The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-10-30
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
in GREENFIELD
Former Brattleboro Girl Shot
and Instantly Killed.
HER SLAYER COMMITTED SUICIDE
Mrs. Harriet Wing Who Formerly
Worked in Local Overall Factory the
Victim OF Benjamin Z. Gaines-Lovo
Affair at the Bottom OF the Case.

4 double tragedy involving young wo,
man who formerly lived in Brattlehoro
took place IN Greenfield about go Wedncs.
day evening when BENJAMIN T.. Gaines,
| ~, shot and instantly killed Mrs. Harriet
| NJ. Wing ~, a clerk IN the Wilson depart.
/ ment st0rr, Gaines then turned the W
yolyrr on himself aud fined a shot through
his right temple, inillcting a wound from
/ which be died At the Franklin county
/ hospital at 1880 that night. The murder
/ aud suicide took place on the piazza Of
the house OF Henry Bates az II Wells
street. where Mr.. Wing made her home,
| hut in spite OF the fact that four shots
were fired aud were heard by a number Of
persons including Mr.. aud Mrs. Bates, II
was fully two hours before the discovery
ot the crime took place.
The tragedy was undoubtedly the result
Of insane jealousy on the part of Gaines,
who had for six months been attentive Ia
Mrs. Wing. though exactly what led up TO
the shooting no one could accurately state.
Gaines had been very devoted in his at.
tcntions 10 the young woman, but so far
a. j. known there was no engagement.
Wednesday morning while on his way To
the factory OF the Rcece company where
lee was employed, Gaines stopped IN the
street and had some conversation with
Mrs. Wing, who was in her room on the
second floor Of the Bates house. That
night on his way home from work Games
stopped and had further conversation with |
Mrs, Wing on the piazza. Just what oc'
CURED no one can accurately state, hut |
apparently when Gaines fired his iirst |
shot Mrs. Wing started 10 run along the
piazza. as her glasses were found at |
point some distance from where she was |
when the other shots took effect.
When about $50 the bodies were dis
covered. that of Mrs. Wing was lying on
the ground, indicating that after the fatal
shots were fired she fell over the. railing
Of the piazza. Gaines's body was hanging
on the piazza railing. The, girls body had
three bullet holes IN the left breast. and
one bullet passed clear through her body
Gaines's wound was in the right temple,
and brain matter was ooZing from II.
Mr.. Bates and his wife heard the shots,
but paid no particular attention to them,
thinking possibly that some one had shot
al dog. f. II. Burns, who lives short
distance below Mr.. Bates on Wells street,
heard three shots fired in rapid success
sion and then a fourth after short inter
val. lie passed by the house soon after :
md heard some one breathing, but think
ing il might be a dog passed by without :
making any investigation. The bodies /,
we're discovered about $50 by Miss Jennie
Reed, who was passing by and hearing
,roans, called the attention of Mr.. and
Mrs. Bates to the sounds.
Mr., Gaines was the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Benjamin A. Gaines of Court square, and
lad been employed as an inspector at the
Reece factory. His parents are highly re-
pected +. l.. Gaines is a brother In
N interview with the aged parents of MIR.
ianes il was learned that he lett the
louse about o'clock in the afternoon, )
nd when asked by his mother if he were
oming home TO supper replied Maybe, !;
hey did not know of his returning, and
he first intimation the old people had OF II
he death of their son was conveyed by a
ewspaper man. They were greatly over
ONE by the news. II
,ken his suppers with Mrs. Wing at her in
Dom She was in the habit of taking her
inners at various restaurants and provld, Y
10 her other meals at her room. Mr.. and
Irs. Gaines said that their son had been
w-spirited of late and had frequently APP u'
cared to be very melancholy.
Mr.. and Mrs. Gaines know nothing OF te
le relations between their son and Mrs
ing beyond the fact that he had been in
'etty constantly in her company for sew
al months. Chief Manning stated that VI.
| he had to say of the tragedy was that Wv
was probably the result of lovers
Iarrel. OF this, however, Mr.. and Mrs. WI
ltes knew nothing.
Harriet Mabel Wing is a daughter of I'M
rs. Emery Jones, who formerly lived in
.xtons River and is now said to be living in
Langdon, n. H. She was married
out y years ago to George Wing of u
ltney and lived in that town for a time re,
icy had two children, one of whom is
ing and is about nine years old; Six FIR
airs or more ago Mr.. and Mrs. Wing
Darated. She filed petition for; divorce J.
the Windham county court July y,
arc arch term, " 1901 and was then discon- Or
ued. Mrs. Wing lived in Brattleboro u
: some time after her separation, being at
ployed at The Merose in West Brattle- S
70, the Hooker Corser Mitchell over itil
factory and for a few weeks at the \
attleboro house. She went away from rom Wis
re about two years ago and was after, T
I'd employed for time in the Hotel do,
INDIAN in Bellows Falls va,