The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-05-18
FRANK 3. HOWE. Editor and Publishe
Bennington County Murders.

In another place 10 this weeks Jour-
nal Will be found an account OF the
sixth murder In Bennington county In
the past three yearsi
What are we coming to? Where are
the officers OF the law who are sup
posed 10 see that the laws are execut-
ed?
OF these six murders committed with.
In such q brief space OF time the per.
petratorof one only has been tried and
convicted.
These crimes have not been confined
TO any one locality, every section OF
the county has been the scene; two In
North Bennington, and one each In
Manchester, winhall, Rupert and
Pownal. In the Po 7nal case we be-
lieve that all was done that could be
done 70 find the guilty party.
In the face OF such an atrocious deed
as this last II becomes hard for men
TO remember the requirements OF good
citizenship and await the slow process
OF the law.
How long will Wa. stard for this
apathy?
Wake up?-Manchesier Journal.
The Journal Is unduly exercised and
allows Its heat 10 run away with cts
Judgment or 10 would never have made
such an unwarranted attack on the
Bennington county officers OF the law
who are and in the main have been as
faithful and hard working public ser.
wants rs any In the state. In fact the
Banner Is inclined 70 believe that Ben
pington county has had 10 Henry s.
Wilson OF Arlington the best county
sheriff In the state, even though most
OF the Journals list Ct Grimes occurred
while Mr. Wilson was 10 Office. But
let Us look more closely ut the
Journals statement
The six fatalities, which the Journal
calls murders, were those resulting In
the death OF Fred Johnson OF winhall,
Fred Bartlett OF North Bennington.
Arthur II. Ross OF anywhere si Ru.
pert, William Flynn at Manchester
Center, Thomas Mcclure At Pownal,
and Ethel Mahan at North Benning.
ton. 10 the strict sense OF the word
not one half OF these we're murders.
The death OF Fred Bartlett was the
result Of drunken frolic outside the
county and state. Il was probably
mere y accidental that the body was
returned 10 North Bennington. The
officers who investigated the case have
reason to believe that the crime was
one OF the crop for which tough sa-
loon nj Walloomsac IL largely respop.
sible. Bennington county Is In no way
chargable with tho crime or responsi.
bic FOR i.s non.detection.
IL Is absurd 10 refer 70 the FLYNN
case rs q murder. The chances arr
that Flynn merely got drunk and Eel
on rock With fatal effects Only the
Journal and few others OF strong
imagination can soc . murder 10 H.
The Rupert case was one OF man
slaughter when one thief sccidentall,
sho, another when their gang was be
Ing broken up by the officers. "Doc'
Reed, who Is supposed 70 have dons
the shooting, got away, but the gsns
was dispersed, two were sent 10 prison
and the state escaped tho expense o.
trying Reed and boarding him . few
years. Surely justice was at lsas
partially done 10 this case.
The johnson murder vas promptly
taken care Of by the authorities and
the murderer sentenced 10 prison for
life.
Even the Journal admits that al
thai VAS possible was done 10 the Nc
CURE case In Pownal. This was {
case. TOO, In which neither tho victim
nor his assailants lived In the count,
or state. The crime vas doubtless CON
mltied by foreign lsborers employe'
10 railroad building and the Benning
ton county oficlsis found NJ hav'
those Of other places that perpetratorl
Of This class are seldom detected.