Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-12
General Veps.
HAPPENINGS IN VARIOUS PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY.

William Pray shot and killed his wife and
then shot himself in the head. lie can
live only a short time. The couple lived
unhappily and had separated. Friday
afternoon Pray visited the woman and
vainly endeayored to effect a reconcilia-
ton. Then he killed her. Pray is de-
scribed as a horse trader by profession
and an all-around vagabond by practice.
A Nashville, Tenn, special says that
from %Smithville, Tenn, comes a report
that on Saturday morning a colored man
stopped at a ~well-known colored farmers
house and stayed several hours. The
farmer saw his guest arranging his hand
kerchief around his neck and saw
that his neck was badly skinned
and swollen. The man, on being
closely questioned, confessed that he was
Mark Francis, who had been hanged on
Friday at Lebanon, and that he had been
resuscitated by his relatives. Francis
neck was not broken, and as the rope
slipped he was not strangled. After his
body had hung for 20 minutes the physi-
clans pronounced him dead.
you have sent two of my countrymen
to Jail and you will die for it, said a
dark faced Russian to Justice Sommers,
of Newark, n. j., Saturday evening
while the latter was or his way to his
office. The stranger referred to the case
of a couple whom the Judge had sentenced
to six months for bigamy two weeks ago.
Justice Sommers laughed at the fellows
threats and went on his way, but on en-
tering his office, opposite the court house,
he found a round package on his desk
addressed to himself. When the package
was opened a two and half inch piece of
lead pipe was disclosed, in one end of
which was discovered a fuse. 1t con-
taineddynamite. The Judge carefully con-
veyed the instrument of death to an adj
%jacent sewer and lowered it with a string
to the bottom. lie is now hunting for
his would-be murderer.
Inspector Byrnes of New York has
caused the arrest of Henry Cassidy,
Reuben Lomis, William Avery, Edward
Sawyer and John II. Hill, accused of be-
ing "A gang of fire bugs said to be re-
sponsible for the several attempts made
to burn the Catholic protectory in West
chester county. They are between l. and
81 years Of age. Sawyer is a negro and
the others are white. All live in the Vi
entity of East 1929 street. The leader
is Cassidy, only 10, who seems to be a
perfect fiend. He was discharged from
the protectory for impudence a few
months ago, and in revenge has plotted
to destroy the buildings. lie was assis-
tant engineer, his father being the engi-
neer. Both were discharged, the fathers
offence being drunkenness. Four at
tempts to burn the building were made,
and some outbuildings were destroyed.
Special Treasury Agent Simmons has
unearthed one of the most extensive
Smuggling operations ever carried on in
New York city. Thus far the loss to the
government, it is estimated, amounts to
about $4,000, and it is expected that be-
fore the end is reached the total will foot
up to S250,000. Allard x Sons of Paris
and No. 304 Fifth avenue is the accused
firm. The partners are in France, where
they remain most of the time, but are re-
presented here by an agent. Paul Roul-
ezaud. Allard & Sons deal in antiques,
old furniture, articles of vertu, paintings,
tapestries and various other articles of
luxury, and number among their GUS
toners some of the wealthiest people in
the United States. In many of the MAN.
sions on Murray hill are to be foundr rare
and valuable articles which have been
sent over the ocean by this firm, and, if
what the customs authorities claim to
have already discovered be taken as indi-
catIve of the general practice of the
house, most of these never paid any tri-
butte to Uncle Sam, and Allard IL Sons
not only pocketed the profits they made
on the sales, but added largely thereto by
also pocketing the duties which should
have been paid into the treasury.
The doors of the First national bank
/ at .Anoka, Mimi, were closed Saturday
evening. The cashier is in Canada aid
t there is Il woman in the case, who is as
l handsome as she is wicked. Z. +. Pratt,
} the cashier, went to Minneapolis a week
| ago Thursday, complaining of not feeling
well. On Friday the bank officials were
, startled to hear from the Merchants
/ bank of st. Paul that their account was
overdrawn $4,000. Pratt had drawn
about $1,000 due the bank and over twice
as much more on Il cashiers check. An
overhauling of Pratt's account show
matters to be in a bad mess. Pratt's
: theft will amount to nearly 100000 and
the directors have decided to place the
+ bank in the hands of the bank examiner,
who will appoint a receiver to settle its
. affairs or close up the business. 1t is
impossible to tell how great has been
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