St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-05-22
A TERRIBLE DEED.
Wife Killed and the Murderer Now in aiI.-The
lurder Occurred In WheeIock.


last Wednesday evening when the or
went around that Marshall Way ha,
killed his wife. 1t was terrible shocl
to the people of the quiet town, and i
, will be many days before they recove
sufficiently to converse to any lengtl
upon another subject.
Marshall Way and wife have beer
married for % or % years, but the mar
rage is said to have been an unhappy
one from almost the beginning. They
had parted from each other severa
times. The last separation took place
about the first of April, when Mrs. WAY
went away. She returned Wednes
day for the first time since and had with
her Lawyer ]. T. Gleason of Lyndonville
Her object in bringing a lawyer was
probably to make arrangements for
securing divorce and for settlement OF
property. Lawyer Gleason, it is under.
stood, left the house sometime between
and O'Clock in the afternoon, and so
far as known everything was peaceable
while he was there. The house is the
one known as the old "Wheelock hotel, +"
and is situated in the heart of the village
and where crowd could quickly assem-
Bile.
Shortly after Mr.. Gleason went away
MIR. Way went out to the barn to do
some work and returning as near as can
be ascertained about half past five, he
entered the ell part of the house Just in
time to see Mrs. Way going out of the
front door leading her eight-year-old
daughter by one hand and carrying
grip in the other AS to which parent
should have this child is probably what
caused the trouble, both wanting her
and Way claiming that he had the legal
right to keep her. Mrs. Bruce OF Sheffield,
Mrs. Ways sister, was outside with a
team, very close to the steps. Way at
once perceived that his wife was intend.
ing to leave and take with her the child.
Losing control of himself in fit of anger
he seized club and rushed for the steps,
reaching there just as Mrs. Way was
putting her foot on the wagon step to
get IN. Way struck her two terrible
blows on the head in quick succession,
each leaving big cash, and she fell
unconscious between the wagon and the
steps, where there was just room for her
body. Either blow was sufficient to
infilct death wound, but Way struck
her third after she fell. Mrs. Bruce, in
the wagon, was terribly frightened and
commenced screaming. l. K. Gray, who
lives just opposite, saw the deed and
was the first man on the spot, quickly
followed by Ed. Reed, who lives a little
ways above but was drawn to the scene
by the cries of Mrs. Bruce. The cry,
Way is pounding his wife," rang
through the streets, and large crowd
soon gathered at the hotel.
Mrs. Way was carried into the parlor
and laid on the sofa. DR.. Jones of
Sheffield, about two miles from Wheelock,
was Immediately telephoned for and
arrived in four minutes after receiving
the message. Deputy Sheriff D. B. Leslie
was also quickly on the spot. Mrs.
Way breathed once or twice after the
doctor arrived, and lived Is or 20 min
utes after she was first struck by her
husband but did not regain conscious
ness.
Way after striking the third blow and
when the people commenced to arrive.
got up on the piazza, sat down and re-
nained silent. He made no attempt to
escape, probably not realizing what he
1ad done. A close watch was kept over
lin and he was soon handcuffed and ,
aiken into the hotel office
The deputy sheriff telephoned to Sheriff
'uloway for instructions and was told :
o bring the man at once to st. Johnsbury
When Way was informed that he was to +
'e taken to st. Johnsbury he wanted to :
ee his vile and was taken into the room
where she was. He hugged and kissed !,
he body and appeared terribly affected. :,
is said that he wanted to kill himself
nd called for knife. Before leaving he
sked to change his clothes and was al
owed to do so, but when he asked for a
azor to shave himself the request was ;,
efused. u
Some time between 10 and II Deputy
herif Leslie assisted bv Fred Hoffman u
1T Wheelock with Mr., Way and arrived ~ ;,
the st. Johnsbury Jail about midnight, ~ ~
here they were met by Sheriff Sulloway :, II
nd the prisoner was Immediately placed -,
cell. He was muffled in a big fur "
'at and appeared terribly agitated. -,
e evidently then realized to some extent
hat he had done .,
A CALIFORNIAN reporter called at the -
il early Thursday morning, but the
'isoner was not inclined to talk. His Ii;
ce wore terribly haggard expression, tn
dicating that he had passed a restless de
ght. On being asked why the deed di
as done he said he didn't know. that ch
must have been wild. He talked with w
fficulty, was fully aware of the seri- se
IsnesS of his deed and 1vas oo,o..o.,.i -