The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-22
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACE


J. o.. A. BELKNAP, a farmer residing
near the head Of Berlin pond, died
suddenly last Wednesday Of heart dis
ease. He had attended the fair at North
field that day in his usual health, and
went for the cows to q pasture some dis
lance from the house just before dark. His
prolonged absence created alarm, and q
search with lanterns disclosed his dead
body near the pasture bars. 1t was thought
possible that stray bullet from some hunt
er's rifle might have killed him. but care
ful examination OF the body by Constable
III. B. Wedge disclosed no marks OF VIC
lence and an autopsy was considered un-
necessary. Deceased lived alone and was
sixty-three years old. He leaves one SON
Charles B. Belknap Of Berlin. His funeral
was held on Friday.
THE original charter with the city gov
eminent Of Montpelier provided for the
building Of two lines through the streets by
which the people Of that community would
have received some benefit, but the board
OF aldermen there was easily persuaded to
release the railroad company from Its obli-
cations to build branch lines and in conse-
quence mo means Of transit worth mention
ing" will be afforded the inhabitants OF the
Capital City. The railroad company tried the
same scheme in this city but soon found
that 1t could not bamboozle the city council
and went to work to construct all the lines
required by the charter. The coming Of
strated that the innovation will prove to be
an unmixed blessing, yet so far as accom-
modations are concerned we are certainly q
long ways ahead OF our sister city.-Granite
City Leader.
TWENTY-FIVE years ago last Wednesday
Mr.. and Mrs. Albert H. Cutler were mar
ried in East Montpelier, and one hundred
and fifty or more OF their friends gathered
last Wednesday evening at their home near
the Cutler burying ground to assist them in
celebrating their silver wedding anniver-
sary. The party took an orchestra, and In
the hall attached to Mr.. Cutters residence,
dancing was enjoyed. A subscription pa
per circulated by Charles B. Gsllison and
Alfred Bailey, easily raised about S75, with
which parlor set, easy chairs, ETC., were
purchased, which were presented to Mr..
Charles Il. stackpole. fhe party was in
the nature Of q surprise to the bride and
groom OF quarter Of Q century ago, and
| pleasant recollections OF it will )inger for
many years to come.
The announcement that Will Carleton
would lecture at the Baptist church on
| cultured people that packed the edifce to
| its full capacity. The lecturer was pleas
antly introduced by Rev. W. A. Dawson,
the Baptist pastor, and announced as his
subject 1.-THE Drama OF Human Nature"
In choice diction, in which the ludicrous
wove into his lecture many Of his best
known poems, both old and new, presented
| In a manner that only he who has felt and
studied them before they were written, is
| able to do. When the lecturer announced
that it was almost ten o'clock and that he
must close, his hearers could hardly realize
| that they had been under his potent spell
| for almost two hours. Will Carleton is one
| OF few on the platform to-day who can in
terest and charm with the rendering Of his
own literary productions.
THE sale of seats for the Star course un.
der the auspices Of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association on Monday morning was
practically sold to holders Of reserved seats
| The list of entertainments is as follows
October 26, Boston Star Orchestral Club
Sextette and Mrs. Barton; November 8,
Welsh Prize Singers; December IA, Leland
T. Powers; December 81, Robarts Harper
January 81, Kellogg Bird Carnival and Con
cert Company; January %, DR.. James He'd.
ley; February 10, W. M. R. French; March
2, Mary French Field; March "a, Temple
| Quartette Concert; April 10, katherine
| Ridgeway Concert Company. No little dis
satisfaction was expressed because, without
announcing to the public that it would be
done, numbered tickets for places in the line
were given out long before the hour adver.
tised for the sale. The INSIDE" ones who
were aware Of this went to the association
|
their checks, with result that the choicest
seats in the house went to chosen few
| Those who had no knowledge OF this scheme
and went there between nine and ten
| o'clock expecting to wait in line, found
themselves long way down the numbered
numbers would be given out have been
made, no fault could have been found, and
all would have had an equal chance.
MONTPELIER had a sensational abduction
case on its hands last Thursday morning,
the main facts Of which are that Mrs. Eide
liza @. Skinner, an aged and wealthy lady OF
Hartland, has been receiving treatment for
Skinner has several heirs in Windsor
county who have, since she has been at
| Montpelier, and without her knowledge or
consent, had w. S. Sturtevant of Hartland,
one Of the heirs, appointed her guardian.
These Windsor county relatives did not
want to longer pay Mrs. SINNERS bills at
the hospital, and sent Mr.. Sturtevant to
Montpelier with instructions to bring his
ward to Hartland. Sturtevant went to the
hospital in close carriage, took Mrs. Skin
nurses and ostensibly started for the rail
road station. Mrs. Sarah Baker OF Mont.
| pelier is sister OF Mrs. Skinner, and Mr..
Sturtevant promised the latter that she
should call on her sister on the way to the
train. Instead he instructed the driver to
|
| intended to take the train for Hartland.
Edward Baker, another relative, heard Of
the transaction, employed counsel, writ of
ha6eds corpus was signed by Judge Tyler,
and Sheriff Collins was put on the track Of
the abductor. The officer overlook the
party at Montpelier Junction, and Mrs.
Skinner was taken back to the hospital. A
partial hearing of the case took place before
| Judge Tyler Friday afternoon Mrs. Skin
ner was unable to be present, but she was
represented by j. H. Senter and Lord &
Carleton. William Batchelder and G. w.
Wing appeared for Sturtevant Mr.. Batch
elder argued that Washington county court
had no Jurisdiction III the matter, but the
court wanted more time to consider the
matter and adjourned the hearing to Mon
| day evening. The question as to whether
| Washington County Court had jurisdiction
in the case was argued Monday evening be-
| fore Judge Tyler by G. W. Wing and w. A
| Lord. The court announced Tuesday morn
| ing that under the circumstances it had not
| II it could be shown that there was no
longer need OF a guardian for Mrs. skinner,
or that the present guardian is cruel or in
competent, an application for his removal
| should be made. County court does not sit
as a.higher probate court, and the judgment
was that the relator was not unlawfully re-
strained. She was remanded to the former
custody of her guardian and the case was
dismissed.