The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-17
HAVEN F. VIM.

He Was Employed for Some Time as
Stenographer-When Here He Seemed
AnInnocent, Conscientious Country Boy.
A long time friend of Haven F.
VIM, who killed hiss young child and
himself at Springfield, Mass, Sunday,
says that VIM was native of
York, the post office address be-
ing Ogunquit. His father is we'll
to do and respected farmer OF that
place and his brother is also farmer
and assists his father. Young VIM and
the friend who gives this information,
were schoolmates at Portland High
school together in the late seventies
After leaving the High school, Vim
Taught in number of towns near York.
He then came back to Portland and
studied stenography with Miss A. l..
Sawyer. After acquiring the art he be-
came stenographer for Mr.. Clarence Hale.
After staying at Mr.. Hale's some time
Winn went to Massachusetts, and there
the friend lost track of him. While here
he attended Chestnut street church and
was very popular in the young people
meetings. Speaking of the tragedy,
which caused great sensation there,
the Springfield Republican says:
The causes of this tragedy began four
years ago. VIM was born thirty years
ago in York, Me-, of respectable paren-
tage He was high tempered, proud,
passionate type of man, who could little
brook the interference of others In 1855
he was engaged as the stenographer Tor
Gen. Draper at Hopedale, and while there
became active in church, Young Mems
Christian Association and temperance
work. He won the favor OF the COM
munity, and it was during his residence
there that he first became acquainted
with Miss Hecox of Battle Creek, Mich,
who spent the winter with her aunt IN
Boston. They were married In 1889. The
couples married life soon became
furniture and millinery against the
protest of his wife. Winn became
involved in debt and finally to clear him
self he forged two notes, one for $500 and
another for $4,000. Then VIM fled to
Chicago without bidding his wife good
by, but was brought back again, her
father and brother mortgaglng their
property to keep him out OF prison. "a
The next year VIM appeared at st.
Adams, VT, as an agent of creamery
association, living under an assumed name
of J. j. Lee. THE members of his wife's
family acknowledged that there was
something crooked in his business rela-
tions in St. Albans. In his papers there
were found receipts for large shipments
of butter. Moreover, it is thought that
all the letters enclosing money from the
farmers did not reach the treasury OF the
creamery and VIM is said one evening
to have burned a bushel basket full of
old letters. His father-in-law and wife
had meantime come to live in Spring.
field and soon afterward Mrs. VIM and
child followed to live with them. Then
last June VIM also came to Springfield.
He did not have to look long for work,
obtaining position with 2. I'll. Potter,
the lumb Der dealer on State street. His
family were partly dependent on Mr..
Hecox, who then lived at SO Cedar street,
and the relations were not altogether
pleasant. Mrs. Winn's pride was hurt and
her affection for her husband was put to
a severe test by his cruelty. She says he
kicked and struck her on several occa-
sions. He tried to keep her in subsection
by threatening to take away the child
and place it in a home, where she could
not see it. Indeed he attempted to do
so. One right last summer he entered
the house on Cedar street and seizing the
child in its night clothes from its
mOUUoE dIlllS Idll dOWA Ui1O oplSSo VAo
it followed by the woman. Winn was
stopped by two men on the strickland
was compelled to return the child.
VIM, however, persisted in following
his wife and the people at the house on
Dickinson street became afraid to retire
for the night lest he should steal the
child or do it harm. VIM made one last
appeal Saturday and received this letter
in reply from his wife:
Haven r. VIM
q 81 have been thinking very deeply upon
the subject discussed between us. l find
that it will be utterly impossible for me
to live with you again at present anyway.
II you do really love me, as you asserted,
am very sorry, but there is no response
in my heart, and / cannot bring myself
to the point of placing my faith and con-
fidence in you again with your simple
word as criterion. / am saying this be-
lieving it to be the best thing for both
of u.s., When you show your love or re-
gard by trying to clear things up and
make a home tor me, and by trying in
every way to live right, then will be the
time to talk of our having a home to-
gether. want you to understand that l.
have not consulted any one directly or
indirectly in regard to this, but have
arrived at this decision myself. I.think
that it will be best for you to adhere
strictly to the decree, that you visit your
boy Sunday afternoons only. This is all
have to say at present. hope God
daily prayer that he will help you to live
a Christian life. Sincerely,
aNELLIE L. VIM"
Such was the noble letter of a wife to
husband. He returned it by numbering
her babe and making her the widow of a
suicide.