The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-04-29
Crime Committed Late Yes
terday in Secluded Cut Of
Rutland Railroad In North
Bennington and Thomas
Mahan Was Arrested Last
Night. He Denies Guilt.

Bennington, April PA brutal muir
der, following criminal assault or at
tempted assault on little four year-old
Ethel Nfahan, daughter of German
Mahan Of North Bennington, last night
stirred this section of the state to-day,
ais it has not been stirred since the mur-
der OF Marcus Rogers FIVE years ago by
his wife, Mary Rogers. An uncle Of the
child, Thomas Mahan, aged 2s years, is
now under arrest on suspicion Of having
been concerned in the crime and will be
given a hearing as soon as report comes
from the state laboratory at Burlington.
The murder took place in secluded
cut of the Rutland railroad In North
Bennington and was revealed after con
siderable search had been made for the
little girl when she did not return home
Either a razor or very sharp knife
was the weapon used.
EthePs father, German Mahan, and
Thomas Hunt went fishing On Long pond
yesterday and spent practically the en-
tire day at that place, a small body Of
water IN North Bennington During the
afternoon they were joined By Thomas
Mahan, a brother of German. They con.
tinued fishing for a time and then the
latter Mahan and Hunt said they were
hungry, whereupon Thomas volunteered
to 70 to Germans house to get some
thing to eat. lie started of and soon
returned with dinner for the men, be-
ing accompanied on the return by Ethel
Mahan.
Came Back Without Girl.
After waiting around fog a little time
Thomas started back toward Germans
house, accompanied by his little niece.
Later Thomas showed up at his broth
er's house without the girl, saying that
wien they had got half way home Ethel
said she wanted to go back to her faith
ef. Thomas said that he left her and
continued on the way alone.
at length the child's father came
home, likewise without the girl. 4
search was soon instituted, and at eight
O'Clock last night the body of the child
with throat cut from ear to ear, was
discovered in the Rutland railroad cut.
An examination Of the body also showed
a criminal assault had been made or at
tempted. The body was lying in a pool
Of blood. The spot was not more than
ten or twelve rods from Long pond.
where her father had been fishing with
Hunt, although the place was secluded
and entirely cut off from view from the
pond.
Stain on Thomas Shirt Sleeves.
Thomas Mahan was suspected of the
crime, rs was also another brother, who
had been in the insane asylum. But eyi-
denees developed which led the auihori-
ties to believe that the latter had moth.
ing 10 do with the case, it being thought
that he had not left the house. Then
Thomas was searched ont. He was ar.
rested at ten o'clock last night by Sheriff
Godfrey There were some stains on the
young mans shirt sleeves which the
sheriff thought looked like blood. and the
apparel has been sent to the state labor
atory to determine whether or not it is
blood A doctor is also coming to Ben
nington from that institution to per-
form an autopsy on the body OF the vic
tim.
Prisoner Denies the Crime.
Meanwhile Thomas Mahan stoutly
denies that he knows anything about The
crime and he makes the denial with quite
strong assurance. No instrument
which could have been used to cut the
child's throat was found on his person
Young Mahan is employed at the plant
OF the II. j. Cushman company, manu-
facturers of mission furniture. His repu-
tation Is little against him.
The murder victim was bright, pref
ty girl and was quite large for her -four
years. The double crime has caused d
great deal Of excitement here.