Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-03-22
THE STORY OF THE
WESTMINSTER MASSACRE
Which Occurred on March 13,
1875,

anu III Wntcn william French Fell
"the First Martyr of the Revolution"
---the Events which Led to the Out
observation-disclosures of the Fatal Night
---French's Epitaph.
The anniversary of the Westminster
massacre suggests that some account of it
may be interesting to some persons. 1t
occurred or the 18th of March, 1915. The
territory now forming the counties of
Windham and Windsor then formed the
county of Cumberland in the province of
New York, under the reign of King George
Ill. 1t had a Court of Common Pleas
which was to sit in the name of the King,
on Tuesday, the 18th of March, in the
courthouse at Westminster. Thomas
Chandler of Chester was the chief judge,
and Noah Sabin of Putney, who lived at
the upper end of the street, and Samuel
Wells of Brattleboro, who lived in the
house now the woman's summer retreat Of
the Brattleboro Retreat, were assistant
judges. William Paterson, who lived in
Hinsdale, now Vernon, on the river north
east of South Vernon, was the high sher-
if. Samuel Gale, whose wife was a
daughter of Judge Wells, was clerk of the
court and lived at Westminster Samuel
Knight of Bratteboro, who lived Just
north of the Brooks library in the only
house in what is now the East village of
Brattleboro north of Milestone brook,
Cream Brush of Westminster, and John
Grout of Chester were the practising law
yers. Opposition had arisen among the
people to the sessions of this court, whose
judgments were burdensome and were
deemed part of the expressions of Great
Britain under which the colonies were suf-
fering and preparing resistance.
On the Sd of February a town meeting
of Fulham now Dummerston "Voted
that the Court of Common Pleas be put
by for time" and on the Friday before
court was to sit a company of about forty
men from Rockingham went to the chief
judge and requested that it should not be
held. The sheriff from these and other
things feared resistance and on Sunday ar
ranged for posse of about thirty-five men
from BrattlebOrO, ten from Newfane and
some from Putney, to be present, some
with guns. The people opposed to the
court to the number of about one hun
dred, mostly from Fulham, Putney west
hill, Westminster West and Rockingham,
took possession of the courthouse at about
O'Clock Monday afternoon. At about
sunset the sheriff, at the head of his posse
of about sixty, caused the Kings proca-
nation against riots TO be read at the door
and demanded admission, which was re-
fused. He said if not admitted he would
blow lane through those inside who would
all be in hell before morning Charles
Davenport, carpenter, who lived by the
common in Fulham, answered that if those
outside undertook to come in they would
all be in hell in fifteen minutes. The
Sheriff and his posse soon withdrew.
Mrs. Brush, who had been widow
Montusan, told them that if the Judges
were not women in mems clothes they
would give the order to drive the rebels
out of the courthouse at once, and bring
the leaders to trial for treason: that they
had authority and arms, and had only to
contend with traitors who would run at
the sound of their own voices. Her daugh-
ter, Frances Montusan, told her that she
thought they had a just cause; and to re-
member that there were Green Mountain
Boys on the other side of the mountains:
and that Ethan Allen would come to as
sist them. Her mother answered that she
should not be more surprised to see her
sneaking after Ethan Allen than she was
at that; and told the others that the girl
was crazy, and Sheriff Paterson that the
King expected him to do his duty.
Al about'1l o'clock at night the sheriff
at the head of his posse, being refreshed,
again demanded admission which was
again refused, and those inside were fired
upon. William French of Bratteboro was
killed; Daniel IIoughton of Fulham was
so wounded thai he died nine days after;
Others were wounded and all were driven
out, or taken prisoners.
An affidavit made at the time states of
1.-The fire from the House. that one of their
Balls entered the Cuff of the Coat of Ben
jamin Butterfield, Esquire one of his Mai
esty's Justices of the Peace for the said
County of Cumberland, which went out of
the elbow without hurting him and then
went through his Coat Sleeve and Just
grazed the Skin, that a pistol was dis
charged by one of the Rioters at Benjamin
Butterfield the Son of the above named
Justice Buttertield so near that the powder
burnt a large hole in the breast of his
Coat, and one William Williams received
large wound in the head by one of the
Balls discharged by the said Rioters"
Those who were driven out rallied their
neighbOrs and friends in great haste; Solo
mon Harvey, "practitiOner of physic.m
rode to Fulham without his hat. Ethan
Allen did not come, but Capt. Robert |
Cochran did, from Bennington, with 25
Green Mountain Boys, through Marlboro, !
across maptinp-lOusa hin in Rrattlaboro
Others came from both sides of the river,
to the number of about 400 in all, who |
the village and took the |.
Judges, sheriff, clerk and lawyers, and 9TH |
ers most prominent in the posse prisoners. |
An inquest was held by Timothy Olcott of |
coroner the original record /.
of which is framed and hangs in the state
library at Montpelier, which charged the |
sheriff and several of his posse with muir |
der, and they were taken by the county au- |
-horities to the Jail in Northampton for |
safe keeping from the eXasperated people. !
Joseph Hancock of Hopkinton, Mass, was |
At Westminster. Mrs. Gale sent him to her |
mother in Brattleboro who sent him and |
Oliver Church of Brattleboro to Judge |
Wells and Mr.. Brush, who were in New |
ork in attendance as members of the |
colonial assembly from Cumberland coun- !
~, to inform them of what had happened. |
The prisoners were afterward taken by |
.he New York authorities from Northamp- !
-On to NewYork and released. Here are |
some of the accounts for entertaining the |
posse
March 12th, 1875, William Patterson, Esar,, TO |
James Cummings, Dr.,
70 willing Left Osgood's men to Eleven meals of
- Ntuals o. H. 0 |