The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-07-19
ABRUTAL MURDER.
JOHN GUNsHANNON KILLED.

II Il BRUTAL M OhDEIt'
JOHN GUNSHANNON KILLED.
Rum she Moving Cause-A SinEula
e Trio, One-Armed, One-Eyed, one
q Legged Com bin tIOn-The Post MOl
tem--The Victims Daughter de
: scrIbes the circumstances of tn
1 Crime as an Eye-Witness-Thc Heal
l Ing and testimony, etc.
On Monday morning near the hour q
! four O'Clock, John Gunshannon wa
, killed in front of his own door in tn
: manner stated in the testimony printe'
fellow. Concerned in the matter an
arrested were John Keenan,, who ha
one. leg, and struck the fatal blow witt
his crutch, James Gunshannon Zone
armed) a nephew of the murdered man
James Condor who has but one eye, ant
George Gavin. The latter was discharg
ed after giving in his testimony but wa
arrested for furnishing liquor" TIT
four were promptly arrested and secured
in Jail within an hour after the occur
renee. Keenan, was in bed, James Gun
shannon was at the house, Condor neal
the corner close at hand, and George
Gavin was easily found.
Deceased was well known here where
he had lived greater part of his life
Some years ago he removed to HoosicI
N. Y, and worked in the Walter A
Wood shops and also at his trade, that
of carpenter. About three years ago he
returned to this village and opened a
grocery store n the John Reeves saloon
on North street, living in the tenement
connected Herewith. He was not a
member of any church, but his wife and
children being devout Roman Catholics
some friction occurred occasionally be-
cause of this, and GunshannOn left his
wife and children and was absent, his
whereabouts being unknown, for several
months. The BANNER noted this at the
time. Since his return they have lived
happily together, Gunshannon working
at his trade, and moved from School
street TO their present house early IN the
spring. Deceased had saved several
hundred dollars, had just leased lot in
the Northeast part of the village, the
lumber was bought, and on the morning
he was murdered expected to begin the
erection of dwelling of his own.
Mrs. Gunshannon and nine children
survive. MIR. Gunshannon was As years
of age, a quiet citizen, honorable in his
dealing and had been member of sew
eral societies, in all of which he is kind
ly remembered. The funeral was large.
ly attended from the house yesterday
afternoon at O'Clock. The Grand Army
Post, of which deceased was also
member, turned out in a body furnished
the bearers and had partial charge of
the obsrquies. The remains were in
TERED in the Catholic cemetery at Ben
nington Centre.
The family thus suddenly bereaved
are entitled to much sympathy, and are
in receipt of many acts of kindness, for
all of which they ask us to extend
thanks
John Keenan,, the murderer, is 20
years Of age, and is a quarrelsome fellow
when in liquor" He has repeatedly
abused his mother and other members
of the family while drunk, and it IS no
uncommon thing for the neighbors TO
be called upon to quiet him. The whole
gang are precious set of fellows who
drink and carouse and of whom many
appear to be afraid, Keenan's leg was
injured some years ago and amputated.
The wound did not heal, and laet year
second operation was performed with
similar results, the wound refusing to
heal, and he seems TO be reckless of the
of his bad conduct. In
court he had the appearance ofgreat de-
preston.
The examination began Monday after
noon before Judge Darling of the NUM-
cipal court. States Attorney Bates ap-
pearing for the Commonwealth. This
hearing was continued through Tuesday
and adjourned until today.
The case is that Of State VS. John Kce-
nan charged with murder, The COM
plant against James Gunshannon and
James Condor is also murder" Select.
men Harris and Houghton ordered the
post norton and the authorities gener-
ally are attentive that the crime shall be
,ift d to the bottom and the facts ap-
pear. We give the main part of the ties
.imony as follows:
THE POST MORTEM EXAMINATTON.
July 10Th, S.45A NJ
Post mortem held on the body OF John
at his late residence on
Maple street, there being present Doctors
LYMAN Rogers, +. w. Goodall, Emmett
B, Daley, C. G. r. Jennings, and A. S.
NJ. Chisholm. Included in this record
g a prior examination made by Drs.
Daley and CHISHOLM as follows :
VT, July 16, 1888, Am.
John Gunshannon lying on his back
N bed, body almost cold, pulseless, life
apparently extinct. Face spotted with
blood and clot of blood on shirt bosom;
blood and sand forming crust on right
nalar bone; hair clotted with blood and
lust on right parietal region. Left ear
partly filled with unclotted blood, which
has been apparently poured out of the
,ar in three streams, one ascending OBJ
iauelv over the forehead second straight
.cross the face towards the nose third,
.cross the angle of the jaw to the chin.
covering left malar, outer
Ingle orbit and left upper eyeld. The
zones of the body are intact and surface
rec from Commissions and abrasions.
EMMETT b. DALEY, NJ. ID.
A. 5. NJ. CHISHOLM, M. d.
The description given by Drs. Daley
md Chisholm persists and is correlated
~ the other physicians present.
The examination continues. Body that
Il a we'll nourished man, about 40, identi
led as that OF JOAN Gunshannon; rIgor
nortis setting in, hypostatic congestion
omewhat marked. Inspection of body
eveals confusion nearly, over insertion
# left deltoid, of recent origin. Over
he middle of the crest of the ilium is
n ecchymotic spot of apparently remote
rigin. Also other ecchymoses as fol-
Ows One over the outer aspect OF the
light biceps Of the arm, at about its mid
lie; another a little below the free point
4 the eleventh rib, and another 3 inches
'eow the left nipple and an inch exter-
Ially. AN three OF apparently remote
r;o;n Thara Ia blood NOT ynt pnauulat. |