Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-23
THE WORST ON RECORD.

Tor three days IN advance, so u IL lnpOeblOle
to travel, and the relief offered 80 far is i'm.
peded.
THE WORST ON RECORD.
HERRTMER COUNTY, n. Y, FARMER DELIBEB.
ArELY SHOT, CUT UP AND BURNED UP BY
MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY THE STORY OF THE
CRIME AS TOLD ny LAD OF FOURTEEN.
more horrible crime than that Just un.
earthed near RichGeld Springs, N. Y, could
not be conceived of. The victim is William
Druse, farmer, and the murderer bis wife.
The other members of the family are a neph.
ew of Mrs Druse named Frank Gates, II
years old, a daughter about IS years old and
a son about 10 years old. Druse had been
missing month and ugly stories began to be
circulated about his disappearance. Mrs.
Druse said he had gone to New York city
and sent telegrams in various directions to
try aud hear from him The neighbors told
Of seeing black smoke pouring from the
Druse chimney aud smelling terrible smell,
rs Of mcat burning. II was said Mr.. Druse
had been murdered, his body boiled in lye, and
the bones buried The neighbors noticed
new paint on the floor and woodwork of the
room. Finally, on Friday night Of last week,
two of the neighbors questioned the boy
soon admitted the crime. The district attor-
ney was sent for, and the boy went with him
and showed what was left Of the remains,
which was simply small heap OF ashes and
q few charred bones. The coroner impan-
eled jury Of farmers in the neighborhood.
After a few of the residents had testified
Frank Gates WAS put on the stand, and told
under oath an astounding tale that is given
here almost in his own words:
My name is Frank Gates / live 10 War
ren. have lived for the past FIVE or six
weeks with my aunt, Mrs. William Druse.
did chores for my board aud went to school.
My uncle WAS killed the Thursday before
Christmas. helped to kill him and dispose
Of the remains. Last summer ny aunt want
cd to hire me to shoo: Uncle William. She
said she would give me good many dollars
for doing H. told her | would not do II.
There WAS nothing more said then, but this
winter my aunt aud Uncle Bill had a good
many words
On Thursday before Christmas, in the
morning Uncle Bill asked me to get up and
build the fire. | did so. Aunt Roxy and
Mary, her daughter got up. Uncle Bill went
and did the chores. | asked if | should help
him, and he said No He said be would
rather do them himself When he came in
to his breakfast he sat down to the table.
bad nearly finished mine. My aunt told me
to hurry up. | asked her what she wanted.
She then told me aud George to go out OF
doors, but lot 10 go far from the house.
II heard a noise three or four times. Then
she called us. She had a revolver. She
handed it to me aud told me to shoot Uncle
Bill or she would shoot me. She put the re-
yolver up to my nose when she said this.
then fired at Uncle William. He was sitting
in chair or on the floor. l was SO excited
could not say which Then she took the re-
volver and fired at him until the revolver was
empty Then she took the axe and pounded
him on the head. Uncle Bill said
oh, Roxy, don't
'She then chopped his head of and sent
me and George up stairs after a straw tick
which was filled. She dragged him on to
the tick and told me ! should help drag him
into the paror. She called for me TO come
in. told her couldn't, aud then she sent
George and me down in the brush lot after
the sharp axe. When We came back with it
she took it into the other room and shut the
door. She told me and George to go up stairs,
and then called US down again and sent US to
the hog pen after some shingles She built
up hot fire in both stoves, and then had me
watch at the north window and Mary watch at
the south window. Then she took block
and board into the parlor and chopped him
up and then put the pieces in the fire. She
told me to crowd the kitchen stove with
shingles
Next day all saw of him was a large bone.
Mary had that and put il in the other stove.
II had flesh on each end. Next morning she
took up the ashes in the stoves, put some in
a bag aud some in tin box. She told me to
hitch up the horse, as she WAS going to my
fathers. When We got to Mr.. Wallis swamp
we went two rods into the swamp took
the ashes aud threw them on the ground
We then went to fAther's and l was taken
sick and had to stay home few days. When
| went back Mrs. Druse told me to get the
new axe and saw ths handle off. Mary tool
the handle, which had sawed in two pieces
aud put it in the stove. Then We hitohed uI
again, and my aunt and drove to RichfielC
| Springs. When We were on our way bach
sue threw the axe into the pond as we CROSSED
the bridge There was a newspaper wrapped
around the axe. When we got along liItl,
further sh0 told me to take the revover-an
/ the knife aud throw both into the pond. Sh,
said must do il or / would be sorry.
"When we got little further she threw
the rezor-blade out against the fence. Sh'
told me she got ths revolver last fall 1t wa
nice pearl handled one. She said no on,
should know where it came from. l know
the revolver found in the pond is the one tina
Mrs. Druse and used to kill Uncle Bill with
know il by the stamp handle and the cylin
der, 1t was loaded when threw it into tn
pond.
Mrs Druse and Mary were in the room
when Uncle Bill was shot. Me aud GeOrg
were outside. Uncle Bill was eating break
fast when we vent out His back was towar'
the outside door, Mary was in the kitchen
walking to and fro from the buttery to tn,
parlor' door When | came back into tn
room after the shot was fred l saw blood Ol
Uncle Bill's neck and on the floor. saw tn
blood before fired. His head was leaniu
over on his shoulder. Mary had a rope aroun
his neck and was holding it. When | fired a
Uncle Bill he made no noise"
The district attorney here said "Show u
how you held the revolver" The boy held
pencil aud aimed it at jurors head
when fred" he continued, 81 don
know what Mary was doing. My aunt wa
behind me. She talked fast, but not niue
faster than usual. George was in the door
After fred gave the revolver TO my aunt
When my aunt told me and George to go ou
/ did not know they were going to kill Uncl
Bill"
Mrs. Druse aud Gates are now under al
rest, and it is said that the woman has admi
ted her guilt.