibited certain curious
forgiving spirit-not of Il dying Christian
who forgives his enemies, but of despe-
rate man who would not give away" his
fellow desperadoes and who would expect
the same treatment of them.
Meicier was arrested short time after
he reached his home. He remains stead
fast in his declaration of entire innocence
lie came to Burlington from Bronze, p. q.
year ago, and has been employed AS as.
sistant engineer III Linsley's mill. He has
Il wife and one child. The Free Press
says: He bears good reputation as Il
sober and industrious man and has never
heretofore brought himself under the
notice of the police. He claims that he
not only did no stabbng but had no knife
and it Is one OF the singular things about
The case that the knife which made the
fatal cut cannot be found, though the mos
diligent and careful search was made for it
The officers were ut one time rather In
clined to the theory that the stabbing was
done in the atfray in front of LavIgne's
possibly in the darkness and confusion, by
one of McCullough's own gang; but
contrary to this is the almost utter physica
possibility that Mccullough could have
pursued MERCER as he did with 50 dreadful
II wound.
The last previous murder in Burlington
was committed May 3, 1874, when Georg,
Buchanan stabbed his brother William
through the heart. The murderer wa
convicted OF manslaughter and sentence
to serve ten years in the state prison
This murder also took place on Batter,
street, and the same street has been th,
scene of IA number of other murders.