Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-06-11
DUFUR SHOT.
Allen Says 1t Was Accidental
His Account.
Previous Record Il Did Timo for
Murder in Boston.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt, June s.
II. NJ. Dufur. the collar and elbow wrestler
has been shot by Dr. Samuel J. Allen uf this
place. There are conflicting stories con-
cerning the affair. Dufur was passenger
on the Passumpsic way freight train and was
sitting in the c:Iboose which had stopped
nearly opposite DR.. Aliens residence. DR.
Allen claims that he was shooting at
a target and that he missed the mark.
The bullet passed through the ear win
dow and struck Dufur in the right
shoulder, cutting his coat to the lining aud
entering his right jaw and knocking out
several teeth. II then struck the inside Of
his left jaw and caromcd around to the front
part of the upper jaw. coming out directly
under the right nostril. His tongue was
nearly cut Off, and his upper Lip was
torn open. lie was taken to the Junction
house, where he was attended by Drs. Daley.
Garland and Worthen, local physicians,
and Dr. W. T. Smith of Hanover
n. H.. Surgeon Henry james OF Water
bury, Vt, and DR.. II. l.. Watson Of West
Topsham. y. H.. an old friend were sum
moned. The same bullet that struck Mr.
Dufur also graZcd the neck of III. II. Secey
a conductor on the Boston & Maine railroad
who was in the caboose with Dufur. The
position occupied by Dufur and Seelcy in
the ear must have been II feet or more
utRtltE ltldH tlt ldIEfl dl WHICH Ut. Alltu
claims to have been firing.
The train hands claim that while the train
was stopped not far from DR.. Aliens house
they protested against his shooting in that
direction. .whereupon the doctor deliberately
raised his gun and fired the shot which in
flicted Dufur's wound. The version Of tho
affair given by DR., Aliens family is as fol-
lows DIR. Allen and his daughter, Miss
Roxy. about Is Years old, were practicing
ttrtth iii
tackled to a post Of the railroad fenc e
east of DR.. Aliens residence on Maple
. street, distant about so feet from the car
riagt house whore they were standing Dr.
Allen called Miss Cecilia st. Celton Of Bos.
ton, Mass, who is visiting at DIR. Aliens and
was in the house, to come and see how well
Roxy could shoot. The doctor shot once
and then Roxy tried her hand ut it. after
which the doctor shot again, Soon aitcrthc
last shot was :ircd a railroad man called to
DR.. Allen. saying that he had shot a mar
Dr. Allen started toward the railroad. hut
seeing the train which had been standing
start he thought that 1t was joke being
perpetrated upon him and returned to
where the women were standing
they thinking also that the doctor
had been cuyed. They all went in to
supper and none of the party knew
what had been done until word was sent
over to the house from DR.. Aliens drug
store on Main street, for him 10 come over
to the store. DR.. Allen returned home later
in the evening. and after midnight was ar
rested by Sheriff Spaiford and was taken to
the jail. Evan Vans. a sOn-in-law OF Mr.
Dufur. was summoned here from Randolph
and NJ. +. Hutchins. a brother-n-aw, and
former business paltner, came to help care
for the injured man, A civil suit for $50 900
personal damages was instituted in behalf
of Mr.. Dufur against Or. Allen and an at
tachment was levied on all Of the doctors
visible property. A charge was preferred
against DR.. Allen by conductor Seeley Of al
legged assault with intent to XIII and
murder. and by Mr.. DUfur. alleging criminal
assault. A preliminary hearing was held
before Justice Horace G. rcase, at which
DR.. Allen waived examination. and was
bound over to the Windsor county court bail
amounting to 5000 being fixed on the first
named charge, and $1,000 on the second
charge.
DR.. Allen, it will be remembered. shot a
man in a saloon on Howard St, Boston.
Mass. in 1884, claiming that he did it in self
defense, while the state charged murder,
Under advice of counsel the chief OF whom
was the late Gen Benz. f. Butler. he pleaded
guilty of mansaughter which plea was ac-
ceptcd, and he was sentenced to five years
in state prison. He earned 10 months for
exemplary conduct and was released from
prison April 10. 1889. He Immediately re-
turned home aud entered into active prac-
tice with good success accommodating con-
siderable property He was born on April
20, 1916. He was educated in Vermont, and
practiced medicine ut Windsor. His father
was surgeon. The young man enlisted in
a Massachusetts regiment. Co. b, Captain
Coffin, and served honorably. After his
practice at Windsor he was assigned the
rank of assistant surgeon in cavalry regi-
ment and served five years on the frontier
under Custer. He left the army to he mar
ried, and practiced at this place until 1882,
when he removed to Southington, Conn.
After having been there year his wife died,
his little child was taken with malarial fever,
and he came to White River Junction, where
he has been since, except during the time he
served in the Massachusetts, prison.