Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-04-02
VERMONT ROMANCE.
A BLOOD -CURDLING STORY FROM THE GREEN
MOUNTAIN STATE.
Love, Jealousy, yurdsr Marriage, Divorce, Some Of
,Ae Factors That Went to Make One Woman's
Lie ID the Country Far From MOnOtOnous.
Character Of Contradictions.

MONTPELIER, W.. April IA strange
career is that OF Laura Cutler-Gould-
Caswell, bride and widow within twen-
ty-four hours, visitor TO and unwilling
witness against the man who murdered
her husband, a swooning woman in
court when the murderer was found
guilty, and then, on the day before the
convict is TO receive sentence OF i'm
prisonment for life, she becomes his
wife. Now, just one year from the
time when she took the name OF the
convicted murderer, she asks the court
to dissolve the bonds Of matrmony so
strangely assumed. This, in brief, is
the history. The filing of the woman S
libel for divorce at the present term OF
the Washington county court at Mont
pelier has revived all the interest in the
tragic events OF September, 1889, and
the six months subsequent. This wo-
man was born in ls4l, in East
Montpelier, Vermont, about two
miles from the capital Of the
State, and there grew to robust and
well developed womanhood with Willard
Laura was seventeen years old there
came to work on the farm James Sher-
man Caswell, a soldier back from the
war with 4 bullet wound in one leg.
The soldier fascinated the rather i'm
pressionable Laura, and she was willing
to become his wife. But her stern
father said nay, so the marriage was In
definitely postponed. Caswell remained
on the farm and continued his addresses
to Laura. At last, as he claims, he be-
came like a son to the old gentleman,
and was in all, save the marriage cere-
mony, the daughters husband. Al
though it hardly seems possible that
the parents Of Laura did not know Of
the situation Of affairs between CaSwell
and their daughter, they refused to per-
nit legal marriage, and so for nearly
twenty years the peculiar state OF things
At last i'm 1884 the paternal Cutler was
gathered to his fathers, and then Cas-
well began to urge legal marriage.
Laura had, however, apparently come
20 be well satisfied with her past and
present way OF life, so cut him off be-
cause her mother still lived and objected.
Caswell was forced to be content until
the spring OF 1889, when Mrs. Cutler
died, leaving Laura alone and free TO
act her own pleasure. Jealousy had Tor
some time been gaining possession OF
Caswell because of the advent on the
scene of G. j. Gould, aged thirty-six
years. He was not of a specially red
tape character, his drinking habits be-
ing one OF his failings. He had the rep
ntation OF being a shiftless loafer. When
be came under the spell OF Laura he
decided to turn over new leaf and be
A mar, evidently with the hope OF win
ming her Caswell watched the way
things were working and urged a we'd
ding soon as he claims giving Laura mon
ey with which TO buy wedding dress.
events show that the wom-
IN never intended to marry him, for she
her intimacy with Gould, and
On the morning OF September calmly
told Caswell that on that day she was to
marry Gould. At the same time she
plainly intimated TO her discarded lover
that his presence about the homestead
would not be agreeable. Caswell was
nearly beside himself both at the
thought OF losing Laura and Of being
turned away from what for twenty-five
years had been his home. His appeals
TO her to relent were Of no avail and
Early in the day she departed with
Gould, leaving Caswell to get away be-
lore their return. Gould and Laura
lrove to Montpelier village, where they
we're pronounced man and wife by a
Unitarian clergyman. Instead OF at
once returning to the homestead they
went to the home of a relative few
niles away to remain that night. Mean
lime Caswell had been brooding over
mis- unhappy lot.
On the morning OF September ;, 1889,
Gould and Laura returned to the home
IF the bride. Caswell had not departed,
but was in an upper chamber The
bride and groom entered the house, and
.he former set about preparing the
noon-tide meal, and to aid in this her
young husband went to get supply OF
wood. AS he was returning with his
arms full, just as he placed his feet on
the broad stone step at the door, Cas-
well leaned out OF the open window
above, lowered heavily loaded gun to
within about two feet OF the head OF
the unsuspectng victim and fired.
Gould gave shrek as the charge OF
shot plowed through one side OF his
face and penetrated his breast. he died
in less than thirty minutes afterward.
Caswell coolly replaced the gun on the
hook whence he had taken IL, passed
down stairs out OF the house and to
neighbor's, where he obtained trans
portation to Montpelier, where he gave
himself up TO the authorities.
After the tragedy the woman never
looked on the form Of her husband and
he had hardly been buried before she
visited Gaswel in jail. He was at once
indicted for murder and his trial fixed
for the following March. During his
the widow OF Gould was
his frequent visitor and when the time
Of trial came she testified against him
with great reluctance and even ad-
mltted that for years she had sustained
the relations OF wife to Caswell in ev
erything except name, this point being
urged in extenuatiOn as a reason why
he should not have felt revenge taward
Gould. To the intense surprise Of every
one the jury took this fact into consid-
Grafton and returned verdict OF MUIR
der In the second degree, which entails
imprisonment for life.
When the verdict was announced
Laura was in court and nearly tainted
from excessive emotion. Finally as
climax to this most singular condition of
affairs, she married the convicted muir
dere OF her husband, the ceremony being
performed In Jail. Less than twenty
four hours later Caswel was sentenced
TO State prison for life. Laura returnsd
to her home, and for year has been
living there very quietly, while 1t is un-
derStood that the large pension drawn
by Caswell is regularly sent TO her.
There have, however, been ugly rumors
as to the relations between Laura and
another man named Gould, a cousin OF
the murdered husband. This gossip has
now received fresh impetus from the
fact that Laura has filed petition ior
divorce from the naa yho is ciyilly
dead. There is q general expression OF
Indignation among good citizens, and
were divorce cases tried by jury Laura
Caswell would die Laura Caswell. so far
as being able to obtain a divorce is con-
cerned.
Three ThousnaS I..isE'aakers Strike.
nt..r .pET ptfTA Auril AT "A meet