Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-09-30
MURDER OR SUICIDE
Which Was Attempted at BartOnsvllle ?

Mrs. HOyt Decides the Case by Confess
ing that She inflicted the Wounds
A Peculiar Case---The Man of HI who
Welded the Woman of o. To BE Pros
ecuted on Charge OF Bigamy.
Bartonsville was the scene of a peculiar
case last Saturday which caused great ex-
element in that vicinity. The question
was whether murder or a suicide had
been attempted. Mrs. Elizabeth Hoyt was
found in her barn with two wounds in her
left arm. She was unconscious from the
loss of blood and it was thought at the
time that she would not recover Her
husband and his hired man, Fred Whit
ney, were arrested on the charge of assault
with intent to kill, to await the result of
her injuries.
The story told by Fred Whitney is that
his home is in Mount Holly. He first met
Frank E. Hoyt at that place in August and
began work for him, driving his team about
the country on Hoyts trips as a clock re-
pairer. They came to Bartonsville August
p and stayed over night at the house of
Mrs. Smith The next morning Hoyt told
Whitney that he was to marry Mrs. Smith.
Whitney drove with them to Walpole. y. H.,
where it is said they were married by
was at the hotel. Since then they have
lived at Bartonsvile Hoyt had been i'll
for two weeks. Saturday Whitney came
down stairs at Io'clock, intending to 90
to Mount Holly on the noon train. Mrs.
Hoyt prepared breakfast for him, Hoyt be-
ing in the bedroom at the time. a few
minutes later Whitney wished to use a
razor, but could not find ii. He asked
Hoyt if he had taken it, and the latter told
him to ask Mrs. Hoyt where it was Whit
ney went into the barn and saw Mrs. Hoyt
lying on pile of blankets and quilts. Whit
ney says that Hoyt had been irritable dur
ing his illness and he supposed that Mrs.
Hoyt had gone to sleep where he could not
call her. He told Hoyt that she was asleep.
Hoyt soon went to the barn and shouted
to Whitney that Mrs. Hoyt was dying
| Whitney ran to the store and a doctor was
summoned by telephone. Neighbors ar
| rived soon. There were two cuts in Mrs
Hoyt's left arm, severing the artery, and
life was nearly extinct. Near by on a
work bench was a bloody razor, partially
| closed, and partially in a case. Hoyt and
neighbors bound up her arm, stopping the
| flow of blood, until DR.. Emerson and an
other physician arrived. On a post We're
blood spots, as if the blood had spurted
there when the cut was made. and there
were also spots leading to the bench.
Mrs. HOyt's late marriage had not proved
happy one, but she had recently changed
urr will, deciding her property to Hoyt.
: Her three children, who live at Bartons-
Vile, were much opposed to the marriage.
;. II said that Hoyt posed as a man of
. ruperty and as a Harvard graduate. Mrs,
t'yt had become convinced that these
" --> were false, and IIoyt had not treat
eo yr kindly.
! When the story became known the case
- 1904 50 suspicious that States Attorney
- lliu Oh Sheriff Lowell made an investiga-
- ton, th the result that Hoyt and Whit
- ney W arrested. The latter was taken
- to 3elLH, Falls, but as Hcyt was i'll he
i was lei %, Bartonsyile in charge of two
J. men.
:. Later D,rlopments, according to a DIES.
- Patch 10 L. Boston Globe. are confession
- by Mrs. II to the effect that she intlict
- Ell the wo Oh, to cause death, because Of
~ her uhPlea marriage relations; anC
- that Hoyt h" wife and children living a
N Essex lie SUI be prosecuted for bgam!
Is ana possibly :. her charges. Mrs Hoy
II recovering, W 'rey has been released