St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-08-27


He had selected the place a month
before the murder was committed.
Indeed, he had been hiding there for
FIVE weeks preceding the crime. He
had watched Christie Warden S
movements, and learned the habits
of the other members Of the house
hold. Every phase of the awful
crime had been carefully considered
before the shot was fired. A stock
of provisions was laid in sufficient to
last him a month. He knew that
hue and cry would be raised as soon
as the murder was committed, and
he was sufficiently versed in police
methods to know that he stood little
chance of escaping through 1mmed1-
ate flight. Therefore he arranged to
stay in hiding right under the noses
of the detectives who were hunting
for him until their vigilance relaxed
sufficiently to enable him to get
away. That he had calculated well
was proven by the fact that his
whereabouts were not discovered
until thirty-three days after the MUIR
der, and then only by accident.
1t is a strange coincidence that
Mrs. Warden, who was first accosted
by Amy on the night of the murder,
proved to be the first to discover
his hiding place. While searching
for some strayed chickens Mrs.
Warden noticed a hole under the
barn which excited her curiosity.
Peeping through the dim light, she
saw a miscellaneous assortment OF
empty cans and bottles.
knowing that they had not been
used in her household, Mrs. Warden
asked her husband to investigate.
This was on Monday evening. Yes
terday morning F. W. Davidson and
n 4. Frost crawled under the barn
and found more empty cans and
bottles and big club, which had
evidently been placed where it could
be used in case of an emergency.
They reported the result of their
search, and watch was placed up
on the barn, but nobody thought it
possible that Amy would have
courage enough to remain beneath
the roof Of man whose daughter he
had murdered. But they didn't
know their man.
Prof g. H. Whitcher and Sheriff
Brown hid themselves in the cornfeld
last night and tOday'S exciting de-
velopments were the result of their
watch. At 2 o'clock this morning a
man was seen to leave the barn APP
preaching an apple tree within ten
feet of where the watchers were hid
den. He filed bag with apples,
and returned to the barn.
The moonlight revealed Almy's
pale face, and the man lost no time In
arousing the townsfolk. A posse Of
armed men responded quickly to the
call, and in half an hour it would
have been death for Amy to have at
tempted to escape.
AS soon as daylight madeit practic-
able to search for the hidden murderer
a dozen men armed themselves with
pitchforks and made systematic at
tack on the haymows. There was
no thought of danger until Mr.. c.
Hewitt ran the tines of his pitchfork
into some substance rather than hay.
Then binding fash and loud re-
port directly beneath him made him
Jump, and at the same instant blood
spurted from his nose, which had
L
shots followed the first, but neither
took effect. The courage of the
searching party oozed out, and
every man was anxious to get some
fresh air, and he wanted it in hurry,
too. They were willing enough to
stand up and fight with foe whom
they could see, but they didn't relish
the idea of being shot down like rats
in pen by some unseen marksman.
So they got out without any cere-
mony. Hewitt jumped behind a
beam and fired five shots in the
of the smoke. Then he, |
too. retreated.
AS the morning wore away two
more attacks were made, but Amy
sent several bullets whizzing around |
the heads O: the attacking party, |
and they retreated in a point out of
while Amy voice was heard.
He asked for a conference with
County Solicitor Mitchell and promis-
ed to do him no harm, and Mr.
assured him that his escape
was impossible and advised him to
surrender peaceably.
Amy sad he would think 1t over
and told Mr.. Mitchell to retire
Even then he was sorely wounded
His leg was broken by a bullet, and
another bullet was lodged in his
thigh. Afterward his scalp was
5urrowed by a ball.
Later in the day he called up John
Fuller and promised to surrender,
out the desire for freedom was so
strong that he repented at the last
minute. After his capture he said
that he was glad the suspense was
over. He was followed to the town
oy procession of about a hundred
which had the appearance
Of a country funeral. They were the
same people who had followed
Christie to the grave month ago.
After Amy had recovered from the
excitement of being inspected by the