The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-12
WeStpOrt Farmers in Love
With Same Woman.
One Named Tripp Is Dead
and Manchester Is in Jail.
Men Had Drunk Together and Ap-
peared TO Be Very Friendly.

Niohso iflpp n TURNER OF WeStpOft, was
found dead on the New Bedford road at
late hour Saturday night. and Jerry
Manchester, another Westport farmer,
Is under arrest In this city charged with
his murder. Tripp lived on Fishers
road, Westport and for some time past
until week ago had as his housekeeper
Sarah Reagan. who was also known as
Sarah Smith, About week ago, Man
chester who was infatuated with the
woman, married her and took her from
Trips house TO his own on Sanfor6's
read
The marriage and the removal OF the
woman caused much jealousy and bad
feeling between the two men. but what
passed between them was known
only TO themselves and Mrs. Manches-
ter. Saturday night Manchester and
his wife drove into Fall River. and Tripp
also came into the city with his own
team. The two men were drinking to-
gether in Sexton's saloon In Flint viii
lage. but t"ey are not known TO have
quarreled. and nothing Is known of their
movements after leaving the saloon. ex-
cept by the statements made by Man
chester after his arrest. About IL 30
p. m. the last car on the New Bedford
end Fall River electric line. when one
mile out OF the city on its last trip, came
across Trips body lying in the middle
OF the road. Mrs. Manchester was sit
ting in the road holding the injured mans
head In her lap. while her husband was
standing over them. Tripp's head was
covered with blood. and he was fearfully
bruised. He was then dying. and ex-
pired before a physician could be sum-
moned.
The passengers on the car and such
other citizens as had collected. while
not laying hands upon Manchester,
managed TO detain him until Fall River
officers could be notified, when he was
taken into custody and brought to this
city, where he was locked ur. He pro-
tested his innocence. and told his story
Of the affair. as follows:
He said that he started first from Fall
River for his home In Westport with his
wife in their wagon. They stopped at a
watering trough on Eastern avenue.
just on the outskirts Of the city. TO water
their horse. and while stopping there
Trip drove by alone in his wagon, also
on his way home After their horse had
finished drinking they followed on after
When they reached the point In the road
where Trips body was found later their
horse shied, but he thought little about
II and kept on to- the Sanford road,
where they overlook Trips team. but
the driver OF the latter was not in sight.
Manchester says he then associated the
shying Of his horse with the fact that
Tripp was missing. and that the latter
had been drinking. and fearing that
some accident had befallen the latter he
got into Trips wagon, turned the
horse around. and telling his wife to
follow In his own wagon drove back TO
the f1ace where he found Trip lying
In the middle Of the road bruised and
bleeding.
An autopsy held yesterday afternoon
by Medical Examiner Dolan and other
physicians revealed that fact that death
was caused by fractures OF the skull.
There were several fractures and many
cuts and bruises. indicating that some
blunt instrument had been used upon
him. II is believed by the police that
the men met and quarrelled about the
woman and that Trlpp was kicked to
Death
The woman made but few statements.
among them one TO the effect that both
these men were crazy about me, but
had no hand in this" She was covered
with blood. there were blood stains on
the prisoners clothes and traces Of blood
were found in both wagons.
1t is reported on what is considered
excellent authority that Manchester has
confessed that he had a quarrel with
Tripp Saturday night while the men
were on their way home and struck him
with beer bottle, causing his death.
According 10 the alleged confession,
Manchester says that through jealousy,
because his wife used TO live with Tripp,
he planned TO do the latter injury. and
to that end drank with Trip in Fall
River and started for home at the same
time as the latter
At the point of the road where the body
was found he got out OF his wagon and
went forward To drink beer in Trips
wagon. When they had emptied n few
bottles they INDUCED in some angry con-
versation, and Manchester struck Trip
"a savage blow between the eyes with
bottle, knocking him from the wagon.
Then going around the back of the
wagon Manchester fell on his victims
prcstrate form and hammered Il with
his heels. AT this his wife sprang from
his wagon anu tried TO interfere. and
when she found that Tripp did not rise
from the ground she raised his head and
attempted 20 revive him. Meantime
Manchester went after the two horses,
wfrch had strayed off. and returned
with them. This accounts for the fact
that the heads OF both horses. when
found. were turned toward Fall River.
This story. too, IL true, accounts for por-
tions Of n broken bottle and blood stains
being found on Trips wagon, and for
the blood upon Manchesters wagon as
well. Manchester. after the AFFAIR de-
sired 20 lea-'e the body in the road but
his wife grew hystSrical and would not
desert IL. While the two were bicker-
Ing the electric car came along and they
were discovered.
KID BALDWIN DEAD.
Cincinnati July H.-Word has just
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