The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-04-28
'ssss WILSON.

Washington, ID. O., April ~
This city has just been treated to a
mild sensation, the chief actor in
! which was a man who treated YER
mont to a sensation which would
hardly be classed as mild not many
years ago. This man is none other
than Samuel d. Wilson. better known
in the Green Mountain State as
"Spotter" Wilson, whose connection
with the tragedy at White River
Junction is we'll remembered, For
several weeks past Wilson has been
employed at the International Reform
Bureau, an organization the nature of
which is indicated by it's name. and
which has its headquarters on Pennsyl-
vania Avenue, southwest, hardly q
stones throw from the capitol
grounds.
On Monday morning a woman en-
ployed at the bureau found Wilson
bound and gagged In an clubhouse at
the rear of the building. About his
neck was tied a piece of clothesline,
giving the appearance hat an attempt
had been made 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 a handkerchief used as a gag was
still in his mouth According to
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 semi-conscious con-
dition when found. He was o re-
leased from his uncomfortable posi-
tion and sent to his room, little the
worse for the experience.
The marks of the rope were visible
on Wilson's neck for some time after
it was removed. 1t was evident from
the condition of the room where he
war found that the rope had been
drawn over a hook in the ceiling and
tied to a gas jet, but as it was badly
weather beaten and frayed out, the
weight of the body had broken it.
There was nothing about the room to
indicate that a struggle had taken
place.
According to Wilson's statement he
had visited a friend in a distant part
of the city on Sunday evening, return
ing to the bureau shortly before mid
night. Then he wrote some letters
and went across the street to mail one
of them. Returning he found he had
locked himself out and says he wen
to the rear of the house to try to
gain al entrance. Failing in this,
he says, he started to return to the
front of the house, when he was
grabbed by a man whose face, he
thinks, was black He also says he
is under the impression that there
were two other men with him, but
states that he remembered nothing
more until he was found in the norm
ing.
Wilson made a statement to the
reporters that he was formerly a de-
tective in reform work in Vermont,
and gave it as his opinion that his
energetic work there was responsible
for the alleged assault. He said his
pockets had been turned inside out,
but as he had emptied them of valu-
ables before leaving the house,
nothing was taken except some papers
which he stated were connected with
a civil suit in which he was inter
ested in Vermont and which is to be
tried next month. To a reporter he
said his first work Sas Ill Boston
where he studied social conditions
for ministers, one of 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 indi-
cate that Wilson's story can hardly be
taken as entirely free from doubt.
He has made a lengthy statement to
the officials, and detectives are work
ing on the case. The International
Reform Bureau is conducted under the
direction of Rev. WILDER +. Crafts
and is one of many organizations of
various kinds having headquarters here
for the purpose of lending a guiding
hand to Congress in matters of inter-
est to the particular cult they stand
for.
P1GE HHRIlER