The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-10-25

THE fire mystery is beginning to clear up,
and last Friday and Saturday were lively
days for talk about IL on the streets. Friday
afternoon William M. Gorham was arrested
by Officer Luke Parish on "A writ sworn out
by States Attorney Stow of Chelsea, charg-
ing him with setting fire to the barns of his
deceased wife's estate, that of Mary Ann
Gorham. Gorham was in desperate cir.
cumstances and gave the officer and hired
man of his considerable resistance in the
evening" when he was taken back to his
place shackled. He, being stout man,
pitched both officer Parish and his man out
of the wagon, but man named Blaisdell
happened to be near and rendered asSis-
lance. Saturday morning, when Officer
Parish stepped out Of the room for a min
ute, Gorham attempted to commit suicide
by taking about three tablespoOnfuls of
paris green dry in his mouth. When the
officer returned he asked for glass of
water, which was given him, and with this
he washed down the poison. A few minutes
later he told Mr.. Parish that he would never
be tried or taken to Chelsea, as he had
swallowed paris green. DIR, IL. A. NoyeS
was at once summoned, and, with the use
of an emetic, reliev d Gorham of the poison,
to which he resisted until he saw it was no
use to hold out longer. Later in the fore
noon he was taken before Hon. Bailey f.
Adams justice of the peace, waived exam
ination and bound over to county court in
the sum of 1000. A little after the noon
nOur GOrnam UOlu hTS L drlSn lHdJ He WAS
the one who set fire to the buildings, but
claimed it was accidental, saying that he
heard noise in the barn among his horses,
went out. lit match, and dropped it in the
straw, which started the fire. Thinking
that suspicion would rest upon himself, he
went into the house, spilled the OIL rs stated
in last weeks paper, and then to bed. 1t
seems strange to most people why he did
not relieve his stock, which were tied up,
instead of going to bed and feigning sleep
when his sister tried to wake him, and then
going out to lead out his horses when it was
too late Officer Parish suspected him from
the first and hired men to watch him during
the week. Gorham did everything he
could to throw off suspicion and lay the
blame to frebugs. One night he went out
to the barn he had left and turned his
horses loose, and did several other things of
a similar nature, all of which was seen by
these men. People at the Center think he
was the one who set the fire to the town
house, but Gorham says he had nothing to
do with it. Gorham thinks he will save
the state a little expense by not eating. He
told the officers that he would not eat
another mouthful of food on this earth, and
refuses to eat or drink. He had recovered
sufficiently to be taken to Chelsea, Sunday
afternoon, by Officer Parish. John Cor
ham, his brother, and wife came from
Fitchburg, Mass, Sunday morning and is
trying to settle up matters as much as pos
sible. Hon. William Ii. Dubois has been
appointed administrator of the estate of his
wife, Mary Ann Gorham. A trade had
been completed to transfer the farm to Mrs
A. l.. Morse, and writings would have been
drawn mp last Monday morning and Cor
ham would have left the farm with more
money than had been paid in, so no motive
can be seen for his doing what he did.