Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-12
TRAGEDY IN SWANTON,
CHESTER COLLINS KILLS HIS
MOTHER AND HIMSELF.
Was Insane When He Committed the
Deed-Crushed Her Skull with n Ham
mer Thon Cut Her Throat-With the
Same Razor Takes HIS Own Life.

Swanton, March GA horrible murder
Followed by the suicide of the murderer,
occurred between and o'clock this
morning. when Chester II. Collins of st.
Albans butchered his mother and then
ook his own life. That Collins was insane
Ii tire :ime of committing this terrible
eed, there Is no question.
The deed was committed in the sitting
loom, just off from the kitchen. Collins
anne down this morning and went about
his usual work but acted queerly; he SAID
prayers as was his usual custom at
breakfast and after that read aloud from
The Bible. He went out again and helped
hitch up a team and came back INTO the
Kitchen, where he attracted the attention
bf the folks by his wild looks and nervous
xcitable actions. His dog came into the
house, and Collins grabbed hammer ana
3truck at 1t several times; Miss Ella WASH
purne who has been living with the family
his week, his mother and his son got
Frightened at these demonstrations ana
ried to get him to give up the hammer
Ind go and lie down he finally, after some
bersuation on Miss Washburn's part gave
her the hammer, saying: 81 don't care any
hing for you Ella but went at once
Ind got another hammer, ana then went
Into the sitting room with his mother,
nd they sat on the sofa together, he hold
Ing her hand all the while; he kissed ms
mother several times and soon got down
BIN the sofa putting his head in her lap
till keeping hold of the hammer; ne
ropped her hand a moment, only to grasp
her wrist with such force as 10 make her
nv out and he loosened his hold only 10
renew IT. saying: Mother, there are three
BIZ us going home to-day" Leon, his SON.
lged 10, had become frightened ana gone
but doors, and Collins called TO Miss WASH
burn, telling her to tell the boy to come IN
n at once; Mrs. Collins shook her
head to Miss Washburn, when ne
aid this but it will never be known
whether the old lady meant, not to can
he boy in or not to leave them alone
However, Miss Washburne went out to
he woodshed door and told Leon TO run
o the neighbors for help, as she was
lfraid that his father was going to 90
ONE terrible thing. AS she stood there
he heard an unearthly scream from MIS-.
Collins, followed by a falling sound ana
he fed to the next neighbors, Jedson
anes' and gave the alarm. When the
leighbors arrived and opened the sitting
Dom door, a most horrible sight present
ii itself: Mrs Collins was lying in the
entire of the room with her skull smash
ID in and her throat cut from ear to ear,
while beside her. lying so closely that
heir faces touched, was her son, his head
I'll but severed from the body ana win
ne DlOOuN anu ldHOi H'lii ~ ~
V clasped in his right hand. The floor
we're reeking with blood while the walls,
hairs and table surrounding the couple
we're splashed and spattered with II.
Collins must have committed his awful
rhine while his mother was sitting in the
ocking chair, for the hammer with which
lie struck her and which had been broken
rom the handle by the force of the blow
ay beside the chair while the chair and
l,A lie oh hrlnphe1
Hood. That she attempted to get out OF
he room was evident for her footsteps
we're visible in the trail of blood which
treamed from the throat to the floor, from
where she sat to where she fell. Collins
hen laid down beside his mother and
rawing the razor across his throat, COM
(leted the tragedy.
COLLINS HISTORY.
Collins was Al years old and was noted
or his peaceable disposition and affection
or his family. and was besides a success
ul and prosperous farmer being comfort
IDLY well off, with not a thing in the
ord to worry him. But there Is a strain
( insanity in the family, his father having
led after being insane several years, and
n aunt took her own life. AT various
lines from his youth up, Collins has beer
off," and the little mishaps and Difficult
Hes of life which most people pay little
any attention 10, ne DrOOueu over dnC
made much of. With the exception OF
wo years of his life, he had lived on the
Id home farm, near Samson's Lake View
House, taking and running the place or
is fathers death, and there he brought
is bride and raised their two children
Grace. aged 1G, and Leon, IS. He was
nxious that the children should receive
3 good an education as possible and not
q away from home, and as they had
cached the ages for attending graded
chool. st. Adams being about six miles
way, he leased the d. r. Coriss farm
wned by his father-in-law and located
bout three miles from Swanton village
hat the children might better attend tc
heir school duties.
On Saturday he began moving. and had
ecome more morbid and Respondent thar
sual. He seemed to regret having made
he move he did, and the change prob.
bly, 10 what upset his mind and brought
bout the awful results of the day.
His wife and daughter without doubt
we their escape to their absence. Grace
Is daughter being i'll at the old farm
18th her mother caring for her
The funeral will probably be held Sun
ay, with the interment at the Bay GENE
Fry. Hundreds of morbid curiosity seek
rs visited the place during the day to ge
glimpse of the shocking sight. Mis-,
Vashburne is on the verge of nervou!
rostration after the terrible ordeal sh,
assed through, and is quite III.
EARTH 9hNk To EhpTL