Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-12-08

tective Rhodes and Chief of Police Halett
Shsr ShaE9 cdse ias" ana Wa"ts'tT state 0hGer r"WhHnewrs
expected here today Ia assist them.
Medical Examiner Jnck Of Melrose
says that the man was murdered Nv
some person unknown, and states posi-
lively that the suicide theory, which
had gained ground, could have no
weight. SO does DR.. Sopher, the ply.
sician who attended Crowcll before he
died. He says that no man attempting
to commitc suicide ever yet shot too low
for the heart. Had the bullet entered
Crowells body n quarter OF an inch be-
low where 1t did, he would have lived.
AT the autopsy 1t was found that death
was caused by a bullet piercing the
heart. The fatal bullet was evidently
fired from the 22-calibrc revolver found
in the stable near the dying man.
On the shirt bosom, about the bullet
hole. there were signs of smoke ond fire,
shovi ing that the tnuzzle Of the revolver
was near the breast Of the victim.
second bullet had piecred the shirt at the
bottom of the bosom, and had passed
through the undershirt. but had not
injured the skin. This bullet was found
in the trousers of the dead man. Judg.
ing from its lack of force and the absence
of smoke and fire, II was probably hred
from Il distance. AS no holes were
found in the coat or vest of Mr.. CroWell
near either of these wounds, 1t seems
probable that both coat and vest were
unbuttoned and thrown back. The fact
that the vest was torn and nearly
stripped from his body is taken as evil
dence of d desperate struggle.
third bullet was found lodged In
the wall at the north corner of the stable.
This was probCbly one Of the first fired,
aud was probably directed at the as
sailant by Mr.. Crowcll. The cylinder
of the revolver had eight chambers, and
from five of these the bullets were miss"
ing, Two of these have not yet been
located. One of the cartridges remain
ing In the cylinder showed mark where
the hammer had struck it, showing that
an attempt had been made to fire IT,
1t Is the theory that Mr.. Crowell en-
tered the barn. and, seeing his assailant'
fired one or two shots at him. Then the
intruder closed with the old man and
grasped the barrel of the revolver, and
anyone grasping the barrel would hold
this catch so that the revolver would not
explode. This Is probably the explnna-
ton Of the uncxplodcd but marked cart
ridge The assailant then probably
".ro"e,,-a f.o Oliver fr"", AR, Frowel|
and turned II upon its owner. perhaps
retreating for the first shot, but coming
| close for the second
Tf the motive of the crime "as robbery.
br H., ,,i FIJI for
| the pocketbook. which was supposed to
| he missing was found in the clothes Of
| the victim at the autopsy. 1t con
| tanned about 81. MONDAY night no eX
| animation of the clothes was made, aud
| thus the story OF robbery originated.
In regard to her fathers death Mrs
George Wclch If Maiden said "Fa-
ther recently sold out his business to a
Mr. Roberts. He had no great amount
Of money with him last night, and vas In
his usual good spirits. He always car
| ricd a revolver, because several times
when returning home late at night he
has been held up. but he never lost any
money. We think that som zone fol-
lowed him from Boston and escaped
across the fields at the rear of the stable
After the shots were fired Mrs. Crowel
heard him call Mother nnother and
then she ran out. My sister. Mrs. t'ld-
ridge, and her husband We're ut home and
in bed, but they quickly followed my
mother. So much talk has been made
about the money he expected to g.t from
England that We think it may have led
| to the murder
About three weeks ago Mr.. 'row"ll re-
ceived word that he had fallen heir to
$500, ,OOO owing to the death of his great
grandfather, John CroWeil. in England.
John Crowell died 50 years ago, after
nccumula ting $50, 1000 in the manufac-
ture Of broadcoth. Since his death the
settlement of the estate has been in It'll
CATION John W. Croweil. the murdered
man, was born on Cape cod g. years
ago. He was always of genial and
happy disposition. and was well liked
by his townspeople. lie had for 20
wears conducted a tea and coffee route
in Wakefield and vicinity. He was a
veteran of the Civil war. and said that
when he got his mcney he was going to
buy a place in North Carolina, where he
had fought in c battle, to make his home.
He has of late been much bothered with
people trying to borrow money.