Connecticut western news., 1897-02-25

day morning, showing that the room had been forcibly entered during the night. Joe is positive that the lock was all right when he and his mother went to bed, for he saw his mother lock the door. This would indicate that Mead had somehow gained an entrance to the house and then ascending the stairs had probably forced an entrance into the room but had aroused Mrs Chapin who arose and grssping her re- volver drove Mead down the stairs into the dining room where a struggle for the possession of the revolver took place. The fact that Mrs Chapin's body was found to be clothed with only gauge vest and outing flannel night dress or wrapper, neither shoes nor stockings on the feet, while Mead's body was fully dressed and his hat and overcoat lay on chair in the dining room also indicates that Mrs Chspin had arisen | in haste and driven the intruder down | the stairs and that he rushed into the dining room to get his hat and overcoat but turned upon her there and wrenched the revolver away from her. The palm of Mrs Chapin's right hand was black ened with powder while the thumb and | first finger of Mead's left hand was pow der blackened. This might possibly in dicate that the revolver was first fired while both were grasping it and that this shot entered Mrs Chapiu's left cheek which was found to be blackened with powder. Just above the right temple Mrs Chapin received another bullet wound. Medical Examiner Skiff probed both of these wounds but could not find the bullets. From the position of Mead's body and the location of his wounds it was evident that Mead had shot himself near the right temple, the bullet passing through his head, lesv. ing gaping wound on the left side, and lodging in the casing over the door against which Mrs Chapin's body rested. There being two bullet wounds in Mrs Chapin's head and face. and only wounds made by one bullet in Mead's head. shows that Mrs Chspin could not have done the shooting. for either of Mrs Chapin's wounds were fatal.
 On Friday afternoon MT Chapin tele- phoned from the hatchery in Sheffield to friend in Falls Village to meet him at Falls Village station Saturday morning CD the arrival of the 36 o'clock train, and to bring along certain dog. an Irish setter, which he tMr Cbspin) wish ed to take along on said train to New Chapin stepped from the train on it's arrival at Falls Village. He was cheer ful and happy, bid cheery good morn- ing to friends on the platform, and then asked where the dog was. 1t was evil dent he was utterly ignorant of the ter rible tragedy that had taken place dur ing the night. A friend attempted to tell him the sad news, but his emotions overcsme him. Then another friend stepped forward and as gently as possi- ble informed Mir Chspia of what had transpired. Mir Chapin was oyerwhelm- ed and had to be assisted on the way to the house, a friend supporting his arm on either side. It was pitiful to observe his suffsrings during the terri ble ordeal be underwent that day. He had worshipped his wife, and he was completely crushed at her being so sud- denly and ruthlessly taken from him and his little son.
 Charles F. Mead WAS nearly % years of age. He was the oldest son of the Rev H. B. Mead, a Congregational minister who formerly preached at Falls Village but who g few years ago left there and took pastorate at Scotland, Conn. Charles was we'll educated but disliked to work. He was genial and agreeable person but sometimes drank too much. He had lost several good positions for some reason or other, and lately had seemed Respondent at times. Since last summer he had spent more or less time at Falls Village where bis mother, who is the daughter of the late Cornelius Brown, resides at her old homestead to which she returned about two years ago in order to educate her younger children at the schools in Falls Village. Charles had recently tried to borrow money of Dr Skiff for the pur- pose of getting his life insured in cer- tain New York company whom he said would pay death claim even if the in- sured committed suicide. He had known Mrs Chspin from his childhood and she had befriended him and felt sorry for him at times when others had turned against him. Mead had lately caused some gossip by spending more or less time at the post office, but Mrs Chapin had tolerated him out of pity more than anything else. Although there was more or less gossip, no one dared assert or could prove that any un- due intimacy existed between Mead and Mrs Cbapin. If any gossip ever reach ed Mir Uhapiu's ears it had no effect for he had implicit confidence in his wife and she was apparently devoted to her husband.
 Mrs Chapin was 36 years of age and was the daughter of Mir and Mrs Sidney Morris who live between Falls Village and Huntsville She was a woman of foe features and pleasant manners; a woman welcome at social gatherings and in the home circles. She has always been highly esteemed by those Lest ac- quainted with her motives and with her kind deeds. She was married to Mir