News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-11-06
MURDERED A WOMAN.
Geo. Briggs, former MOrrisville man, in
a tit of rage, shoots woman
at LanqdOn, N. II.


George H. Briggs, a son of Mr..
and Mrs. George Briggs of Williams
town, shot and killed Mrs Chauncey
Jones, middle aged woman, at
Langdon, N. H., opposite Bellows
Falls, Saturday morning.
Briggs is well known in Barre and
Williamstown, having been born in
! the latter place, where his parents
still live. Besides his brother in
Barre, he has two sisters and two
brothers in Williamstown. But the
saddest part of the whole affair is
the fact that Briggs has three chill
dren in the former place just old
enough to suffer the most keenly for
their fathers crime. The children
consist of boy of II and two girls,
one Is and the other IL. They are
the children of Briggs and an estima-
BILE lady now resident of Barre, who
subsequently secured a divorce from
him because of his cruelty to her, and
is now the wife of Geo. A. Drew, the
contractor. For these children and
for the aged parents at Williams
town, everyone feels the greatest
sympathy.
Briggs present wife is said to have
married him while the divorce pro-
ceedings of his first wife were pend
ing. They have two children, the
oldest only three years old.
Briggs is about AZ years old, and
was man of good character, except
when he got angry, when his temper
exceeded all restraint and he would
become beside himself with rage and
liable to go to any extreme. When
a young man he started to study
law in the Office of w. A. Boyce of
Barre, but gave it up and has always
been of rowing disposition. He
lived for a short time in South
Dakota, but for the past year or two
had lived on a farm at Langdon,
N. H.
His parents, brothers and sisters
are among the most respected people
of Williamstown and will feel deeply
for his rash act.
Through information said to have
been furnished by Jones, Briggs wife
a short time ago learned of his
whereabouts and of his relation with
this women and in consequence
Briggs, it is said, was obliged to
advance $500 or $500 toward the
support of his wife and children, and
he has been bitter enemy of Jones'
ever since. 90
The town of Langdon recently
opened a road across Briggs land
and he was exceedingly wrathy over
it and is said to have vowed to
kill the first person that attempted
to use the road. Saturday morning
Mrs. Jones and her 15-year-old son
drove on to the road. Briggs came
out and ordered them back. They
were not inclined to obey when he
drew revolver and emptied the five
chambers. Mrs. Jones was hit four
times and died soon afterward. The
boy escaped, bullet just grazing
his elbow.
The assassin went to Alstead and
gave himself up to the authorities.
Mrs. Jones was we'll known in
Bellows Falls where her husband
is employed as a millwright with the
international Paper company, and
he is frst-class workman. He is a
member of the Bellows Falls band
and of a local orchestra, and bears a
good name. He boards in town,
going home when possible Saturday
nights.
He was informed by telephone that
his wife was shot and was wild with
grief. He rushed to a livery stable
and drove furiously to his home, five
or six miles from Bellows Falls and
off the line of railroad.
Briggs was taken to the county
Jail at Newport, N. H. He pied not
guilty and has engaged two Bellows
Falls LAWYERS to defend him.