Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-08-27
Amy A PRISON BIRD.
Christie Warden's Slayer Has hemSTA
able Career.

able Career.
u,1oyEr. n. H., Aug. 24.-1t has
baan established that Frank Z. Amy
i none other than George II.
Abbott. who escaped from VINO
sor. VT, state prison apout
six wears ago. Abbott is known as az
expert burglar and desperate cr1ninal'
! reward OF $500 was offered tor MS ar
rast At the time of his escape he
was serving out sentence Vi
fifteen wears, having been con-
victed on nine different indictments Tor
breaking and entering to which ne
pleaded guilty in January, 1881. Abbott
IS son of Harris E. Abbott, of Salem.
The father has been dead several years.
When Abbott was arrested IN 1881 ne
was the ringleader of a gang OF burglars
who operated in the towns up and down
the Connecticut River.
In December, 1880, Abbott was cap
tnred in the woods near Fly Station by
a posse of citizens under the leadership
of Deputy Sheriff Berry. Stored III
the woods were found over 800 differ
ent articles which the gang had stolen,
and among them was rifle which
he had stolen from his captor,
Deputy Sheriff Berry. Abbott had also
his capture he made u desperate and
determined resistance and received
twenty different bullet wounds before
he surrendered. Four days afterward
he escaped from his captors and ran
over mile and half, with nothing on
but night-shirt and bed-spread
thrown around him. He concealed
himself in a railroad culvert, but was
soon found.
Abbott came to Thetford when about
Is wears old, to live with his uncle,
Israel Abbott. He was a bright, quick
witted boy, but showed marked pro-
pensity for stealing. He at one time
stole a stove and set up blacksmith
shop on the bank of the Connecticut
River. AS he grew older he showed
fondness for girls, and was
great favorite, and was always
very gentlemanly in his CONDUCT
toward them. In 1875 he was arrested
for breaking into Hale's jewelry store,
at Oxford, and sentenced to four years
in the state prison at Concord. His
term was shortened by good behavior.
He returned to Thetford and lived, as
far as known, most exemplary
life, until 1880. During the early part
Of that year the towns Of Thettord,
Fairlee and Oxford were ransacked by
some midnight marauder, who was
found to be Abbott. He was shot in
the hip while making his escape from
J. X. Carr's house in Oxford.
The depredations were committed
with great adroitness, but suspicion fell
upon Abbott He had disappeared
from his uncle's farm, but glimpses OBJ
tanned of him by people whose
houses he had robbed confirmed
their suspicious. 1t had been noticed
that strange hand-car had been
seen several times near the railroad
near Ely Station. on the Passumsic Rail
road. This, with other things, led to
the conclusion that the outlaw had
headquarters near that place.
Next day after the November election
in 1880 a general hunt was organized.
Seventy-five men, well armed, after
half days search, located him in a
rudely built hut among the Lodges which
overlooked the station at Ely, and more
than half a mile away. He resisted and
was fired upon, some twenty seven
shots taking effect. He was finally over
powered and taken into custody. He
pleaded guilty to charges of burglary
and got fifteen years.
Abbott conducted himself so we'll in
prison that he gained the confidence of
every officer connected with the institu-
ton. At the end of about seven years
a place of trust was given him, and he
took advantage Of it and escaped.