Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-06-16

with mn Ave lie Attacked DRNtu DuVts, |
His Father-In-Law, and Latter Dee
Tended Himself with n shot Gun.
The second homicide in Cheshire county |
within ten days occurred Saturday after |
noon in Winchester. The scene of the |
killing is an isolated spot on a stream |
known as Broad brook on road |
about three miles FROM the village of Win |
chester and nearly the same distance from
the village of Ashuelot in the same town.
The highway continues on to the town of
Chesterfield.
About 3 p. NJ, David d. Davis, farmer
and lumberman, drove into Winchester
with steaming horse and surrendered
himself to the authorities, stating that he
had shot and probably killed Ernest Mad
dox, who lived in the same house with
him He left his victim alive, but thought
he could not survive much more than an
hour.
The man was placed in confinement and
Deputy Sheriff Rixford, II. w. Brigham,
DR.. George w. Pierce and DR.. Cast were
driven to the scene, where they found the
victim lying in pool of blood in the house,
dead
Davis told an apparently straight
| forward story of the killing from which
| it appears that quarrel arose between the
men about p. NJ. over young woman
from Swanzey who had ridden out to the
place on her bicycle and to whom Maddox
was paying much attention in the presence
of the family. Mrs Maddox is a step.
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs Davis. The lat
ter demonstrated with Maddox for his con-
duct, but without avail.
Mr. Davis finally took part and a violent
quarrel followed, during which both men
| went outside the house
Maddox finally became so enraged that
he seized an axe and attempted to assault
Davis, but the latter seized shotgun and
fired charge over the young mans head,
hoping to prevent further trouble. Mad
dox dropped the axe, which Davis con
cealed and then returned to the house, ex-
pecting no further trouble. He took the
| precaution, however, to reload his gun.
In few minutes Maddox rushed into
the house with another and sharper axe in
his hands and made a dash for Davis,
threatening to split his head open. Mrs
Davis stepped between the belligerents,
seized the axe helve and attempted to
wrench it from the Infatuated mans grasp.
He fought desperately for the weapon,
and was twisting it away from the wom-
ans hand when Mr.. Davis fired at him, the
charge taking effect in his abdomen. Mad
dox fell to the floor mortally wounded.
Davis remained for an hour or So hoping
a fatal result might be avoided, but finding
his victim was dying harnessed his horse
and drove rapidly to Winchester to give
himself up.
The victim was "a or 25 wears old, and
his reputation was not first class
Mr.. Davis is about IS years of age and
a man of excellent reputation. He is an
oldtime resident of the town of Winches-
ter, and is respected for his integrity and
industry.
Both men had been employed at lumber
ing by Ansel Dickinson's Sons, pail manu-
facturers. In the. summer their occupa-
ton was chiefly farming.
The sentiment of the community is en-
tirely in favor of Mr.. Davis, who is thought
to have perfectly tenable plea of self-de-
fence.
Coroner Clark f. Rowell of Keene held
the inquest over the body of Maddox at
the Davis homestead Monday. Drs. Taft
of Winchester and Leonard of Hinsdale
performed an autopsy. The verdict was
that Maddox came to his death between .
and o'clock, June 10, through a gunshot
wound inflicted by David d. Davis. The
verdict was approved by Coroner Clark f
Rowell. The autopsy showed that the
|
smaller intestines in two places, and
that part of it had lodged in the back
bone.
After the return of the verdict of the
coroner's jury preliminary hearing was
held before DR.. George w. Pierce, the
Winchester trial justice, County Solicitor
Charles II. Hersey of Keene appearing for
the state and Attorney Edebert j. Temple
of Hinsdale for the defendant.
The testimony was all confrmatory OF
Davis's statements of self-defence, but the
! prisoner was committed without bail to the
grand jury at the October trial term of the
supreme court in Keene. The admission tc
bail of prisoner charged with homicide
not being allowable by Justices court in
New Hampshire, an effort will probably be
made to secure bail for Davis through &
higher tribunal.
He was brought to Keene and lodged il
the county Jail.
The testimony was all in confirmation Of
Davis's good and Maddox's bad character
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