The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-12-13
THE ONE WHO
WAS LYNCHED.

fcopyriEat. 1901. ~ =. G. farcella.l
when Miss Violet Bennett decided
10 reject Frank Knapman and marry
Walter Harper. Knapman thirsted for
revenge. One night, ak months after
the marriage. as he was going TO his
boarding house after being detained
at his once, be met Harper. There
was lumber yard occupying one side
OF the block. and there were no houses
on the other Harper had been drink.
ing aud was In an ugly mood. In fact.
Il was proved later on that he had had
n bitter quarrel with his bride and
that IL was not the FIRST lie replied
10 Knapman with a sheer and a taunt
The latter fired up and struck him
with a heavy cane he was carrying.
and he threw up his hands and went
down like log.
Knapmnn waited for a moment for
his victim to rise. and as he did not be
bent over him and found that he had
probably inflicted fatal blow. IFS
fr-t idea was to summon assistance.
lie rejected that and dragged the body
into the lumber yard between two piles
OF lumber and hurried away. No one
had noticed him. Next morning the
body was found and the alarm given.
Within three days an arrest was
made. II was that Of butcher named
Sanderson. He had had two or three
rows with Harper over bin the latter
had refused to pay and In the pres
ence OF witnesses had threatened 70
get even. II was shown that he was
out that night. His wife admitted that
he came home in state OF agitation.
His assistant at the shop said that he
acted strangely next day. The butcher
at first vigorously protested his limo
cence, but upon being told Of The proofs
collected against him be at once owned
mp. He said that be met Harper at
the lumber yard and offered TO make q
reduction in the bill, but That The man
called him swindler and cheat and
finally provoked him SO that he lost his
temper and gave him the fatal blow.
He had started TO summon assistance
when fear of the results impeled him
10 turn back and secrete the body.
Before the butchers examination
came up singular thing happened a
farmer living two miles out Of town
awoke one night to find burglar In
his house and to give him the contents
OF shotgun. The fellow was fatally
wounded. and on being so informed by
the doctor he said he wished to make
a confession. He was the murderer Of
Harper. He was a stranger to the
place and had planned to break into q
store that night. He had been hiding
in the lumber yard for an hour when
he came out to look around bit and
met Harper face to face. Harper de-
handed what he was doing there,
threatened him with arrest and even
took him by the collar. In defense the
robber struck him with stick he had
picked up in his place of hiding. The
robber lived for thirty hours, having
bis senses to the last. and they could
not shake him In bis story.
Here was pretty mixup for the Of
S{icers, but worse one awaited them.
IKnapman had been amazed at the
butcher's confession, and the confess
elon OF q second man for the crime he
hiinself Ind committed made the law
xer wonder II he was not going crazy.
rs.iar days after the death of the rob
lsnr ail italian NAVY entered a house
iii the suburbs Of the town and stole
ii watch and other things. He wasl
naen md pursued He turned and fired
M iiss pursuers, but they closed IN Oh
Him. und he was made prisoner. Thel
town was In q state of excitement, and
zy1slt Indignation was felt, Threats
ssFtfe freely mnde to lynch the NAVY,
Eiia BIZ lost his nerve and pleaded that
lfs Slia not mean to kin Harper the
III previous. Upon being interro
eatasl along this new line he made a
con- Is slon. lie had come from a point
1sfiv slelles away, being told there was
VfurIx Tor him. When lie arrived in the
fnnn there was no work. He was pen
nllesa mud hungry and while wander
IN 4 lsas 4 aVlss planned to sleepl