Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-08-20
TRAGEDY.
A YOUNG GIRL FOUND DEAD NEAR
HER FATHERS DOOR.

Dora Cushman of Lincoln the Victim of
Misplaced Northumberland by Her
Lover Smith Davis-The Accused in
Custody in Nergennes Jail.
Dora E. Cushman, the 10 year old daugh-
ter of DR.. A. j. Cushman of Lincoln, was
found dead on Sunday morning in
clump of bushes on the bank of a brook
hundred rods from her fathers house.
Smith Davis is now in the Vergennes
Jail under suspicion of causing the girls
death.
Dora Cushman was last seen alive by
her friends at about 3 o'clock Saturday
afternoon, when she left her home. Not
returning at a reasonable hour, her father
organized a searching party, which hunt
ed all night for the girl, and her body
was found Sunday morning as stated.
The body bore no evidence of violence,
and suspicion Of poisoning was at once
created. An autopsy followed. which
established the fact that death was
caused by an attempted criminal OPP
Grafton.
Smith Davis, a young man employed
by the Lincoln Lumber company, was
known to have paid marked attention to
the girlAwas her acknowledged lover.
He disappeared Saturday afternoon, and
thereby drew suspicion on himself as
knowing something about the matter.
Officers at once set to work to find him.
1t was discovered that he had started to
walk to Bristol, and young man was
found who said he met Davis and the
latter offered him s. to drive him to New
Haven Junction. There he purchased
ticket to Rutland. lie was said to have
been drunk at the time. The Rutland
officers were placed on his trail They
found that he had shaved of his
mOustache and purchased cap to replace
the hat he wore; also that he bought
ticket for Mar chester. y. H.
The local authorities had in the mean
time placed under arrest as an accessory
VIM. Brittel. He had professed
knowledged of the matter which created
suspicion that he knew more than he told.
He was employed at the Cushmau's.
According TO his statements Davis had
asked him TO tell the girl to meet him
Davis )iSaturday afternoon in the pasture
back OF the Cushman property. He de-
livered the message and the girl replied
that she would be there. This answer he
took to Davis at the hotel at about
o'clock.
Davis has an uncle living at Bedford.
y. H , near Manchester. He was traced
to that place and thence to Montgomery,
near where his parents live. He was
arrested at the latter place on Tuesday
night by Deputy Martin of Montgomery.
He was brought to Nergennes " ednes-
day and lodged in the Jail.
The preliminary hearing Will not take
place until the examination of the parts
OF the victims body has been completed
which will take several days. States
Attorney Fish of Nergennes and Attorney
/ W. II. Bliss Of Middlebury have charge
of the prosecution. while Attorney Me
Gettrick of st. Albans will defend the
prisoner. The charge will be murder in
the first degree. The prisoner may be
brought to Middlebury and placed in the
county Jail.
In his statement Of the matter made to
the attorneys and reporters. Davis impli-
Gates Drs. Smith and JOcelyn. both of
Lincoln. Each. he says. he consulted in
the matter. DR.. Smith, he alleges. gave
him medicines for the girl and DR..
Jocelyn the surgical instrument the use
of which caused death.
The dead girls funeral took place on
Tuesday and was largely attended. She
is said always to have borne a good name
previous to her death, and letters iudi-
cate that she was strongly attached to
Davis, though she had doubts of his cop
stanCy TO her.
THE DANGEROUS SUMNER GIRL