Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-12-14
WAITES READY REVOLVER.
L. 7. COSTA SHOT AND KILLED IN
AN ASSAULT AT WHITE RIVER
JUNCTION.

!
States Attorney Tarbcll, shot T.
I. Gosha, n painter, at White River
Junction SUNDAY evening. The bull
let took effect in the abdomen anc
Gosha died about o'clock Monda,
morning,
The tragedy occurred on the Juno
ton House piazza about $50 o'clock
Waite fired three shots. one strik
ing COSTA. another passing through
w. St. Johns overcoat sleeve anC
the third lodging in the floor.
Deputy Sheriff Peek. who wa,
near. disarmed Waite and took him
to Deputy Sheriff Spafford's office
From there he was hurried into Il
team and brought to Woodstock
Jail.
Gosha, after being shot. walked
to DR.. Worthen's office. across the
main street, and fell in the hall. He
was carried to the hotel and placed
in room. Local ply sicianS and
Drs. Smith and Gle of Hanover
were summoned.
Ether was administered at S,45
and DR.. W. T. Smith operated to
locate the bullet. From the very
beginning the phi, Sicians gave no
hope.
Waite claimed that he was as
saulted on coming ont of the Iunc-
ton House office. Gosha's state
IN ent, as given verbatim, is as fol-
lows, when he was asked had YOU
struck this fellow :"
mo. ! had rot touched him in
any way. Waite deliberately drew
his revolver and shot me. expect
to die"
COSTA was painter and came
from Bradford.
Excitement was at a high pitch
following the shooting and he was
hustled away by the officers to avoid
possible violence at the hands Of the
crowd.
SUNDAY afternoon Waite. who had
been IN Woodstock for several DAYS.
hired a team for a little drive. as he
said. but against the advice of
States Attorney Tarbeli and others
that he had better keep away from
the Junction. he drove down there
to get his revolver and some cloth
ing. He had Deputy Sheriff
Thomas revolver, IS calibre. He
went to the Junction House for
supper and was leaving tine hotel to
step into his team when the assault.
he claims. occurred. In his work
as a "spotter" he had hand in the
midnight raid at the Junction on a
party of poker players. Feeling
against him there was exceedingly
bitter and there had been repeated
threats to do him if he showed
his face in that vicinity
IN WOODSTOCK JAIL - YATES
STORY.
Waite occupies cell on the groud
floor of the Jail. His temporary
counsel Che not having retained ahy
one YETI is John G. Sargent OF I.ud-
low. and on the latter's advice he
SAYS but little concerning the case.
" ate reached Woodstock about
10 o'clock, accompanied bv Officers
Spa ford and Williams. and hand
GU fled TO the latter. He had been
in great fear lest he should be taken
from the officers and lvnched. but
was in a calmer state of mind when
he arrived here. He showed sew
eral cuts and bruises on his head
received at the time of the shooting.
but bore no marks of severe vio-
lence.
W ate SAYS he had no intention of
shooting Gosha or any one else. He
asserts that he was assaulted as he
was stepping into his sleigh after
leaving the Junction House door.
There were no blows struck after
the Shooting he saws. $50 the
marks on me mast have been made
before" He plainly heard mutter-
ings and threats as he went into
supper and claims he had to shoot
to save his life. He fired low to at
tract the attention of Officer Spaf-
ford, whom he knew was in his
office.
IF | had my own revolver |
should not have hit Gosha." SAID
Waite, and he attributes the fact that
he hit Gosha to his having a strange
revolver that kicked.
Reports vary as to the number OF
men standing around as Waite APP
peared, some asserting there were
but four or five and that there was
no hostile demonstration. The pri>-
oner claims that 20 or 80 men stood
on and near the piazza ''laying" for
him. Il had every reason to be on
Guard " ha SfltaS stand nunht