Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-10-15
MURDER IN
ROCHESTER.
EPHRAlM o. ROOT BEATEN TO
DEATH IN a BARN.
West Rochester Lumber Region the
Scene Of the Crime.--Joe Bean, a
Frenchman, Held.--Root Supplant-
ed Him in Affections of a Married
Woman.--A Tale of pepravity.

Frenchman, Held.--Root Supplant-
ed Him in Affections of a Married
Woman.--A Tale of pepravity.
One Of the most brutal murders ever
committed in Vermont took place last
Monday evening in the town of Rochester.
Ephraim o. Root was pounded and hacked
to death in the darkness of barn. One
Joseph Bean is under arrest, charged with
the crime. Desperate jealousy over a
woman-and that woman the wife OF a
third man-is the supposed cause.
There is no town in Vermont whose
average of citizenship is higher than that
OF Rochester. Good morals and clean
character are its pride. But like other
towns Rochester has its "toughn locality,
where reputation doesn't count and where
free-and-easy domestic code prevails.
Such a locality is that of West Rochester
and vicinity. There the leading industry
is numbering. An abundance of timber
and several steam saw mills have attracted
a class of workmen not at all allied with
the native farming element. Most of
them are French Canadians, though a few
Yankees have driited in and apparently
adapted themselves to the atmosphere
they dwell in.
Coming over the Brandon mountain
stage road, about mile and a half from
the crest, on the Rochester side, you pass
what is known as the Bean and Green
mill, the first inhabited point this side OF
the mountain top. II is some seven miles
from Rochester, and three miles or so
above West Rochester proper. This mill
is nov the property Of John Green.
Green's former partner was Joe Bean, now
charged with murder. Both are French
men. They have been engaged in lum ber-
ing and saving together most of the time
for fifteen years or so in this locality.
Both are Woodworking men who have not
borne worse reputation than their
neighbors. Their partnership, il seems,
extended further than their business re-
lations. There was only one wife in the
household. She went by the name of Mrs.
| Green, but Bean apparently exercised
equal rights with her lawful spouse, with
out serious objection on the latter's part.
! IL is said that some Of her children re-
semble Green, while others look like Bean.
Last spring Bean sold out his interest in
the business to Green and left, working
for a time in Bethel hauling granite and
later on ltmber JOB IN Hancock. But he
evidently cid not mean 10 dispose of his
| interest in Mrs. Green.
| A near neighbor to Green was Ephram
\ o. Root. whose housekeeper was a Mrs.
| Wiley. Root worked some for Green and
about the time Bean left he transferred his
abode to the Green home, much to Mrs.
| Wiley's distress, who watched his increas-
ss,ar int in AIra
jealousy. Bean, too, learned OF the ar
rangement with similar feelings. Root
made such progress in Mrs. Green's
affections that il is said the couple went
to other towns at sundry times and regis
tered as man and wife. An alleged detec-
tive appeared on the scene and threatened
to make trouble, unless things were
changed. II is now surmised that Bean
planned this stroke, which failed of its
purpose.
Latterly, Bean has tried his best to get
back to his old place. but without avail.
He attributed his i'll success to Root. His
state of mind was such that be forsook
his usual habits of industry and has
worked but little OF late. He regarded the
woman as his and even tried to get prom
inent citizens Of Rochester to intercede in
restoring him to favor.
On the afternoon of the murder he
called on Mrs. Green and had long inter-
view with her on the subject, but to no
avail. II is said that he then made threats
against Root Green was away from home
at the time, having gone to Canada sew
eral weeks before. After this interview,
Bean left the house and went to Frank
Hubbard's, some four miles below, where
he had been stopping several days.
Root ate supper at the Green home at
about Z o'clock. During the meal those
partaking noticed someone peering in at
"a. L. IL
- - who il was.n After supper
Root started alone for a barn about 80
rods away to care for his horses. This
was a little before O'Clock He did not
return when expected and at s:45 Mrs.
Green sent one OF her sons to look for him
The boy found Root on a platform Just
outside the barn door-a CHASTITY object.
He was swaying about, partly on his
hands and knees, with his head beaten
almost TO jelly and the blood dripping
from numerous gashes in his scalp and
forehead. He was not conscious. The
Green boy gave the alarm at once. Help
came and Root was taken to the Green
home. The house has a telephone, and
medical aid was at once summoned from
Rochester.
This was about 9 O'Clock. DR.. W. d.
Huntington reached the Green house at
about IL O'Clock. The victim did not re-
gain consciousness, dying at 3 O'Clock
Tuesday morning. just as the doctor was
leaving, Green arrived home, having come
to Brandon ON the night train with rela-
tives from Canada, hired a team there and
driven over with his guests.
Deputy Sheriff P. G. Tinkham Of Roches-
ter was at once notified and, with First
Selectman Greeley, started for the scene
early in the morning. Officer Tinkham is
no novice in ferreting criminals and.
knowing something OF the relations ex-
isting at Green's, thought it well to look
Bean up Immediately. AT $3.50 he found
Bean in bed at Hubbard's and after max
ing an inspection OF his clothing and
questioning him and the Hubbard family.
took him into custody. The Hubbards
reported that Bean left the house soon
after supper and was out until about II
O'Clock. The officer found his shirt and
the bed clothing reeking with perspira-
tion and "beggars lice" in abundance on
his pants. Bean told conflicting stories
saying first that he had been asleep on the
hay and then that he had been out look
ing up bull.
Proceeding to the Green home. Messrs.
TinkhRm and Greeley examined the scene
OF the assault. IL appeared to them as
though Root had entered the barn and
was in the act Of lighting a lantern which
hrunr bet rr-fsaft the bore afufla nd rrhE9k