Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-25

SHOCKING ACCIDEN1

oHONhAAb ANCIDENT.
A YOUNG NAN, SHOT BY HIS OWN GIN. LIES
DEAD ON HILL TOP FOR THREE DAYS BFFonE
HIS BODY Is DISCOVERED.
A fatal accident happened in Stratton
last week which was possessed of every eIe-
ment OF audiences aud lonely horror which
the novelist could wish to work out for SEN
satlonal plot. On Monday morning. the l4th
inst, Alanson Jones, a young man Of 2l. who
was living with his uncle, Jonathan Babcock
man of elderly years and infirm health
started out with his dog and double. barreled
gun TO hunt for foxes, saying that he should
not go Tar and should be back by noon. He
ala not return at noon, and at night his dog
came back without his master, but the family
did not feel any special uneasiness because
they thought he had probably left his dog on
to1 tran and gone TO his fathers, Sidney II.
Jones, in the Seventh day" neiPhborbood
in West Jamaica. Nothing being heard of
him on the following day or days, word was
sent TO his father, and on Thursday Mason
Jones, his brother, and John johnson started
TO search for him. His track in the snow
was found and readily followed 1t led
through Z. II. Willis's pasture into the Par
sons HilP' pasture, and here in the edge Of
the woods on hill which terminates abrupt
~ on one side in a bluff or ledge of rock.
his dead body was found.
All the appearances indicated that the
hound had started fox very soon after lenv.
ing the house and that young Jones had
climbed the hill to get view of the surround.
ing country and watch the chase He must
have walked about upon the rock and then.
standing by deep crevice or crack in the
rock, have set or attempted TO set his gun
down by his side to rest the butt on the
ground Instead Of striking the earth or
rock, however, the stock went into the crew
ice. The young man had no gloves on and
his ringers may have been partially benumbed
with cold. In any case the gun fell into the
crevice, and as it did so the hammers struck,
one OF them broke of, and both barrels were
discharged. The contents of one barrel
stuck the inside Of one thigh aud laid it open
20 the bone The other charge entered the
lover part OF the abdomen, letting the bow
els protrude and passing up into the vitals.
The young man must have sprung forward as
the charge struck him and have then fallen
over backward. He bled profussy and death
must have been almost instantaneous. He
was found lying with his head toward his gun.
which still stuck in the rock as il had fallen.
and bis wounded leg was drawn up under the
other. The tracks in the snow indicated that
MS dog after finishing his chase OF the fox,
had returned 10 his master, spent some time
around the body, and then had gone home
when night came. The body was untouched.
NO Wild animal had been near it, though it
otten happens that bears pass over this terri
tory from one mountain TO another. The dis
lance from the Baboocks waa only a mile, and
the accident must have happened within an
hour from the. time the young man left home
As soon as the discovery Of the body was
reported Abel Pike took his team TO the near.
est point TO the hill, and Elder Roel aud Mr..
Willis helped TO bring the body out 1t was
taxed to young Jones's fathers in West ia
maiea, where the funeral was held on Satur-
day.