Evening journal., 1891-03-31
MAYNARD WOMAN.
She Married Her Husbands
Slayer in Jail
AND NOW SHE DESIRES A DIVORCE.

AM Az " 1Ai4l 0Lo1hDo "A OlFOnlDs
Remarkable Story from Vermont iu
which Love, Jealousy and Crime Are
Strangely COMMUNICATIONS Appar-
emily Loved Her Husband.
MoNTPELER Vt, March st.--A strange
career is that of Laura Cutler-Gould.Cas
wella bride and widow within twenty
four hours, a visitor TO and unwilling Wit
ness against the man who murdered her
husband, swooning woman in court
when the murderer was found guilty, and
then on the day before the convict IS 60 re-
ceive sentence to imprisonment FOR life
she becomes his wife. Now, just one year
from the time when she took the name of
the convicted murderer she asks tbs count
to dissolve the bonds OF mntrimnay so
strangely assumed This in brief Is tho
history. The filing Of the womnn's libel
for divorce at the present term Of tho
Washington county court at Montpelier
has revived all the interest IN tie tragic
events Of September, 1859, and tie six
months subsequent
Fascinated by the Soldier.
Laura was born IN 1871 in lsas. Mont
pelier, w., and there grew TO robust wo-
manhood with Willard Cutler aud wife,
her parents. When Laura was seventeen
yenrs old there came to work on the farm
James Sherman Caswell, a soldier, who fas-
cnated the rather impressionAhlp Laura,
and she was willing TO become his wife.
But her stern father said nay, SO the mar
riage WAS indefinitely postponed CaswelI
remained on the farm and continued to
pay his addresses to Laura.
At last as he claims, he became like a
son 20 the old gentleman, and was IN all
save the marriage ceremony the daugh-
ter's husband. For nearly twenty years
this peculiar state Of things continued.
AT last in 1884, Cutler died. and then
Caswell began to urge legal marriage.
Laura had, however, apparently come TO
be well satisfied with her past and present
way Of life, SO put him Off because her
mother still lived and objected Caswell
was forced 90 be content until the spring
Of 1889, when Mrs. Cutler died. leaving
Laura alone and free TO act her own pleas
ure.
She Loved Another.
At this time George J. Gould appeared
upon the scene. He loved Laura a. sight
and stopped drinking with the hope Of
winning her. Caswell jealously watched
the way things were working and urged
wedding soon. Subsequent events show
that the woman never intended % marry
him.. for she continued her intimacy with
Gould, and on Sept 4 calmly told Caswell
thnt on that day she was TO marry Gould.
Caswell was nearly beside himecli His
| appeals to her to relent were OF no avail
1 ..,4f.4 t., at.n n
Gould.
| Shot Down by Casweii
Gould and Laura drove TO Montpelier
village, where they were pronounced man
and wife by Rev. J Edward Wright, a
/ Unitarian clergyman. On the moFning OF
| Sept. 3, 1889, Gould and Laura returned to
the home Of the bride Caswell had not
| departed, but was ia an upper chamber
The bride aud groom entered the house,
and the former set about preparing the
noontide meal, and TO aid in this her young
husband went TO get a supply Of wood As
he was returning Caswell leaned out Of the
open window above, lowered a heavily
loaded shotgun to within two feet Of tho
head Of the unsuspecting Gould ana fired.
The victim gave a shrek as the charKe Of
heavy shot plowed through the side Of his
face, tearing il completely away, aud pene-
trated his breast Caswell then gave him
self up to the authorities.
Married her Husbands SLAYER.
After the tragedy the widow never look
ed on the form Of her husband, and he had
hardly been buried before she wished Cas-
well in jail. lie was at once Indicted for
murder. During his incarceration the
widow OF Gould was his frequent visitor,
and when the time of trial came She testi-
fled against him with great reluctance,
and even admitted that for years she had
sustained the relations Of wife 20 Caslyell
in everything except in name, this point
/ being urged in eXtenuation as q reason
why he should have felt revenge toward
/ Gould
The jury took this fact into cousidera-
i tion and returned a verdict OF murder in
the second degree, which entails imprson-
ment for life When the verdict was an
nounced Laura nearly tainted from emo
tion. She was at the jail not many hours
after his recomnitment and offereu an the
consolation in her power.
Married in Jail.
Finally. as a climax to this most sinuu-
lar condition Of affairs, she married the
convicted murderer Of her hushaad, the
ceremony being performed in Jail
Less than twenty-four hours later Cas-
well was sentenced to state prison Tor the
remainder Of his life Laura retnried to
her home, and for year has beon living
there very quietly, while it is understood
that the large pension drawn by C.tswen is
regularly sent to her There have, how
ever, been ugly rumors as to the relations
between Laura and another man named
/ Gould, cousin of the murdered husband
This gossip has now received fresh Impetus
from the fact that Laura has filed petit
tion to be freed from the bonds that yoke