Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-05-25
SHOT TO KILL HIS WIFE
F. A. AIdrich, Formerly Of Town
shend Inn, the AssaiIant
Report That Mrs. Aldrlch Is Dead-Trag-
edy Took Place In South Bend, Ind
Couple Had Separated.

Couple Had Separated.
Frank A. Aldrich, formerly proprietor
of the Townshend Inn shot his divorced
wife, Mrs. Rena Aldrich, at her home on
South Franklin street. South Bend, Ind,
Wednesday night, May 16. The bullet
entered the right cheek about even with
the nose and took a downward course into
the neck The injured woman was taken
to the Epworth hospital in South Bend.
despatch to the Boston Globe of Sat
urday stated that she died on Friday, but
the papers of Athol report that this state
ment has not been confirmed.
Aldrich was arrested in South Bend
last October for abusing his wife and
children. On being arraigned in the police
court he promised to leave the state and
not interfere with his family again. He
was released, but the next evening was
caught prowling around the house where
his wife lived. He was again taken into
court and upon agreeing a few days later
never to return to that city he was al
lowed to take a train for Boston.
He arrived in South Bend Tuesday,
May Is, and according to his statement
had not been drinking. He says that he
came to South Bend in an endeavor to
have his wife live with him, notwith-
standing that she was granted divorce
last March. He entered the house by the
kitchen door and meeting his wife said:
Don't you love me any more?" and
when she replied that she did not he
pulled a revolver from his pocket and with
the words, ''Then l will kill you" fired.
On seeing the revolver Mrs. Aldrich at
tempted to conceal herself behind wash
tub and was bending down with her head
| half turned when he pulled the trigger
She was evidently looking up and her
| husband very close to her. AS soon as
she was shot Mrs. Aldrich ran screaming
to the house Of a neighbor. Aldrich fired
a second shot at her, then climbed the
back fence and disappeared. Physicians
were summoned Immediately and Mrs.
Aldrich was taken to the hospital.
Fourteen men were detailed to search
for the assailant but no trace OF him was
| found that night It appears. however.
that he went directly to hotel i'm the city
where he took n room and remained until
o'clock the following morning. After
| eating breakfast at the hotel he walked
to the railroad station and was waiting
! for an eastbound train when he was seen
| by business man who notified the police
and his arrest followed whiting a short
time. While at the hotel he wrote a
letter to his daughter. Carrie, now living
in the East. He claimed that he had
visited his wife, that he fired the shoI to
| Brighten her. etc He evidently did not
know the extent OF her injuries.
When Aldrich was taken to the police
| station he was very cool and made no re-
sistance. He had written threatening
letters to his wife. The revolver was
80 calibre and was held so close to the
victim that her face was badly burned by
the powder Aldrich was remanded to
the county Jail without bonds to await the
next session of the circuit court. He told
the justice that he was without funds.
The Athol papers state that Aldrich,
who had been proprietor of the American
House in Winchendon, came to Athol
about 1890. In company with John C.
Stone they leased the old Pequoig House
| the new Pequoig House was built Aldrich
| took lease of It and conducted IL until
he went into bankruptcy. After living
on a farm in the south part of Athol ne
came to Townshend. After leaving the
| Townshend Inn he was employed by the
| Diamond Match company. He had beer
drinking to excess for some time so that
his wife refused 10 live with him and
two or three years ago she went &c
South Bend, where she had relatives
| Aldrich had drifted between Indiana and
Athol the past two years. He had beer
employed as porter at the Commercial
House in Athol several months and left
that town for South Bend on Monday
evening of last week.
The Athol Transcript said Mrs. Aldricl
was IAN exceedingly sweet and winsom'
woman. She was an unusually capable
lady and wherever she went made host:
of firm and warm friends. Her life has
been rather unhappy one, and thi
terrible elimination is most distressing
to her many friends. She was identified
with the Episcopal church in Athol, anC
was an earnest and welcome worker.
The Aldrichs lived in Townshend only
few months, in 1908. Mr.. Aldrich is
brother of the late II. d. Aldrich and o
C. L. Aldrich of Bellows Falls.