The Press., 1905-04-19
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Items of local interest taken from the columns
of The Press, thirty years ago.l
April 22, 1873.

families, have this week removed to
Holyoke, Mass.
John Brown was the buyer of the
2OO-acre Blodgett farm at Stafford
Hollow, on the 10Th, paying $5, $50.
This is the first time this tract of
land has changed hands since the set
Element of the town.
Engineer Everett of the Ponagansett
railroad on Tuesday arrived with his
corps of surveyors to take the eleva-
tions on the proposed route from the
| Westford hotel via. Staffordville.
His headquarters are at Staffordville.
At the annual meeting of the Uni
versalist society at Stafford Hollow,
held at the vestry of the church on
the 1 9TH inst. the following officers
we're appointed for the ensuing year:
Parish committee, Chas. Fox, Lincoln
Bardwell, r. S. Beebe; treasurer,
George M. Puffer; clerk, E. G. Pin
ney; collector, Chas. Holt; commit
tee on music, F. N. Andrews, Mrs. E
@. Pinney, Mrs. Nettie l.. Damon.
The pews of the church will now be
rented on application to the collector
or other of the officers.
Last Sunday morning this commu-
nifty was startled by the news of
murderous ARRAY which occurred at
disreputable house kept by Benjamin
G. Smith, about one mile north of
Staffordville. Constable Alba Per-
kins was called at an early hour Sun
day morning, and, reaching the scene
of the tragedy, found lying in front
of the house the body of Abram Wood,
who had been shot in the face, re-
ceiving charge of shot about two
inches below the left eye, the gun
having apparently been but a few
feet from the mans face when dis
charged. The three inmates of the
house, consisting Of Smith and his
wife and Mrs. Smith s daughter, who
is also the wife of Smiths son, were
placed under arrest, and Justice Ju-
illus Pinney summoned jury of in,
quest, which, during the day, held a
court of investigation. Woods com-
panion in the melee was Morris Lee,
who was badly beaten about the head,
and was at first supposed to be fatally
injured. He was, however, able to
testify, His story is that about l
O'Clock that night himself and Wood
started in the direction of the Smiths
house, which was Lees destination,
Wood proposing to stop at Garrett
Donahue's, the first house south of
Smiths. Lee, walking faster, was
considerably in advance when Dona-
hue's was reached, and kept on with
out stopping. Arriving at Smith S
he found light burning, and knock =
ing, was admitted, found Smith and
his wife up. They sat down and
talked and drank in friendly way,
and in few minutes Wood came up
and raped for admittance. Smith
refused to admit him, and an alterca-
tion ensued, Lee urging that Wood be
allowed to come in. Finally Wood
swore that he would come in, and
threw himself against the door sew
eral times, but not with any great
degree of violence. The old man
threatened to shoot Wood, who came
to the window and looked in, being
very plainly visible in the moonlight.
Finally Smith got an old.fashioned
shotgun, and putting it through a
broken window pane, the muzzle
within foot of Woods head, fred.
Lee tried to prevent the shooting. and
was in turn assaulted by all three,
they preventing his leaving, and
Smith clubbing him to the floor with
wooden bar, used for fastening the
door. How he got out of the house
he has no clear recollection, but he
managed to find his way to Donahue's
house, where he gave the alarm and
was taken in and cared for. He re-
members stopping to examine Woods
PROSTATE body, and discovering that
he was stiff and probably dead. The
jury of inquest was composed as fol-
lows: R. w. Andrews, E. A. Con-
verse, A. S. Eaton, Warren Chaplin,
Laurens Crawford, N. D. Skinner, L.
". Ferry, James Ferry, Warren H.
Baker, Timothy Foskit, T. J. Hol-
lingsworth, G. M. Moore. The jury
found that: Having viewed the
body and considered the evidence Civ
en- to us, do on our oaths say that said
Abram Wood came to his death by
gun-shot wound by the hand of Ben
jamin G. Smith or his wife, Abigail
Smith. - On Monday the three Smiths
were brought before Justice Pinney
on complaint sworn out by Grand
Juror J. V. Squier, charging them
with an aggravated assault upon Nor
ris Lee. The hearing was held in
the basement of the Congregational
church, hundreds being present. The
body of Wood, cleansed and coffined,
lay in a dark room adjoining the YES
try, and was gazed at by most of those
present. The hearing occupied the
greater part of the day, and resulted
in Benjamin and Abigail Smith being
held in the sum of $500 each for
trial at the September term of court.
Also the three Smiths are held until
Saturday for examination on the
charge of murder. Lawyer R. D.
Dawson is conducting the case for
the state. while Messrs. Fairfield and
Reed appear for the defense.
Born. -West Stafford, April 18th,
1875, a daughter to Levi R. Lull.
In Staffordville, 18th, a son to
VIM. P. Amidon.
In Vernon, Sd, son to Marc Ham
mond.
In Stafford Springs, Goth, q daugh- |