Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-03
THE PUTNEY COLUMN,
John Patten Caught.

he N""'cSSoN.Au NODnthg E. NJ. Wilson
aud Is In Jail at! Newrame---Som. a,
the stolen Goods Observation-Disclosures.
story Of the Crlme.l
When Sheriff A. w. j. Wilkina 20.
lurnrd last week from his quest of .John
PAtten and his chum, Clark, who were
suspected OF having robbed K. NJ. Wilson
of an overcoat, undercUat, waistcoat
underwear, gloves and 81 in money he
was in possession of information which no
believed would lead to the capiufe of ons
or both of the boys. Five DAYS late, no
had taken Patten to Jail at NeNfane IN
await the action of the March term of
court.
Upon arriving in Somerville Mr.. vii.
kins went to the home of Patterns mother
Mrs. Clark, and inquired if Patten h.d
been home within few days. Mrs. Clark
stated that he had been there, but thai ha
had gone again and that at his rpoupst sha
had given him box of luncheon to carry
away. Mr.. wilkins surmised that he had
returned to his old haunts at SprinOf,lJ
this state, and he came home and t.ls'
phoned Sheriff Lowell of Springfield a de-
scription of Patlen and Clark. On Satur-
day Sheriff Lowell telephoned that he had
arrested both boys and on Saturday night
Mr.. Wilkins went to Springfield after
them.
1t turned out, however, that the Clark
whom Sheriff Lowell arrested, was not the
Clark wanted, but that he was the son of
The woman with whom Patten boarded
and he was released. PaLten professed to
be Ignorant of any robbery at Mr. viii
sons, but when Mr.. Wilkins began meas
uring the length of the sleeves Of the coat
which Patten wore, one sleeve having been
made two or three inches shorter than the
other to suit Mr.. Wilson's convenience.
Patten realized that he was caught and he
made full confession to Mr.. Wilkins. He
was wearing one of the sets of underwear
which were stolen from Mr.. Wilson. This
and the coat have been returned to their
owner.
Patten was brought to Putney Sunday
and on Monday he was given hearing be-
fore Justice G. w. Kimball. He pleaded
guilty to a charge of burglary and was held
in $500 bonds for the county court. States
Attorney Robb of Bellows Falls conducted
the prosecution. Sheriff Wilkins took
Patten to Newfane Monday night.
Patten told Mr.. Wilkins that he was not
related to the Clark who came here with
him. According to his story he met Clark
on Bulhnch street in Boston and together
they came as far as Brattleboro on Thurs
day, the day before the robbery, and stayed
over night with the Robbins family, who
recently moved from here to Brattleboro.
The next day they went to Gardner Kath-
an s and from there to Mr.. Wilson's.
Patten said that Clark went into the house
and that he watched from the barn; but in
view of the fact that Patten called upon
Mr.. Wilson in the forenoon and surveyed
the premises, it is doubtful if his story is
true. Patten said that when Mr. Wilson
went TO bed at $50 o'clock Clark was still
in the house. 1t is evident that some one
besides MIR. Wilson was in the house dur
ing the night for Mr.. Wilson says that
when he went to bed the kitchen and sit
ting room doors were closed and in the
morning they were open.
After committilg the theft the boys
went to the depot where they put on the
underwear in freight car and boarded
the o'clock freight for BIattleboro. They
stayed at Robbins's over night and
left for Boston on the 9:07 train Saturday
morning. Patten left Clark, who had the
OVercoat, in Boston. Patten returned to
Bellows Falls via Keene.
Mrs. William johnson, the dressmaker,
M. G. Williams went to Mechanicsville
Monday night to attend the funera. of his
step-mother.
The children of the Congregational So
eiety have begun rehearsing for a Christ
mas concert which they propose to make
of high order. More will be said about
this later
A NJ. Corser took advantage of the re-
duced railroad rates to Boston this week
and left Tuesday to spend the greater part
of the week in the Hub buying goods for
his Christmas trade.
Blacksmith Warren Willard recently
shod so horses in five days besides doing
his regular job work, and without assist
ance. We think this pretty good record
for one of Mr.. Wizards years.
Charles Warwick is convalescent after a
severe attack of measles. A son of Riley
Amidon is ill with measles. II. G. Eve
leth is i'll with the grip. Ariel Crosby has
been numbered with the sick this week.
The foot of ladder which held George
Stowell up to second story window Tues
day forenoon slid outward on an icy sub
stance and Mr.. Stowell fell to the ground,
striking upon the ladder with force suffl-
sent to break it. Mr.. Stowell was hurt,
but not seriously, as was at hrst supposed
The union Thanksgiving services at the
Methodist church last Thursday evening
were attended by large audience and
were of great interest. All the local pas
tors participated, Rev. Z. F. Mitchell de-
livering the address. Music was furnish
ed by a union choir.
At the meeting of the Epworth league
last Sunday evening Mrs. G. b. Willard
and Miss Ethel Webb were elected dele
gates to the preachers conference and ZIP,
worth league convention for che district OF
Montpelier to be held in Windsor neX'
Monday and Tuesday.
The Masonic annual meeting this year
will occur next Wednesday evening, pre-
coded by the usual communication in the
afternoon. The exercises will be I'M intro 70
duced by the annual banquet, and tne the as a.,
sembage will be honored by the presencH'
of DR.. Winfield Scott Nay OF Underhill
deputy grand master of Vermont VINO
will make the address.