The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-03-13
VARIOUS VERMONT MATTERS.
TRAGEDY OF \ VERMONT FARM.s


ity was undoubtedly the cause of the deed. A
few days ago Collins moved to his fathcr-in
laws farm and rented his own place Collins
was Il years old and was noted for; his peace
able disposition and affection for his family,
and was besides II successful and prosperous
FARMER, being comfortably well OF, with not a
thing in the world to worry him. But there Is II
strain of insanity in the family, his father hay
ing died after being insane several years and
an aunt took ncr own life. AT various times
from his youth up, Collins mas been "oh' ana
the little mishups and difficulties of lite which
most people pay little If any attention to, he
broodcd over and made much of. With the eX
ception of two years of his life he had lived on
the old home farm, near SIMPSONS Lake View
House, taking and running the place on his
fathers death, and there he brought his bride
and rai,cd their two children, Grace, aged H.,
and Leon 49, lie was anxious that the children
should receive as good IN education as posi-.
bic and not be away from home,. and as they
had reached the ages for attending graded
school, st Adams being about six miles away,
he leased the ID II Coriss farm, owned by his
father.ln.law and located about three miles
from swanton village, that the children might
better attend to their school duties.
On Saturday he began moving, and had be.
come more morbid and respondent than usual.
He seemed to regret having made the move he
did, and the change probably Is what upset his
mind and brought about the awful results of the
day. His wife and daughter without doubt owe
their escape TO their absence. Grace, his
daughter, being i'll at the OLD farm with her
mother caring for her
The deed was committed in the sitting room
Just off from the kitchen. Collins came down
In the morning and went about his usual work
but acted queerly, he said prayers rs was his
usual custom at breakfast and after that read
aloud from the Bible He went out again and
heipcd hitch up n team and came back into the
kitchen, where he attracted the attention of the
| folks by his wild looks and nervous cXcitable
| actions. His dog came into the house, and Col
Inns grabbed Il hammer and struck at 1t sever
al times Miss Ella Washburn, who has been
living with the family this week, his mother and
his son got frightened ut these demonstrations
| and tried to get him to give up the hammer and
90 and lie down; he finally, after some PERSIA.
| sion on Miss Washburns part, gave her the
hammer saying; II dontcarc anything for you
Ella" but went at once and got another hammer
| and then went into the sitting room with his
mother and they sat on the sofa together, he
| holding her hand all the While he Ris3'@AsRFllis
mother several times ana soon cot down on TIA
sofa putting his head in her lap, still! Keeping
! hold of the hammer; he dropped her hand
moment, only to grasp her wrist with sach
force as to make her cry out and he ioosened
his hold only to renew If, saying: mother,
there are three of us going home to-day" Leon
his son, aged -, had become frightened and
gone out doors, and Collirs called to Miss
Washburn, telling her TO tel the boy 10 come IN
at once; Mrs Collins shook her head 10 Miss
Washburn when he said this butt will never
be known whether the old lady meant, not to
call the boy in or not 20 leave them alone How
ever Miss Wnghburn went ont to the woodshct
door and tod Leon To run to the neighbors for
help, as she was afraid that his father was go I
ing to do some terrible thing. As she STOOD
there she heard All unearthly scream from Mrs /
Collins followed by falling sound anu she
fled TO the next neighbour, Jedson james, and
gave the alarm. When the neighbOrs arrived /
and opcned the sitting room door, a most hoIrt /
bic sight presented ITSELF Mrs Collins was ~. /
Ing in the centre OF the room with her sku /
smashed in and her throat cut IRON cal 10 ear /
willie beside her, living closely that their .
faces touched. was her son, his head all but /
severed from the body and WIN the bloody ana .
nurderous razor still firmly ciasped IN hi right
hand The floor was rocking with blood, whale
the walls chairs and taDc- surrounding the
couple were spashed and spattered with ii.
Collins must have committed his awful crime
while his mother was sitting IN the rocking
chair, for the hammer with which he struck her
and which had been broken from the handle by
the force of the blow lay beside the chair, while
the chair and the walls about it were drenched
with blood. That she attempted TO get out OF the
room was evident, for her footsteps were visible
in the trail OF blood which strcamed from the
throat 10 tile floor, from where she sat to where
she fell Collins then laid down beside his
mother and drawing the razor across his throat
the tragedy.
United Stntes Court !,
The United States court held short session
al Burlington Friday, the grand jury reporting
Is true bills aud five not found. Morris Levin
was indicted for violation OF the postal laws IN
opening n letter addressed to one Agel lie WAS
arraigncd in court and his bail was liked at 5000
The case against II q Bans'cr, for violation OF
the contract labor law Was discontinued on
the payment of the costs In consideration OF the
payment OF $500 fine without costs > w sails
ioi einusShnH P T, = - ,isen.no1 ,ti
a l,ril7
A Great Coin Collection.
Rev Fr Toupip of Woodstock is a STAMP and
,oin COLLECTOR on rather a large scale and has n
collection numbering several thousand, among
which are many valuable issues, American anu 7
rnraiyn ,he nticr Including u,arlv ever, co,ll.
nv M the world. He has several thousand OF ,
MS own. n portion of the collection belonging TO
,ther mimi smatists There are about 5000 ,
,oiu. In the collection among which are 4 900 |
Roman coins a complete set of United States '
Upper coins and Canadian Ipchnies in fair con =
iiton, war pennies, tokens, 100 incdai :, among
which are a number of valuable Sapoleanic Is.
ncs ana hiih,reus OF ONE 'oar,Sn p'ervS ,,, ~
~ Ioupih'n staihp Albums i,eic 'itc WY ~
W !ssuc9 ~ 'ious 49,, ~ crroI
men are Il ~ * -? ' mi I
RATE states, 'ne Mhoc n''N'"S It '"'""'' ~ ""' n
"efcstn1 '"l'V'ton' n
10 Estapiish " iree h'"r''!'
The town voted last week $1,000 In trust, for y
he use of the state Normal schuo! NJ Randolph i
entire for 81 years. Tins money Is the proceeds
II Insurance collected on the bWncd loWh
louse building. 1t WAS also voted to establish "
rec Town Library, apprupriating 500 therefor h
o which Il state law add an equal amoant, and =
With other funds available the library starts u
with branches in different parts OF n
he town
Fire probobly originating in 4 detective J
Kinney burned the work shop of y Alainan IA
/ Bristol last week "Wednesday Loss $1,000. {,
insurance $3.50 L
rho <ovnort Eyprcss and standard has p
~, ~. ~ i'i ,,,o,t ia. ul1n md nuurnf.- in n
"opI IT, w ~ trnc f.
-, -. -,,,.l. ,,,,,,,,o,,,, f,,, the ( /;
~ ,"ns 90 90 hnidinr NJ, onern house in Rutland
va f in,,in, m tatn form If was uutcrstuol ri
re i ,ht W Ipraiinn for the new Theatre n
"a leon srt,icd upon. but GeorgeT Chatfee, a
ne, an invitation to an architect who makes
IN Finland l.