St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-05-02
Vermont Deputy Killed by Convicts.

Deputy Sheriff G. w Hoffman, of White
River Junction, was shot and fatally
wounded near Stockbridge early Satur-
day morning either by Frank Shaw or
Dustin Shaw, two men who escaped from
Windsor county Jail Monday night.
The Shaws were serving a term for
burglary and illegally killing deer. The
home OF the men is at Stockbridge, where
the shooting occurred. The Monday
night previous the two prisoners planned
to escape, and after the other inmates
had retired wrenched the bars from a
window which was about Is feet from
the ground. After having made a pas
sageway through the window they made
a rope from their bed clothing, and by
this means reached the ground in safety.
The men succeeded in getting good
start before the jailer and his assistants
were aware of the escape. Early on the
following morning the authorities took
the trail and endeavored to apprehend
the fugitives.
1t was learned that the Shaws passed
through the village of Barnard about
four O'Clock Tuesday morning. 1t was
also ascertained that they called at the
house of farmer named Hatch, in Bar
nard Center, and there were given some
thing to eat, The farmer asked the men
to explain why it was they were at
liberty, and in reply they said they had
obtained bail and had been released,
pending trial. They also told Mr..
Hatch that they were bound for Bellows
Falls.
When the Shaws left Barnard they
took two rifles with them and were last
seen entering the woods to the north
west of Barnard. Sheriff Stafford fol-
lowed the trail to this point, but was
unable at the time to hear any further
news of them, The sheriff spent consid-
cradle time in the search, and on We'd
nesday feeling thoroughly exhausted, re-
turned to Woodstock. Since then sew
eral deputies have been on the lookout
tor the fugitives, and finally the
sheriff himself took up the hunt.
1t was decided to keep a close watch in
the vicinity of Stockbridge. One of the
officers sent to that vicinity was Deputy
Sheriff Hoffman of White River Junction,
Thursday night Sheriff Stafford and
Deputy Sheriff Paul Pinkham of Roches-
ter joined Hoffman at Pitts6eld, four
miles from Stockbrldge. 1t was decided
to make an early start, and go across
South hill, which is between Pittsfeld
and Stockbridge.
They got away about four o'clock Fri
day morning and on going out toward
South hill they saw smoke in the woods.
Following trail in the direction whence
the smoke was seen they came upon the
two tugitives, who were engaged in cook
ing rabbit which they had shot. Each
was armed with a rifle.
The sheriff advanced and ordered the
men to surrender. The latter immediate
y opened fire with their rifles, to which
the officials replied with revolvers. Dep
uty Hoffman fell with a bullet through
the body. The desperadoes retreated,
h!ring as they went, and soon disappeared
IN the woods. The officials feared to
follow tar, not knowing how seriously
their associate had been hurt.
They returned to the spot where Hoff-
man lay and found that he was in a crit
ical condition. He was made as COM
portable as possible. One of his COM
RACES returned to Pittsfeld for aid. A
physician who responded to the sum-
mons found that the bullet had passed