Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-11-22
T0WNSHEND'S SENSATION
George A. Cushing Shoots Him.
self

Jnetlc in It's circumstances as any incident
in fiction, took place in Townshend last
Saturday. The story of the events which
led up to it tell of a mans life blighted and
ruined by wife's infdelty.
George A. Gushing was a man 50 years
old, who some four years ago was living
in the little town of Montague, Mass,
where he owned place and had wife
and four children. He was a carpenter
and to obtain work at his trade went to
Orange, leaving his family in Montague
In his absence his wife began to receive
attentions from A. A. Ross of Montague
She accompanied him to dances and other
places and intimate relations grew up be-
tween them. When Gushing knew of this
situation he went to California where, at
Redlands, he bough, land, built house,
and then sent for his family to come, hop
ing evidently that, removed from her evil
associations, his wife would once more
make home for him and their children,
Mrs. Cushing raised the plea that the
place in Montague ought first to be sold.
TO this Gushing assented and a deed of
the property was drawn mp and sent to
him and he signed and returned it, but
the wife did not come to him, and the
next Gushing heard of her was that she
had bought a farm in TOwnshend and
moved there with Ross and the children.
This was two years ago the present fall.
The farm is situated amongst the hills, in
the Church district, about four miles from
Townshend village, just off the Grafton
road.
The family seem to have prospered rea-
sonably and the man and woman have had
good reputation so far as paying their bills
4 hot. II
The circumstances under which they had
come there were generally understood in
Townshend and for reasons which are APP
parent they have not sustained intimate
relations with many of the townspeople.
Ross left wife and children in Montague.
Twice since the family moved to Towns
bend the selectmen have received a letter
from Cushing making enquiries about
them--how they were getting along, if the
children were well cared for, how near
they lived to school, church, stores, etc.
Last Friday night a stranger appeared
at j. c. Taft's, where travellers are enter
tanned since the hotel was burned. He re-
NAMED over night and was up betimes in
the morning and carried on a cheerful con-
versation with others who were with him
at the breakfast table. After breakfast he
inquired for the town clerks Office and
went there and had a conversation with
Mr. Fessenden. In answer to Mr.. Fessen-
denis question he gave the name of Conant,
saying he was friend of George A. Cush-
ing. He inquired very particularly about
Mrs. Gushing and the children, how they
were getting on, if their place was paid
for, how the children We're doing, how the
family were conducting themselves, and so
on. He told Mr.. Fessenden that he knew
Ross's wife in Montague and said she was
completely overcome by her husbands ac
ton. She could not speak of it without
breaking down. Finally the man said he
would go and see Mrs. Gushing and posi-
bly, might see Mr.. Fessenden again. He
inquired the way and Mr.. Fessenden dl-
rected him to Simpsonville, telling him he
there could get further directions. Instead
of going by way of Simpsonville, however,
he went up the Grafton road He was
last seen alive about 11:30 when two
young men, who were driving, passed him.
Early in the afternoon Mrs. Cushing
son, aged about IA, told his mother that a
man was lying in the lane near their house.
She Immediately hitched up a team and
drove to b. b. Brigham's and from there
to II. ii. Holbrook's for assistance, saying
that there was man at their place who
was either drunk or had committed sui
eide. She said she had not been near the
body. Holbrook and his son drove back
with her and found the body lying in the
lane as stated. There was a bullet hole
in the head and the man was unconscious,
but still breathing. DR.. Osgood was sent
for and arrived about o'clock. The
body lay upon a ridge at one side of the
rut made by wagon wheels, and the ap-
pearance was as if the man had lain down
in that position and then put the revolver
to his head with his right hand and fired
the shot The bullet entered about two
inches above the ear and little in front
of it. It's course had been forward and
inward. Mrs. Gushing said the man was
her husband and photograph which she
had also showed that it was he Mrs.
Cushing positively refused to have the
body brought into the house, saying she
did not want the children to know it was
their father. The wounded man was
therefore taken to F. E. Batchelder's. He
continued to breathe until about s o'clock.
The body was made ready for burial and
on Sunday was placed in the tomb to
await the wishes of friends if any appear.
When at Mr.. Taft's in the morning
Gushing had gone into C. c. Taft's store
and bought some stationery, saying he
wanted to write some letters. In his peck
cts were found four letters, one addressed
to Arthur B. Wilbur, Orange, Mass, one
to E. A. Cushing, Milton, Mass, and one
to Emerson Goodell, Montague, Mass.
Written on two half sheets of note paper
was a letter to his wife which said:
81 forgive you, but you and Mr.. Ross
have killed me. Yours with love, ALDEN
"Your last letter was too wicked. Please
bury me cheaply on this farm, as it was
purchased with my money. To my child.
rem good-by, with love. PAPA.
"Written in sight of your home"
On his person was $42 in money. Ros:
and Mrs. Cushing both refused to have
anything to do with the body or arranging
for its disposition.
The Oldest of the Gushing children, {
daughter II years old, taught the schoo
the past term in the district where the!
live. The other three children are boys
the youngest being five years old.
Mrs. CushIng's Side of the Case.
To a representative of The Phoenix VIII,
saw Mrs. Gushing Tuesday, to find wheth
err she had any statement to make in regart
to the relations between herself and he
husband, she said in substance that afte
Mr.. Cushing went to Orange to work tn
family saw very little of him. He woult
come home late Saturday night and return