Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-06-16
POSSIBLY BODY OF H. N. oUNN
Conflicting Opinions as to Identity OF
Body Found by Fisherman.

oOOy TouVu py ttoUeVUeV
The mystery surrounding the let
ters from Herbert n. Gum. whicl
were printed In last weeks Reformer
came to a probable solution last Fri
day when Leland Shippel a fisherman
who was setting traps near Quonse
Point. l.. l.. found floating In the wa
ters OF Long Island sound the partial
~ decomposed body OF man appar'
entity about so years OF age. Tit
feet were tied and two window
weights We're found In one pocket o.
the overcoat. There was no indica'
tion of foul play, The man was evil
IDENTIFY about . feet. seven inches II
height and stockily built the clothini
was of fine texture and several OF the
teeth were gold filed.
A brother of Mr.. Gum went tt
Kingston. r. l.. Monday and viewed
the body Although its condition pre-
vented an absolute identification the
visitor thought from the general ap-
pearance that the remains were those
of his brother II is very likely. In
view of these facts, that Mr.. Gum
jumped overheard from JOY line
steamer from New York TO Providence
during the night of May 25. A letter
from Mr.. Gum TO +. w. Gibson of this
town, dated at New York. May "a
stated that this was his intention and
that he had weighted his body in Or
der to be sure of committing suicide.
According to the Keene. n. H.. SEN
tinel Mr.. Gums relatives in that city
do not believe he has been drowned.
In regard to the matter the Sentinel
says:
Fred w. Gum Of this city. brother
of H. n. Gum. was seen by a Sentinel
reporter when the first dispatches
were published. He said he did not
know what to make of the report and
stated further. that trunk had been
received by express from his brother
sent to the latter's son Carlton. aged
10. who lives with his grandparents,
together with daughter Alice. aged
10. and son Raymond aged Z. The
children have been adopted by their
grandparents. their mother being dead.
Soon after the report was received
of the finding of the body in Long
Island sound. Mr.. Gums brother Ar
thur. who is a machinist. and his sis
ter Nellie a.. a nurse. both of whom
were not very far from Wexford. r. l..
went there to view the body. They
were fully satisfied it was not that OF
their brother and telegraphed to Fred
w. Gum to that effect. The man
found had gray hair. while Gums
hair Is understood not to have been
gray. and II did not resemble him IN
other ways believed to be conclusive.
From various letters received from
Herbert n. Gum by his relatives here
they feel satisfied that he has simply
carried out contemplated plan to
place himself where he cannot easily
be traced or followed by certain per-
sons with whom he has had legal diff
ficulties. 1t is stated that he was
prosecuted for an alleged fraur.'ent
in real estate and placed
under arrest. but at a subsequent trlai
or hearing he was fully acquitted and
brought a suit for heavy damages
against his accuser. The latter. how
ever. is said to have declared that he
would bring other charges against
Gum. as rapidly as need be and
would ruin his business. The theory
of Mr. Gums relatives is that he has
to avoid this sort of thing.
His property was placed in the hands
of trustees, before his departure they
saw and he evidently made all pre-
for what he intended to do.
The letter he mailed stating that ne
should drown himself. and the trunk
sent here. which contained only arti-
cles of clothing he would not need.
they consider merely subterfuges to
cover his real intention. which was
to get out of sight.
George H. Thompson of this town
visited WEXFORD, r. l., Sunday anu
viewed the body found off Quon-
set Point Friday of last week. He
found the remains in very bad state
of decomposition. 1t was the body OF
a man of 5 feet Z or inches tall. who
in lifetime would weigh about 100
pounds. of middle age. sandy hair ting
ed with grey. sandy mustache. rect
small for the build the hands show
ing no signs of manual labor The
body when found was clothed with a
winter overcoat. coat and vest OF DARK
and striped trousers. Body
was weighted with two window
weights fastened about the waist with
a strong cord. The weights rested IN
the trousers pockets. There was no
evidence of violence on the body. and
the medical examiner stated that In
his opinion it was a case of suicide
The statements of the medical exam
iner and the undertaken showed that
the body had in all probability been IN
the water about two weeks.
The body was buried Monday morn
ing, it being in such state of decom-
position that ii was impossible to Keep
il longer. Up TO the time of leaving
WEXFORD. which was Sunday night,
Mr.. Thompson states that no reiatiVe
of Gum had appeared to identity the
body. and that he doubts if any rela-
tive in fact at any time viewed the
remains. The description of the body
tallies very closely with that OF Her.
bert n. Gum. In his letters he stated
that he intended to jump from JOY
line boat going to Providence. The pody
was washed ashore Thursday night by
southeast gale. and from the course
taken by the Joy line steamers To
Providence. The overcoat is OF tne
same material and kind thought 70
have been worn by Gum when he left
Guilford. The age, apparent weight
size of the feet. color of the hair and
mustache, and the shape of the face
as far as it was in normal condition
tend strongly to confirm the theory
that the body is that of Herbert n
Gum.
II is claimed by his attorneys that
Gum had nothing to fear from the
outcome of the litigation in which he
was involved. Dispositions taken last
winter of witnesses for the plaintih
not only failed TO establish any case
against him but clearly showed that
he was not guilty of the fraud and de,
ceit with which he was charged. All
this he understood. and when last seer
was full of courage as to the outcome
1t is thought that his family troubles
rather than litigation. drove mm &c
suicide. Those who know him best as
sert that he was very sensitive man
and felt keenly the criticism OF peo-
nie because of his failure in business
and the attitude of some Of his reia-
tives. OF late. he has been especiai-
" despondent.
Baby Terribly Chafed.
NJ. L ~ Cola of Warner. y. H