Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-08-11
LINNlE rankin MURDERED
SHOT BY HER LOVER, JAMES
MITCHELL, AT GRAFTON.
Traoic kndinu of Love AHair-Mur-
derer and Victim Came from Water
bury, Conn. - Mitchell Attempted
Suicide, but Will Live.

about O'Clock Tuesday afternoon at
the home of her brother. Dana Mur-
gatroy, who lives in Grafton village.
Mrs. Rankin, whose former home
was in Waterbury. Conn. came to
Grafton aout six weeks ago. About
two years ago she had had trouble
with her husband, who, it is claimed,
had abused her. She left him and was
intimate with Mitchell, who was very
much in love with her. They are said
to have lived together as man and wife
in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. be-
fore Mrs. Rankin came to Vermont.
They were i'm communication with one
another while she was here, and 1t Is
stated that Mitchell had given her
money with which to procure di-
vorce. and that she had spent 1t for
other purposes. and further that a
Grafton young man had supplanted
Mitchell in her affections. The Graf
ton young man is John Rice, who
owns the house the Murgatroys occu-
py and who boards with them.
Mitchell. who is a veteran of the
Cuban campaign in the Spanish
American war, and has been IN the
navy came to Grafton week ago
Sunday from Hagerstown, Penn, and
registered at the hotel. When the two
met. a quarrel resulted, but it was
only temporary disagreement, and
simply resulted in showing Mitchells
hasty temper to the hotel inmates. The
girl laughed at his jealous rawlings and
for week they We're much together
until Tuesday morning. when Mrs
Rankin finished work at the hotel be-
cause of some trouble with the man
agement.
Her step sister. Annie Cope, also
employed there, was mixed UP in the
disagreement with the hotel people,
but she kept her place. Mrs. Rankin
went to the home of her brother, Dana
Murgatroy. in the village. 1t is said
that the trouble at the hotel arose be-
cause Mrs. Rankin refused TO wait
on Rice who was a boarder there. She
was afraid to serve him because Nit
chell was so jealous.
During Tuesday forenoon Mrs.
Rankin and Mitchell were much to-
gether at the Murgatroy home and
seemed to be on the best OF terms,
joking and laughing frequently. Al
ter dinner Mitchell and Mrs. Rankin
were sitting in the house and were
apparently having a playful argument
over an autograph album which she
feIuSSu 10 RINt mis- eohAoS
sat in the next room. the dining room,
working at the sewing machine, where
she could look into the room where
they We're Suddenly she heard shot
and the girl screamed 20. don't!"
A second shot was seen by Mrs
Murgatroy, who then ran out of the
house and across the street to the
residence Of NJ. C. Redfield, crying
Hes shot Linnie,' Mr.. Redfield was
sitting at the window, and he answer
| ed. "Who?' Mrs. Murgatroy replied
Jim" Redfield ran across the street
and found Mrs Rankin lying across
chair, apparently dead. He notified
Constable Rickett of the crime ano
armed men were sent through the
town to prevent the escape of Nit
chell.
Meanwhile a party under the con-
stable made search of the house AS
they approached the barn another sho
was heard. They broke into the barr
and found that Mitchell had shot him.
self in the head. He was alive anc
conscious and was placed under ar
rest. He was carried to the lookup
and is now in a critical condition.
| DR.. f. l.. Gilbert was called to ex
anime both bodies.
Two shots were fired at the girl. on
entering her left jaw, the other IN
neck and brain. DR.. Gilbert said eltn
er shot might have caused her deati
Iinstantaneously
Mitchell fired but one shot at MN
self which passed through his heat
Inear his ewes. He told Constable Ric
lkett he intended TO shoot himsei
Through the brain, but his hand wa
mot steady Mrs. Rankin was OF at
Itractive appearance, with black hal
and blue eyes and fair skin.
II is said that before Mitchell en-
tered the navy he was engaged to D
married to Linnie Murgatroy A1te
he entered the navy correspondent
was kent I'D for a time but befor
many months had passed 1t is SAID ina
no letters came from Mitchei! an
THAT his fiancee lost all track OF MN
Not hearing from him and supposin
that he had deserted her or possipl
was dead. she married Rankin and on
child. a boy. now three years old. wa
horn. About two years ago Mitche
unexpectedly returned to Waterbur!
! II is said still supposing that he wa
: engaged to and would marry M
sweetheart. Mrs. Murgatroy said tina
J.innie spoke to her week ago an
asked her to go with her to brattie
Ihoro TO see about instituting divorc
proceedings. 1t is said that Mitche
sunnosed that his love affairs wer
progressing all right until he receive
letter from Linnie since she went
: Grafton which intimated that II wa
all off between him and her. He the
left Hagerstown and started out on
tour of personal inVestlgatioii.
, Ar o'clock Tuesday night State
! Attorney II. ID. Ryder of Bellows Fal
} arrived a preliminary examinatio
was held at the hotel
!. The dead girls effects were in cnars
: of constable Rickett. together with u
! revolver with which the deed we
|. done an ugly. five-chambered weapo
= with three exploded shells.
! A racket of letters from Mr.
!. Rankin to Mitchell, taken from n
nerson. was given Attorney Ryde
These Mr.. Ryder read and refused
ldivulge the contents, but he said I'M
1.-The letters showed the pair TO be vel
friendly. -
4 further examination was ne
Wednesday before Justice John W. d.
y ,,is Of Grafton. States Attorney X.
d der appeared for the state and y: T.
i Rrien of Bellows Falls for Mitcne
{. who waived examination and was ne
for murder in the first degree. Wit
>, lout bail. He is expected 10 hNe
will be blind. - +.
: States Attorney II. ID. RYDER n
7llaid the case before Attorney Genei
Fits and further action will be tax
(when Nitchelrs condition permits
A Waterbury. Conn., dispatch say
(lJames Mitchell is stone ana on
mason. He became infatuated WI
Nrs. Rankin two years ago ana -
summer his attentions resulted IN :
IONS accusations by her husband a