Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-05-19
NUMBER TN BUHLINGTON.
Policeman McGrath Shot by Stran
ger.

! policemen and Waterman on the lake
front, was shot and fatally wounded at
Z 20 O'Clock in the evening of May y
at the corner of Main and Battery
streets, Burlington. The man who
committed the murder Immediately
after ran down to the lumber yard and
escaped McGrath was taken to the
hospital but died on the way there.
There was one eye witness to the
crime, Joachim Labarge, who saw
every detail from a window in his
house at 20 Main street. He saw Nc
Grath and a strange man walk up
from the lumber yard together about
20 o'clock. They came up the mid
die OF Main street and were engaged
in conversation. When opposite La
barge's house, which is the second one
below Battery street. they stopped and
| faced each other. Suddenly the stran-
ger pulled a revolver from his pocket
and directing it point blank toward
! McGrath, fired two shots. OF course
both took effect as the pistol was not
two feet from McGrath's chest. The
policeman staggered and attempted to
walk toward Richards boat shop ON
the corner. The stranger started back
about ten feet and fired at the unfort-
innate McGrath again. He then ran
toward the lumber yard and, wheeling
about, took one last shot, which il is be-
lieyed went wild. He then disap-
peared in the lumber yard. McGrath
Tell, never uttering a sound. The
sound OF the shots naturally attracted
attention and very soon a large crowd
assembled at the spot.
Everything possible was done for
McGrath, but the murderers aim had
been too true and he died before reach
Ing the hospital
McGrath's beat lay in the region be-
tween Main and College streets, one of
the darkest spots in the city. The
entire police force was on the spot
soon alter the crime had been COM
mitted and ransaeked every nook and
corner for the assassin, but without
avail.
Labarge says the murderer is about
% years old, five feet six inches tall,
weighs about 40 pounds, and was
dressed in black clothes, wearing
sott hat. He had a black moustache
and black hair. on his vest was
badge or metal substance OF some sort
that glistened as he stood talking with
MCGrath.
BENJAMIN Williams, wagner of
Troop ], 10Th United States cavalry, is
under arrest at the county jail on the
suspicion OF having committed the
murder.
IL me-, .or-o,, % Tar,ro,uas vvh{Ia
stealing a ride on a freight train. The
conductor saw him making his way
to the train and looking him over, be-
came convinced that he answered the
description that had been given him in
Burlington of the man who murdered
Policeman McGrath. He passed the
word along to the train hands not to
modest him but to let him board the
train if that was his intention. just
before the train started the man made
his way to a furniture car, as he evil
IDENTIFY thought without being seen.
Conductor Richards pointed out to
Officer Wyatt the car in which the sus-
pected man was, and the officer enter
inc the car found the man huddled up
in one corner. He was evidently COM
pletely surprised by being confronted
by an officer and submitted to arrest
without resistance.
Later he said that he left Fort Ethan
Allen on Wednesday, May IL, at about
nine o'clock in the morning. He said
that he had served about two and one
half years but got sick of the service
and left.
When Officer Wyatt arrested Will
liams he searched his person but did
not find any firearms or ammunition
about him After the train had left the
city Conductor Richards went into the
car and found in the corner where
Williams was lying when arrested an
army revolver and part of a box of
army cartridges. The cartridges were
of IS calibre and there were four empty
shells.
The pistol is the regulation cavalry
revolver, with barrel of blue steel,
Colts pattern, self cooking, IS calibre,
and six shooter. The number OF the
weapon is l52,079. When the revolt
yer was taken from the car every
chamber was loaded, contrary TO the
first report that several of the shells
were empty. Deelue IL Oh INC HOOl VI
the car was handkerchief in which "a
cartridges were tied. Three more load
ed shells were found in his pocket,
making 80 in all. One of the cartridges
found on his person had the bullet
creased with knife, which If fired
into person would make deadlier
wound.
The calibre of the ball in the weapon
and those of the extra cartridges found
with it, exactly correspond with the
ball found in Policeman McGrath's
body which caused his death.
Lieut.. +. J. Ely of Fort Ethan Allen
called at police office to see the revolt
yer. He desired TO ascertain whether
the weapon was one given to Williams
or one that he had stolen. The tell-tale
number, 152,079, instantly proclaimed
the guns owner, Lieut.. Ely having the
record with him. He examined 1t
closely and ascertained that it had
been fired recently
The evidence of Joachim LaBarge,
who saw the shooting, is to the effect
that the revolver fired by the murderer
exploded with a sharp ring, and with