Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-08-28
JUDGE sEAvER SHOT.

ms village WAS SIeat'f staItIe''
on Sunday morning last by the
news of the attempted murder of
Thomas o. Seaver, judge of this
probate district, at his home OH Lin
den street. His assailant was Will
liam w. Lawrence, who is known
to have made threats against the
Judges lite. lie fired two bullets, one
of which entered his victims breast,
piercing his right lung and lodging
under the shoulder blade. Th:
next shot passed harmlessly through
the judges coat sleeve and was found
imbedded in the wall of the dining
room, having gone through the hall
way to the other side of the house.
The cause of the shooting was
Lawrence's dissatisfaction with the
the action of the probate court fol-
lowing his separation from his wife
two years ago, the judge appointing
a guardian for one of his children, Il
daughter, against his wishes. He
has since tried various means to get
possession of his child and was once
arrested and fined tor abducting her.
Later an injunction was issued pre-
venting Lawrencs-fron seeing OF
having anything 70 do with the child.
This injunction was dismissed by
Judge Start last week, when Mrs.
Lawrence brought suit for divorce
on the ground of intolerable severity.
Her petition was denied and she was
advised to return to her husband,
Lawrence conducting his own case.
Mrs. Lawrence has been employed
by Judge Seaver's family for some
time and the child is also there.
Lawrence received Il copy of the
courts order Saturday night and
Sunday morning ut about half past
nine he drove up to Judge Seayer's
house and going to the kitchen door
was admitted by Mrs. Seaver. His
wife saw him coming and taking her
daughter hurried out of his way.
Judge Seaver met Lawrence in
the kitchen and after a few words
ordered HIM from the house. Law
renee went out the front door and
down the steps to the sidewalk when
he turned and faced the judge, who
remained in the doorway. eff you
come step nearer" said Lawrence,
"I'll shoot YOU.
Judge Seaver's courage is unques-
toned and he started towards Law
renee, who made good his threat and
fired twice in rapid succession with
the result above stated. Judge Sea-
yer walked back into the house and
sank ON sofa. Drs. Sherwin and
Boynton were quickly summoned.
Mrs. Seaver and son Kenneth being
at home at the time, and with the
help of several men he was carried
to his chamber. The pain from the
wound was severe, but it was borne
without a murmur, the judge not
losing consciousness at any time.
An examination was made, the ball
being easily located, but it was deem
ed best not to remove it in the pa.
tents present condition. Lawrence
got into his wagon after the shoot
ing and Immediately drove to the
Jail and surrendered himself.
Throwing his revolver, a 3S.calibre,
on the table he told Sheriff Thomas
to lock him up, rs he had shot Judge
Seaver, and in another moment he
was under lock and key. He was
searched, bottle of morphine be-
ing found on him, which indicates
that he was addicted to the use of
the drug. 1t IS generally believed
that he has not been entirely respon-
sible for some time, morphine and
domestic troubles unsettling his
mind and resulting it III the attempt
on Judge Seavers lite.
Lawrence, however, wanted Sher-
if Thomas to understand that NOR
phine had nothing to do with the
crime. ''Pm not insane," he SAID,
"and all | want is fair trial"
Two neighbors of Judge Seaver,
Mrs. II. H. Woodbury. and H. B.
Powell, were the only witnesses to
the shooting, and heard Lawrence
make the remark, "I'll do it," just
as he fred
Judge Seaver has quite recently
received two letters from Lawrence
threatening his lite, but no attention
was paid to them. Lawrence also
wrote to Gov. Grout asking his in
tercesslon in his affairs and saving
in substance, "If Tom Scaver keeps
on interfering in my affairs l shall
shoot him." Gov. Grout sent the
letter to Judge Seaver and the latter
in commenting on it said: "No l
am not afraid of his shooting" and
then the Judge added, laughingly,
81 did not mind the familiar way
that he spoke of the court it he had