The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-20
PAWTUXET VALLEY.
Excitement Caused by Report That
Murder Was Committed.
The Woman Died, However. From the
Bursting Of a Cancerous Tumor.

Miss Susan Smith OF New York Is visit
ing her home at Lippitt, being called
home by the serious illness OF her mother.
Mrs. .R.w. q. Knight OF Auburn is visit
Ing her sister, Miss M. v. Snow at
Phenix.
A party OF the friends of Mr.. and Mrs.
James Warburton who have recently re-
turned to their farm here after living for
several years I'm Haverstraw, N. Y,
paid them surprise visit at their home
last evening, being conveyed to the farm
In one OF A. w. Knights large party
wagons. Among the visitors were Hon.
Hugh J. Carroll and Thomas Marion OF
Pawtucket.
One of the prominent residents OF Lip
pitt became engaged In an alteration
with q piano player in one OF the saloons
yesterday afternoon and the musician be-
coming too abusive, received knockout
blow which seriously injured his beau
and proceeded to bleed the assailant for
s2 which he thought would sooth his
feelings and heal his wounds.
Mrs. James Z. Hampstead OF Brook
lyn is the guest OF Mrs. Mary M. Stone at
Anthony.
Although the campaign is but in its in
fancy there Is already talk Of forming o
Mckinley regiment In the valley and q
meeting is TO be held for that purpose
next week. The past "kerosene colonies"
are in their glory and the valley will in
all probability enjoy lively times this
fall.
The valley was thrown into a state of
great excitement.last evening by the re-
port that a brutal murder had been COM
mitted ON the Bennett farm, near
Phenix. The rumor flew like wild fire
and In a few minutes people were hasten
ing from all directions, toward the farm
house, which is situated In tho fields,
about a mile from Phenix and about
quarter OF a mile from the old Providence
pike.
The house, which is very old one, and
q small story and a half structure Is the
old Bennett homestead, and has been oc-
cupied by generation after generation OF
the family and for the past 80 years had
been occupied by Miss Ruth Bennett,
maiden lady, about 73 years Of age. For
the greater part of the time since the
death of her father, she has lived alone
OF the farm, but for about three years
Mrs Arnold, a niece of Mrs. Bennett,
has occupied one end of the house.
Yesterday afternoon Winona,a daughter
OF Mrs. Arnold, who had been visiting
her grandmother at Blacxrock, came
home and went into Miss Benefits part
of the house. As she did not find her
aant in the kitchen as she exepcted, she
called out TO her, but, receiving no
answer, she pushed open the door, to
kitchen, and to her horror discovered her
aunt lying in pool OF blood on the
floor between the bureau and the
window. She at once ran out OF the house
and told her mother, and then across the
lots and through the woods to the resi-
dence of. Mrs. Susan Bennett st Harris, to
whom she told her story. Mrs. Bennett,
4 Cnf ms " w
her neighbors, Immediately went
to the farm, and upon entering
the bouse, they found Miss Bennett ly-
ing in the position described by the child
and quite dead. Word was Immediately
sent to the neightors and relatives, and
in few minutes quite a number had as
sembled. As the case looked like most
brutal murder, officers were Immediately
sent for, and Medical Examiner Long,
fellow of Olneyviile was notified.
The news spread rapidly through the
valley and by o'clock a crowd OF the
villagers and friends had assembled and
sat in small groups under the trees and
discussed with bsted breath the mysteri-
Gus death of the old lady. From the ap-
pearance of the room, the pools and spots
OF blood, and the position OF body, no
one doubted that murder had been COM
mitted, and numerous surmises and half
whispered suspicious were made as to the
had set, the crowd kept preceptibly fur
ther away from the house, and told
stories of other occurrences on the place
In days gone by, with bated breath and
many quick gances toward the structure,
which showed dimIy under the tall trees
In :he moonlight.
The medical examiner arrived about 10
o'clock, and after making a cursory ex-
animation of the body and surroundings,
came out of the house and closely ques-
toned the bystanders as TO their knowl-
edge of the affair. After learning all that
he could he returned to the house and
made thorough examination of the
body, which resulted in his finding that
death had not, as was thought, resulted
from violence, but from the bursting OF q
canceroustumor on one of the hips.
The announcement was received with
surprise and relief by the bystanders,
and after a time the crowd dispersed.
Miss Bennett was 70 years of age and
highly respected. She was born and has
always lived on the farm. Although past
the allotted three score and ten, she had
up to within a few years enjoyed good
health, and very few, with the exception
OF the immediate family, knew Of the
trouble which caused her ueath.