The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-04-27
CLAIMS WAS ASSAULTED
Also Said He Was Robbed Of Papers
Connected With a Vermont Suit
Which is Pending.

Washington. D. c., April 27.- This
city has just been treated to a mild sensa.
tion, the chief actor in which was man
who treated Vermont to- a sensation which
could hardly be classed as mild not many
years ago. This man Is Samuel ID. viii
son, better known ia Vermont as "Spot.
ter Wilson, whose connection with the
tragedy at White River junction Is well
remembered. For several weeks past
Wilson has been employed at the Interna-
tional Reform Bureau which has its head
quarters on Pennsylvania avenue.
On Monday morning a woman employed
at the bureau found Wilson, bound and
gagged, in an outhouse at the rear of the
bnilding. About his neck was tied a
piece Of elothesiine, giving the appear.
ance that an attempt had been Emade to
lynch him. When found he was lying face
downward. His legs had been doubled SO
that his feet and hands met across his
back and handkerchief used as a gag
was still in his mouth.
According 10 Wilson'S statement he had
been IN that condition about seven hours,
and he is also authority for the statement
that he was In a semic0nscious condition
when found. He was soon released from
the uncomfortable position and went 10
his room, little the worse for bis expert
enoe.
The marks Of the rope were visible on
Wilson's neck for some time after il was
removed. 1t was evident from the eondi.
ton Of the room where he was found that
the rope had been drawn over hook in
the ceiling and tied 70 gas Jet, but as il
the weight Of the body had broken it
There was nothing about the room 20 indl-
cate that struggle had taken place
According to Wilson'S statement he had
visited friend IN a distant part Of thl
city Sunday evening returning 70 the bu
reau shortly before midnight Then ht
wrote some letters and went across the
street to mail one Of them. Returning ht
4 found be bud locked himself out and says
/ he went to the rear OF the house to try anC
/ gain an entrance, Failing iu this, hs
says, he started to return to the front oil
the house when be was grabbed BY mar
whose face, he thinks, was black. He al.
so says be Is under the impression that
| there were two other men with him but
states that he remembered nothing more
until be was found In the morning.
Wilson made q statement to the report
ers that he was formerly detective IN re-
form work in Vermont, and gave it as bis
opinion that his energetic work there was
responsible for the alleged assault He
said his pockets had been turned inside
ont but as he had emptled them Of valu-
ables before leaving the house, nothing
was taken except some papers which he
stated we're connected with civil suit, in
which be was interested In Vermont and
which is to be tried next month. TO
a reporter he said his first work was In
Boston where he studied social conditions
for ministers, one If whom was Bishop
Phillips Brooks This was done, he said,
to enable the ministers to lay the matter
before the legislature.
No outcry or disturbance was heard in
the neighbOrhood at the time of the
alleged assault, and there is some
thing about the whole affair to indicate
that Wilson'S story can hardly be taken
as entirely free from doubt lie has made
lengthy statement to the officials and de-
tectives are working on the case.