Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-12-13
SHOT BY A SPOTTER
E. 7. Goshen, Painter, Killed at
White River Junction.
S. D. Waite, Who Fired, Says He Act
ed In Self Defense-Gosher Dying,
Said He Did Not Touch Waite.

e. r. Goshen, painter, who was shot
at White River Junction Sunday night
by S. ID. Waite, the alleged "spotter"
who has been in so much trouble, died
at o'clock Monday morning. Waite is
in the county Jail at Woodstock.
The stories of the affair are somewhat
conflicting, but the bare outline of events
is as follows:
Waite drove to White River Junction
from Woodstock Sunday afternoon and
took supper at the Junction House.
After supper he started to go for team
and met Goshen on the steps. Some
words passed when Waite drew a revolver
and fired three shots. One struck Goshen
! two inches below the naval and an inch
to the right, another went through the
overcoat of w. st. John, bystander,
and the third struck the floor.
Goshen walked across the street to
| Doctor Worthen's office and fell. The
local physicians and Doctors Smith and
! Gale of Hanover, operated on Goshen at
! S45 but he sank rapidly.
Deputy Sheriff II. II. Peck was near
the scene of the shooting and arrested
| Waite. He took away from him a long
| 80 calibre revolver, three chambers of
which were empty. The deputy sheriff
prevented any further shooting by Waite
or the possibility of violence being done
to him by the crowd.
Just before the operation Goshen said
that he did not expect to live, that he had
not touched Waite, that the latter delib-
erately drew revolver and shot him.
Waite was the informer on the poker
players raided at White River Junction
recently and is under bail for exhibiting
obscene pictures. Waite came into Yer
mont to act as n detective or "spotter'
in liquor cases in Windsor county, having
been secured at Faxon's agency, Quincy,
Mass, through an application to Gov
ernor Stickney under the statute. He has
been in constant trouble since he reached
the state. and 1t is said was threatened
with violence II he came back to White
River Junction. Having this in mind
the states attorney told Waite at Wood
stock Sunday that It might not be wise
| for him to go to White River Junction
to take the train for Massachusetts,. but
that he would do well to go to South
Royalton in a carriage just then about
to start and take the train there, thus
riding through the Junction on the cars
unobserved. He refused however, anC
drove from Woodstock to White River
Junction only to come within the shadow
of the gallows.
Waite apparently takes the situation
calmly. He maintains that he was act
ing in sef-defence and would have beer
seriously injured IL he had not used the
revolver promptly. The authorities state
that they have been able to obtain it'll,
evidence that there was any crowd at tho
Junction House at the time of the shoot
ing or any harm threatened Waite.
The grand jury now has Waite's cas-
under consideration and II is understood
that there will be no preliminary hearing
Waite's real name is Samuel D. Wilson
and his home Is in Cambridge, Mass. HI
was employed spotter to get evi
dence against illegal liquor sellers IL
Boston. The Boston papers say he is {
minor He was employed by States At
NJ Windsor
came to Woodstock last June. 1t is salt
he was instrumental in causing the re
cent raids on liquor sellers. He was II
| Windsor county again late in September
and later did some work in Lebanon ant
other towns for the New Hampshire Law
working to get evidence against the mel
arrested in White River Junction 70
| poker playing.
There were several cuts and bruises oil
Waite's head when he arrived at Wood
stock Sunday night handcuffed to Deput
Sheriff Spofford. These injuries wer
shown to DR.. Logan.
Waite claims he had no intention o
shooting Goshen or any one else. II
claims he was assaulted as he was step
ping into a sleigh after leaving the June
ton House door. Waite declares that h
had plainly heard mutterings and threat
against him as he went in to supper an
he claims that he had to shoot to saw
his life. He fired low to attract the a,
tention of Deputy Sheriff Spafford, VIII
he knew was in the office.
IF had had my own revolver I shoul
not have hit Goshen" Waite says, and h
attributes the fact that he hit Goshen I
his having a strange revolver that kicked
There are many conflicting stories as t
occurrences Immediately preceding tn
shooting. Some witnesses say there wer
but three or four men about the hott
door. Waite claims there were 20 or {
= men laying for him. 81 had every rea
son to be on my guard and ought I
know. I've been in mobs before" he saiC