The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-10-25
ARRESTED IN WESTMORELAND.
A FARMER ACCUSED OF NUMBERING
HIS WIFE FOUR YEARS AGO.

A FARMER ACCUSED OF NUMBERING
HIS WIFE FOUR YEARS Ago.
The Man who Assisted in Capturing one
the Putmey Rapists-A Strong Chain
Of CircumstantiaI Evidence Against
Him-rhe Body Buried In the Cellar o 4
Deserted House.
What will probably prove to be Il
case of murder has Just been brought
to light in the town of landau, n.
II. George Brill, occupying an old
house, which had been deserted for
the greater part of the time for several
wears, in removing pile of rubbish in
the cellar, discovered the bones of Il
woman. Four years, ago or in Aug, 81,
Milo Gray lived in the town Of Haver
hill. He and his wife decided to separate
One day he borrowed team to take his
wife to Bath to take the train for Cal.
ifornia, where she had decided to go.
Gray did not return until the next day
and since then nothing has ever been
heard from the wife, and the supposi
tion is that they quarrelled on the
road, and coming to this deserted
house he killed her and buried her in
the cellar.
The chain of circumstantial evidence
against him is already strong. 1t is
known that he and his wife quarreled
much over another woman, supposedly
the one he has since married, whose
maiden name was Lii Mattoon and
who had worked for him while he lived
at Laconia n. H., about six years ago.
1t is also found that many of his sto-
ries at the time of his wife's disap
pearance were false; among others, the
railroad. folks at Bath deny selling
any ticket for California at the time.
The first Mrs. Gray was small
woman weighing about 100 pounds:
the skeleton found corresponds with
this. She ran her shoes down on one
side in q peculiar way. and that was
the way the shoes found with the
skeleton were worm She wore her
hair short and only short pieces of
hair are found with the skeleton \
small chased gold ring was found with
the skeleton which her daughter posi-
lively Identifies as having belonged to
her mother and both the daughter
and Mrs ". f. True Of East IIarer
hill. with whom the Gray woman lived
a short time. identify grape shaped
dress buttons found on the garment
around the remains as similar To those
on short Jacket of Mrs. Gray's.
Gray has explained his second mar
riage by stating that he had learned
that his first wife had obtained a
divorce. but doesn't profess to know
when, or in what state or court. The
skull showed fracture on the left side
evidently inflicted by blunt instru-
ment and the body had been buried
before rigor mortis set in. Up stairs
in the room over the cellar is q spot on
the floor eight or ten inches across
with the appearance of blood. The
work has been to run down Gray He
left the vicinity soon after his wife's
and wont to Canaan, VT.
took u logging job mi remained there
during the winter months being joined
by the present Mrs. Gray in April.
After her arrival they remained only a
few days when they decamped in the
night leaving all personal property,
unpaid bills and logging utensils.
Next he appeared in Westminster,
living for about u year and half on
West to Putney and from
LutTt NtHl W NtslHlb1tldlit III hdftu.
"a, renting from Willards Bill Jr., the
|iutchins farm about two miles from
Park Hill on the West Chesterfield
'oad
The officers learned all this after a
iearch that covered 4 good part of
Vermont and New Hampshirc. and
Saturday Deputy Brown Of Plymouth
md County Solicitor Adams came
lown to Bellows Falls and being joined /
~ the chief Of police there, proceeded !
o Westmoreland and arrested Gray. /
lie was not at home when they first /
rriycd. 50 the highway was followed /
or about mile and Gray and his /
wife were seen approaching and he was .
labbed At first he was apparently |
much affected. but soon regained his
and accompanied his captors
Without objection. Mrs. Gray sobhed
utterly and told her husabnd she was
Wiling To follow him to the end of the
.orld. He was taken across the river
0 Putncy and the 16 p. M, train
oarled for Woodsville.
The arrest caused a profound sensa
ion in Westmoreland, for though
tray bore a shady reputation tinan-
ally. especially for stealing. as charged.
ONE corn Il previous tenant had left
n the place. no one dreamed that he
as capable of the crime for which he
as arrested. He was the man
-ho assisted Sheriff wilkins in the
apture of Charles Ellis. in the rape
ase fortnight ago, the partic
lars of which case all are acquainted
ith. The night before his arrest
corn husking and dance took
lace in Westmoreland at Gray's
lace, at which Putney musicians
FINISHED music. One of Gray's boys ,
at work for J. Y. Shaw at East
utney. not in Poultney. as late
sue of the Boston Globe had il.
He has been man of good habits, ,
pparently. not drinking or smoking. ,
hree children came to Westmoreland ,
it'll him, one son Elmer. about Is. ,
1other son Ned, about eight or nine ;
nd daughter Mary. about Ii. The
tier, last year, married Harry Farms
orth. barber, and went to Saxtons
liver to live with him and from there {
Chester. where the officers found {
er working in the family of f. W.
onroe and obtained her deposition. G
he was shown the ring and buttons
ithout explaining where they came
ON and at once recognized and iden ,
fled them, breaking down with sobs. !
he saws she last saw her mother five
,ars ago. the parents separating c
wing to domestic trouble. /,
Gray was araigned before Judge il
estpate in the Woodsville police