The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-08
HAM CAPTURED VAC. |"
He Was Chopping Wood and Was
Sent to the Workhouse,
BUT He SEEMS A QUEER ONE.
There was Quite Dramatic Scene when
the Fellow was Taken From His Oc-
cupation and HandcnfYcd-Ho Admits
Having Wandered About

no evidence that Dalton is anywhere
about.
On Tuesday Of this week Deputy Sheriff
Ham was notified by q resident Of Foster
that . man had been seen again In that
vicinity and he Immediately laid plaus
for quiet search after the stranger.
Gov. Brown was visited and after listen.
ing to the statement of the situation OF
affairs, gave permission to the sheriff to
institute the search and preparations Tor
an immediate start were At once made
An invitation was extended the repre-
sentatives Of the press to accompany the
sheriff and at midnight the party left the
city. After leaving Oineyville the party
struck onto the Hartford turnpike and
followed the road for number OF miles
On reaching the Scituate road, the party
turned of and proceeded as far as Hop
kin's Mills, South Foster when the first
halt was made. It was then shortly after
4 o'clock In the morning, and as the party
drew up In front Of Orray Clenent's
greeted the searchers.
The inmates or the house were awak-
ened and Mr.. Clements was soon at the
door He stated that on Wednesday OF
last week u man resembling TO consid-
erable extent the published descriptions
Of Dalton had stopped at the house and
accommodated, and when last seen was
headed westward.
On the Friday following another man
appeared at tho house and asked for
something to eat. His description tailed
somewhat with that Of Dalton's TREND
and companion in the Attleboro woods,
"Pat." and 1t was thought that perhaps
the two men might be working their
way separately. so as to avoid attracting
attention. Both the men seemed exceed
ingly anxious regarding their where
abouts and made minute inquiries as to
the direct road to the Connecticut border.
On Sunday afternoon, just before sun
set young woman named Grace Winsor.
while passing an old barn owned by VIII
liam A. Hopkins, at the mills" saw
mans head poked through n broken
panel In the side OF the building. The
man stared mt her for some moments and
spoke to her. but the girl was 80 fright
ened by his appearance. rs to be unable to
recall what he said. Immediately upon
hearing of this Town Sergeant stanton
went to the barn and made a thorough
search but could not find the man.
A woodchopper Arrested.
After leaving the Clements homestead
the party proceeded slowly and by con-
tinual inquiring succeeded In following
both men to the Hartford turnpike where
all trace OF them was iostfor'a time.
Sheriff Ham at oace instituted a
thorough search and shortly after 12
o'clock succeeded In locating one OF the
men at James Woodell's place near
Chestnut Hill, quarter OF mile from
the state line.
store, on the Hartford turnpike, and
when questioned said that the man had
come to the house on Friday afternoon of
last week, and had secured employment
there as wood-chopper. She stated that
he seemed IRRATIONAL, and said that from
the first day she was afraid OF him.
His appearance was OF the widest and
from his first appearance at the house
Mrs. Woodell was in terror. Late last
night his actions were so erratic, amount
ing almost to violence, that Mrs. Woodell
was forced to climb out Of her bedroom
window and seek refuge with tte neigh
bors. Sunday night he was seized with
crazy fit and the woman was afraid to
retire for the night. She withdrew to
her room and armed with huge bread
knife and big club. remained awake un-
t,l morning
On arriving at her house Sheriff Ham
found that the man was chopping cord
wood in the rear OF the house. He imme-
within a short time came to his man In
slight clearing.
Walking directly up to him the sheriff
spoke and questioned him as to his previ-
Gus proceedings The man looked at him
for a moment and then kept right on at
peated his question and the man wheeled
suddenly at him and brandished his axe
In the air advanced upon the sheriff, Or
dering him to 90 away.
Hams Revolver.
However at about this point In the pro-
reedings The sheriff took hand, and pull
fyrsr n han ~ pA Vrlx lxor ms x.1 o h..
drop the implement. For few moments
the man hesitated and IL seemed for an
instant as though he contemplated max.
ing dash on the sheriff.
The heavy axe was wavering In mid
air, but the determined ring In the
sheriff's voice soon had the desired effect
and the man dropped the weapon with a
crash. Previous TO his rush ut the sheriff
the man became savage ana felled brush
and small trees In an indiscriminate
manner.
One of the largest OF the trees struck
Woodell OF. the head and felled him to
the ground and bruised him severely
Immediately afterward the man nude
the dash for the sheriff.
After droppinx the weapon he seemed
moro calm and when seized aud hand
cuffed by the sheriff's sou, George Ham,
did not resist.
However, shortly after that, the mans
he raved about in maunef frightful to
behold.
The sheriff. followed by the representa-
tives OF the press took him TO the house,
and after securing his "valise," consist
ing OF handkerchief containing collec-
tion Of odds and ends picked up during
his travels, took him TO Chepschet. where
he was arraigned before Assistant Justice
Charles Williams OF the Ninth District
Court and charged with vagrancy.
During the ride TO the village he adj
mitted TO the sheriff that he was the one
who had entered and occupied his house
on the Hartford road, and also acknowl-
edged that he was one of the. men who
stopped mt Clements house Friday. He
also admitted that he had slept in the
barn, and when asked about his frighten-
Ing the Winsor girl by speaking to her
from the barn, admitted having been
there.
When questioned as to his previous his
tory the man stated that his name was
John Helpenstali and that he had tramped
from Canada through Maine. New Hamp-
shire and Massachusetts, and was max
ing his way through this State when
arrested for vaQrancy.
He pleaded guilty. after considerable
a(n CEin mil hA t..I