Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-06-22
SHOOTING AT JACKSONVILLE
A Bullet Through Clarence
GrOusbecl<'s Body.

lie Had Been Drinking aud was De
spOndent---StillL Living. Hut Recovery
Doubtful.
Rum did it. The popular meat dealer of
Jacksonville, Clarence II. Grousbeck, on
Saturday last, made his accustomed trip to
Castle Bridge, in Wilmington. He was
seen at o'clock by people formerly Of this
place. About o'clock he ate his dinner
at. George UptOn's, where he was appar-
entity free from the influence of liquor.
Soon after dinner he started homeward i'm
company with two bread pedders from
ReadsbOro. At , o'clock he was met near
schoolhouse No. / by James Upton. He
was very drunk, but still in his cart. Upton
fastened on and met $. &. Eason and Luke
Plumb, two carpenters, who were return
ing after a weeks work at Castle Bridge.
They were Informed of Grousbeck's condi-
ton, and fastening on overlook him near
the watering trough, and accompanied him
as far as the bridge near the Stetson pas
ture, where Grousbeck delivered his team
to Mr.. Eason under the pretence that he
was going to stay out of the village until
he had slept off his drunk. Eason took
his team home and June G.. Chase was
sent up to ascertain Grousbeck's where
abouts. He found his hat in the centre of
the road near the bridge, but after search
ing all around was unable to find Grous-
beck. Grousbeck says he went back TO
the watering trough, distance some 30 rods,
intending to commit suicide with his jack
knife, but found it too dull for his pur-
pose. After time he came down to the
village, stopping at Eben Tuttle's. Mr.
futile loaned him a hat, and upon Grous-
beck's telling him that he (Grousbeck)
would be corpse before morning, accom-
panied him to his home i'm the south part
of the village. Grousbeck went up stairs.
He wrote a letter to his parents to the eff
feet that he was going away, and should
never return. He asked his father to col
lect his bills and pay his debts. After
writing the letter he started up street.
Near the house he met the hired girl Stella
Busby, shook hands with her, babe her
goodbye, and said he would never see her
again. He went into the grocery store of
Fl. A. Hull in that part of the village,
and called for Paris green, saying he
wanted TO use it on a piece of potatoes
early in the morning. Hull had none of
the poison. In the meantime Grousbeck' s
father and brother-in-law had become sus-
picious of his actions and started out in
search of him. Grousbeck walked along
after leaving the store to the house of
| Clifton Pebbles. The latter was abed. On
being aroused Grousbeck told him that he
wanted to borrow a revolver in order to
shoot cats near the meat market. Pebbles
gave him 32-calibre revolver. with six
chambers loaded. Grousbeck then went
down the street and sat down in the ditch
near the highest point in the bank wall in
| front of II. l.. Putnam's. This was about
| 10 o'clock. He soon placed the revolver
to his left breast and pulled the trigger.
The ball passed through the body so that 1t
could be seen on his back under the skin.
AT this time many people were on the
street Grousbeck' S father and brother-in-
law heard the shot and the father exclaim-
ed whats that He was told that some
one was firing off firecrackers in celebration
of the base ball victory. but he replied. 81
think not, think it is a pistol and that
Clarence has shot himself" Several per-
sons went in the direction of the shot and
found Grousbeck He was taken home
and DR.. johnson summoned. Grousbeck
was made as comfortable as possible. At
this time the young man expressed regret
that he was such a bungler in doing the
shooting, as he did not wish to live DR..
johnson was summoned away during the
night to attend patients critically i'll. Dr..
Rice of Wilmington was sent for Sunday
and removed the ball 1t had the appear
ance of having hit some hard substance,
probably a rib. 1t was DETECTED down
ward in its course, coming out four or five
inches below where it entered the body
Had the ball gone directly through the
body it would probably have caused instant
| death. Grousbeck's condition is serious,
and his recovery doubtful. Henow wishes
to live.
Grousbeck went on one of the excursions
after the railroad was opened and became
very drunk. He was ashamed in conse-
quence, 'swore off, and declared that if
he couldn't get along without drinking he
did not wish to live.
The sad affair points a moral which it is
hoped that other young men who indulge
in intoXicants will heed.
Grousbeck's condition was improving at
last accounts.