The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-02-12

The Brattleboro R'fOrmer takes up
the sketch of this noted character lust
where we left it two weeks ago, and as
the casc has excited the curiosity of
everybody, we copy as follows:
The case in which he was arrested is q
curious one. In 1886 tin shop owned
by FittOn or rather by his wife or III her
name in PrOctOrsville, was burned with
most of the contents, G.. 4. WheldOn,
now living i'll Hinsdale, n. H., held the
shop on lease which was just abnnt ex-
piring as the fire occurred. FittOn re-
covered the insurance without going to
law, but because as he said of the stories
circulating about him, induced WheldOn
to make an affidavit that Fitton was not
in town at the time of the fire, and could
haze had nothing to do with it, and
WheldOn could not account for its origin
-"unless by my own carelessness." On
the strength of this affidavit Fitton af-
terward brought suit against WheldOn
for damages because of the fire. WHEEL
don insisted that the clause about care
lessness was virtual forgery, and was
not in the affidavit when he signed it.
1t was proved that it was written in n
different ink than the rest of the paper.
Fitton had sworn that it was part of the
original affidavit. He was indicted for
perjury, held in $1,000 bail which he for
feited and skipped. 1t was in this scrape
that he fOrcibly seized the suspicious af-
fidayit OH justice writ of replevin. The
State had moved to ''impOund" it and
Fitton wanted to get it back into his
hands. lie kept out of the State and
was in Canada for awhile, but returning
was again arrested and again gave bail
and again skipped and forfeited. His
arrest again ON this charge is perhaps the
first case in Vermont, outside OF liquor
prosecutions where a man, after he has
paid his bail, is again arrested for the
same ofIense.
This PrOctOrsville fire and litigation
with Wheldon seems to be the turning
point in his criminal luck. Up to that
time he had been victorious in all his
multitudinOus litigation. But he lost
his suit against Wheldon and got well
started on his way to prison.
There have in all been six or seven
fires Of property he owned or was CON
nected with, and the amount he has col
lected from insurance companies goes up
toward S200,0OO. He has for years been
black listed by the companies but in lone
case, that of his Cambridgeport mill, got
policies written and before they could be
returned rejected by the companies the
property burned. lie was always able
to prove by witnesses that he was not in
town when the fires occurred, Suspi-
cion in the CambridgepOrt fire fastened
on an employee by the name of Hutton,
with whom Fiit1n afterward had row
at Bellows Falls, and by whom he was
knocked down. That night Hutton was
found in the canal at Bellows Falls and
the story spread that FittOn knocked
him in intending murder to prevent
'peaching." Mr.. Fitton started with
great flourish collecting testimony for
suits Of SANDER But reason afteTward
transpired to suspect that the thing was
all a ''ruse" fixed between Fitton ana
Hutton to keep detectives on the track
of the latter instead of somebody else.
Five years ago FittOn was believed to
be worth S200,OOO. He has been great
Spectator in Wall street as well as with
insurance companies. He lost large
part of the money in Canada. Ten years
ago he was the all-pOwerful politician of
Cavendish, carrying it as he pleased for
caucusses or conventions. He still has
some friends in that town and section.
though none of the rema kable devotion
he used TO inspire. He has twice been
through bankruptcy, the last time for
sl40, 600, and part of his home popu-
larity is accounted for by the fact that
he then paid his help and all his debts In
town at 100 cents on the dollar, after Ne
had got his discharge in bankruptcy,
He has for some months now been
travelling around In Massachusetts,, Con-
necticut and New Hampshire engaged In
the most common swindling games like
that which he is believed to have PLAYED
a few weeks ago at he Bliss House here.