The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-02-25
LitchfieId County News.
WASHINGTON.
WAS IT MURDER OR ACCIDENT2

This community, as is we'll known, has
been not little agitated over this ques-
ton in relation to the death Of Mr. Pond
We should all be glad to feel assured
that it was accident. There have been
many Munchsusen stories afloat in rela-
ton to 1t, but when sifted down to facts,
we find that early in the morning, Mrs
PoEd and her son found him lying in a
shallow ditch by the roadside uncon-
scious. His head and upper portion OF
his body reclined on little elevation or
embankment, and his right hand under
his head as IL he had lain down in that
way in pain before he became uncon-
scious. His left arm was paralyzed. A
close-ltting skull cap was on his head
and bloody gloves folded together In his
side overcoat pocket. His head was
crushed in and the whip and robe lay in
the road near by, and a pool of blood
near or under him from Commissions about
the head. To make accident possible or
pro cable he would most likely have to
be driving rapidly, run over boulder or
elevation, be pitched cut head first and
strike the frozen ground in the ditch in
such way as not to injure other parts
of his body. Then retain or regain
enough consciousness to put his gloved
hands up to his bleeding head, and so
get blood on his gloves and then remove
them and put them in his pocket, as one
naturally would, to feel for the extent Of
his injury with his bare hands.
That he was driving rapidly would
seem to be indicated by his carrying his
whip in his hand, and Mr. Hartwell says
he heard him going past his house about
midnight at a rapid pace. haVing q
good trOtter, it may be taken for granted
that at that late hour, nearing home,
Will q kOO0 SbICbSA "a AOdO pCAOAO hAAh
that he would be driving fast, and it may
also be inferred, Gas all agree, he had
been drinking cider freely all the even
ing. That he was sufficiently unsteady
or drowsy to pull one rein sufficiently to
cause the horse to swerve to one side of
the road and run over an obstruction,
that would toss him out head first in his
unsteady state, and with the impetus
thus acquired strike the frozen ground
Gan immovable object, hard as a stone)
with sufficient force to crush his skull
Then IL he could retain or regain suf1ci
emit consciousness to put his gloved
hands to his bleeding head, and remove
them and put them in his pocket, it ii
about all we have to account for on the
theory of accident.
That such may seem probable ia illus
trated in the case of a rich or welI-todt
man who was arrested in New York, g.
reported in last Fridays papers, on tn
streets for intoxication and taken to tn
station, but could give no connected &C
count of himself. He then became de
ferrous and fought his keepers till
finally took four men to hold him, ant
then became unconscious and remaine
so up to last accounts. When examine
by a surg on it was found that he had
depressed fracture Of the skull, severa
broken fragments of the bone pressin
: in on the mans brain; so nearly like M
Ponds case that in the light of the abov
facts, 1t does not seem improbable 70
Mr. Pond to have put his hands to ri
head and remove his gloves before b
became unconscious.
And as have not been able to lear
chat there ia particle of evidence tbs
any one was with him that night exceE
Mr. Nagner's family, with whom he ws
on the best OF terms, and being q stot
athletic man it Is not conceivable tha
Mr. Wagner or any Of his family woul
have been likely TO have given him sue
q blow and then carried him to the plac
where he was found nearly three mile
away without getting drip Of blood Q
L H. "
/ If he had been thrown out as indicates
| mo blood would appear on the bugg.
and that ID a strong point in this cas-
1t must be remembered that he was n,
killed in the first place, only stunned |
they would have reason to suppose, an
they would have been good deal mo-
likely to have tried to bring him to tbs