Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-06-03
A SHOCKING TRAGEDY
A Jealous Montpelier Young Lady
Shoots Her Rival and Then Herself.

A Jealous Montpelier Young Lazy
Shoots Her Rival and Then Herself.
Jealousy was the cause of a double
tragedy at Montpelier last Saturday
morning, the victims of which are
two bright young ladies, Anna Wheel
er. aged eighteen, and Mildred Brews-
ter. who is about twenty years OF age.
The object of their affections was Jack
Wheeler, a granite cutter and promi-
nent member of Co. II. Some time
ago Wheeler boarded in the same
house with Mildred Brewster and she
fell in love with him. Her affection
was not reciprocated and for the past
two years Wheeler has been keeping
company with Anna Wheeler. The
Brewster girl has watched this attach
ment with growing dissatisfaction and
finally at about O'Clock Saturday
morning she called on Miss Wheeler,
who lives with Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence
Bugbee on East Liberty street and
asked if she was going to Barre that
day with Jack Wheeler. To this Miss
Wheeler responded in the affirmative
and Miss Brewster then said, eve
can't both OF us be engaged to Jack
Wheeler; we must meet him face TO
face" Miss Wheeler assented 70 this
and at about s O'Clock they started for
the house of Jack Wheeler, which is
on Sibley street back of the seminary.
Students at the seminary saw them
pass the boarding house together un-
der the same umbrella and a short
time a!terward heard pistol sh0's.
The tragedy occurred in a little ra-
vine about twenty rods from ID. ;.
Blanpied's residence and in plain
sight. Scion Cummings, boy about
twelve years old.saw the girls walking
together along the path which runs
through the ravine and says they were
talking earnestly together, when sud
denly the Brewster girl presented a
pistol to Miss Wheeler's head and fired.
4 moment later she placed il against
her own head, both ladies falling to-
gether
Professor Blanpied. upon hearing
the shots and seeing the girls fall, inn
mediately telephoned TO the police
headquarters and G. Il. Demeritt, who
answered the call, hurried TO the scene.
When he arrived he found DIR. G. +.
Chandler, who had been making calls
in the vicinity, already there. Moth
ing could be done for the girls, how
ever. owing to lack of conveniences,
and they were Immediately removed
to the lleaton hospital and an exami-
nation made.
II was found that the Wheeler girl
had been shot just behind the ear and
a large quantity of brain matter had
been lest. There were no hopes what.
ever Of saving her life and she died |
early in the afternoon. The Brewster |
girl had shot herself in the right ear
and il was thought barely possible that |
she might recover. Miss Brewster's |
home was in Huntington and she has |
been boarding with Mrs. John O'Neill |
on Barre street Anna Wheeler's
nome is in East Montpelier, her ia
tier being Luther Wheeler.
Miss Wheeler was highly respected
Young lady. No blame can be at
tached to Wheeler as he had never
paid any attention TO Miss Brewster,
according to the reports of neighbors
and the family where she had boarded.
In the very early morning NJ ss Brews-
ter was seen firing at a target with a
revolver A letter found bowed that
the act had been premeditated.
Miss Brewster regained conscious
ness Saturday evening and may re-
cover although she has bullet in her
brain. The doctors could not find il
and she told them she wished TO die.
Miss Brewster was educated in the
High school and taught
school several terms before going to
where she worked in a
tailor shop. Many believe that sac
had intended to Kill Jack Wheeler and
he had been on the lookout for her for
a few days previous to the tragedy.
He and his brother were among the
first on the scene after the shooting
but he was overcome by the sickening
sight and was compelled to leave.
No-To- Bac for Fifty Cents.
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