Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-01-03
MURDERER. SHOT FIVE
Two Victims Killed Instantly, the
Others Seriously Wounded.

Miss Coumbe, in His Store at
Turner's Falls, Then Fan Home and
Attempted to Externinate His
Family.
Louis Bitter, &C. at Turner's Falls, Mass,
Tuesday, shot five persons two of whom.
his clerk, Miss Ida Coumbe, Il. and Bit
zcr's hvc-ycar-old son. are dead. His
other victims were his wife, Christina,
and his two daughters. Annie. about 16
and Carrie II. 1t is thought they will
not die There Is evidence that II was
Bitzcr's purpose also to take his own life.
but his prompt arrest apparently pre-
vented him from carrying ont this pur-
pose. His motive is not clear to the
authorities. although it is believed that
his mind has been unsettled 10y business
cares.
The exact time Of the shooting Of Miss
Columbc. who was Bitzers clerk i'm his
iewclrv -joro. is not known. In note
left i'm the store Bitter said he was clean
ing "a revolver when II was discharged
accidentally, and the bullet hit Miss CO.
lumhc I'm the head. killing her instantly.
/ After writing the letter Bitter rushed 10
his homo. hatless ana wild with excite
meut. and began the work of cNtcrminat-
ing his family. There Is some evidence to
show that the shooting Of Miss Coumhe
was not accidental. Her body had been
carefully placed and was not in the po-
sition i'm which ii fell when the store was
entered after Bitter was in custody.
! The little boy was i'll i'm bed with the
measles Whether the child was the first
one assailed has not been determined by
the medical examiner. hut that the child
was shot and killed as he lay in his bed
is plain.
The daughter. Annie. was wounded
through the left hand and i'm the ear. 1t
is considered possible that one bullet may
have caused both wounds if the girl rails
ed her hand. The daughter Carrie was
| shot through the neck. Mrs Bitter was
, hit i'm the face. the bullet passing through
the nose
The sound of repeated shots led neigh
t bors to rush into the house. and soon
4 physicians and police were at hand and
Bitter was arrested. He probably ran
from the house to his store and then back
| to the house before he was arrested II
was found that the boy had heeu killed
instantly. The others although all pain
| fully wounded were not considered in
( immediate danger, and they We're remov-
ed to the Farrcn hospital at Montague
. City. From the institution soon came
the news that all had good chances for
recovery.
The police are led to. the belief that the
man is insane chiefly ~ the note which
they found I'm his store after the body Of
Miss "olumbe had been discovered. II
words written ia pencil. on wrapping pa
per As far as the authorities could
make it out IL said that Bitter WAS clean
ing his revolver when IL was acCidctnllN
DISCHARGED Ovcrpowcrrd 10y tho accident
and fearing arrest as the murderer of the
girl he determined to go TO his home
and ed the lives Of his wife and children
and of himself lie asked that at his
funeral the hymn Nearer My God. to
Thee" he sung. and that John Gould. an
undertaken should have charge Of the
bodies.
he wished that his property should b"
given to his brother and aged mother
and ended the letter with an expression
to the effect that God would not blame
"A man for doing what he had done.
Bitter made a statement similar to this
To the officers who arrested him.
Miss rolumbe was "A French girl who
had been employed by Bitter for some
time. She was very popular. She leaves
/ a mother brothers and sisters. The fam
( lily has lived in Turner's Falls about p
years.
Bitter was taken to the Franklin coun-
ty Jail in Greenfield and on Wednesday
he was given a hearing before Judge IN-
man in the district court at Greenfield
There were two charges, one with muir
dering Miss Columbe and the other with
numbering the young son. To both Bitter
pleaded not guilty The hearing was ad-
| iourned until Jan. il and Bitter was held
|, without bail
The Bitter family came from Germany
but the members have lived in Turner's
} Falls and vicinity many years. The muir
/. derer has an aged mother and two broth
, ers who were in the house at the time
of the shooting. The brothers work il
the cutlery shops. Louis failed in 1895
but arrangements were made to continu,
the business in the name Of one of the
brothers. NJ. j. Sauter OF Greenfield fur
nished $1,000 when the store was opened
second time.
Bitter did not appear like an insan,
, man when he was brought into cour
Wednesday. Many stories are in Crcu
lation in Turner's Falls regarding the re
, lations of Bitter and his pretty clerk
The medical examination showed tina
there was no cause to cast reproaCh upor
the girls character. 1t is known tina
Bitter had given her an expensive dia
mond ring. and it is said that Mrs. Bitzel
objected To having the girl work in thu
store after the daughter. Annie, was ole
enough to do the work there.
The correspondent of the Springfield
, Union, after reviewing the case. says
} Jealousy on the part of a wife bick
erings at home over business matters
; threats that the financial support b,
which the business was conducted would
, he withdrawn. infatuation with his clerl
to whom. perhaps, he dared not tell hi.
story. and finally insane rage at all-thes,
are the elements of the feelings attribut
ed to Louis Bitter in leading him to tn,
! commission Of his crime"