Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-08-09
FOUGHT IN HIS SLEEP
Sidney G. Bristo's Strange Moe
turnaI Performances.

Statement from a Roommate at Yale
Which Has an Important Bearing
Upon the Shooting Affair in Brattle-
boro.
The article below which has such an
important bearing upon the shooting
affair in Brattleboro July 10 is from
the Hartford, Conn, Sunday Globe.
In fairness to Mr. Crawford it should
be stated that on receiving news of
the shooting he wrote to G. G. Fits,
Mr.. Cressy's counsel, offering to come
to Brattleboro to ten what he knew
about Bristols strange somnambulis-
tic feats If such evidence was consid-
cred necessary, but the letter was not
received until after the inquest was
finished.
A. Storrs Campbell, an attorney in
| Offices in the Sage-Allen building,
lends additional facts to the Cressy-
| Bristol shooting affair at Brattleboro,
recently, in an interview with Globe
| reporter yesterday. Attorney Camp
bell was a graduate of Yale in the
class of '9S, but remained at the uni
versity two years longer to take a
course in the law school. Young Bris-
toll, who was accidently shot by Cressy
! in the early morning while the former
was walking in his sleep, the Hart
| ford man suspecting that he was being
attacked by burglar, was a graduate
| of the class of 1900, and through this
fact Mr.. Campbell learned of his pro
pensities to somnambulism.
Chauucey Crawford of Baltimore
| Md, was a roommate of Bristol's dur
| ing the last two years of the course,
and frequently related strange oc-
curences that took place during the
night in the room occupied by the
young men. Mr.. Campbell occupied
the next seat at the dining table to
Crawford, and the latter made the
Hartford attorney familiar with the
actions of young Bristol, who was a
bad victim of somnambulism.
His malady did not consist of mere
| ly walking in his Sleep" said Mr.
Campbell yesterday, but he was fol
the most part vicious and inclined tC
fight and do his companion bodily
harm while under the influence of the
inexplicable disease, if such it can be
called. Bristol was liable to do any
thing when the attacks of somnam
bulism came on, and at first Crawford
was in terror of his companion, but
gradually became accustomed to the
strange nocturnal happenings. He
perhaps knew more than any Other
man about the hold somnambulism haC
on Bristol and. il is strange that Craw
ford was not heard from in the recent
investigation of the case at Brattle
boro. 1t was well-known fact at the
college at that time that Bristol was
subject to those night attacks and tina
his antics were of such a nature t.
prove dangerous to any one who nigh
be near him at the time. Crawford,
am sure, could throw much light OF
the situation, at least as regards Bris
tolls somnambulistic traits, and thu
affair at Brattleboro would not seen
as much of a mystery, especially t
those who are inclined to doubt tina
the shooting was not entirely an acct
dent. If the tragedy reflects at al
upon young Cressy the facts should b,
certainly given wide publicity"
Mr.. Campbell did not doubt for a mo
ment that Cressy shot in supposed sci
defense. and as it was the first nigh
the young men had roomed togethe
the Hartford man was not expecting
that Bristol would make an attack UP
on him. The citizens of Brattlebort
are, it is understood, thoroughly sat
isfied with the finding of the state
attorney. who made thorough inves
tigation and declared that there wa
not a shadow of criminality on tn
part of the man who fired the fata
shot. A sensational paper of the tow
however sought to stir up discord, bu
, its actions were promptly frowne,
down by the fair-minded people of tn
place.