Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-29
WATSON FRENCH IN LIMBO,
Captured at His House at West
BrattleborO.
lie hid In the Attic and Tried to
Escape via the Hoof, but NIT said
"I'm waiting for Thee"

lie hid In the AttIc and Tried to
Escape via the toof, but NIT Said
"Im waiting for Thee"
Watson S. French is again in limbo be.
hind the walls of the county bastlle AZ
Newfane. No one can predict the dura-
ton of his confinement, for experience has
shown that prison walls are an Intellectual
barrier TO his freedom. II no Unforeseen
contingencies arise, however, the Newfape
Jail will be his lodging place until the
March term of the county court, when be
will be tried for furnishing liquor TO T. Z.
Vanderpool.
The case was called for trial at the Sep.
TENDER term but French dumped" his
bail and has since been lodging the Off.
GERS, spending most of his time in New
Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Sheriff h. L. Gordon has had a bench
warrant for his arrest for several weeks.
but he was unable to find him In this state
until yesterday afternoon, when his cap
ture was effected with no little excitement.
Mr.. Gordon learned that French was az
home the night before and that he hired
team of W. l.. Walker TO drive TO Halifax.
He surmised that French would be again
at home last night, and when he found.
about o'clock, that French had returned
he Immediately corralled his forces and
proceeded to French's house on the road to
| West Brattleboro. Lawyer George B.
| Hit, l.. d. Taylor, Beatty Balestier and
! Chas. Spring were deputized to assist in
the capture. While Gordon was searching
the house Hit took his stand near the
| brook, Taylor covered the west side Of the
house and Spring and Balestier guarded
the door. No sign of Watson was found
on the first or second floors, but Mr.. Cor.
don discovered hole through the upper
ceiling, too small to admit his body. He
called TO Taylor and the latter, by drawing
himself up until his head was through the
hole, was able, with the aid of the light Of
a match, to discern the form of Watson
back under the caves. Gordon called to
him several times to come down and finally
he said that he would do so. While his
pursuers we're waiting for him, however,
he quietly removed his shoes and after
crawling the length of the so-called attic,
which was simply space two or three feet
high between the ceiling and the roof, he
dropped through another hole in another
room, which had not been discovered by
the officers, and went through a window
on TO the roof of the L with the intention
of attempting fight.
He was about TO swing TO the limb Of a
tree and drop TO the ground when Hit
called to him, "Come on, Watson, I'm
waiting for you"
Watson made haste to retreat, but he
was met at the window by Gordon and
Taylor and the game was up. Watson was
speedily put in irons and brought to the
lookup, whence he was taken to Newfane
by Sheriff Gordon this morning.
He stated to Mr.. Gordon that he had
spent the greater part of the last two weeks
at home and that he intended to give him
self up in a day or two. He said be went
TO Halifax to get Judge Worden to renew
his bonds. When he saw the officers com.
ing he went up through the hole in the
front part of the house. The officers were
extremely jubilant that che didn't work
any cold tea racket on us"