Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-08-06
ELRoy KENT SUSPECTED.
OeIIs q. Conedon Assaulted and
Murdered July ~ In East Wsi-


Iinoford.
Elroy Kent, who escaped from the
state insane hospital at Waterbury July
IL, for the second time, is believed TO be
the slayer Of Miss Della b. Congdon, " no
was assaulted and then brutality murdered
at her home in East Waliingford Friday
morning, July "a.
The body OF Miss Congdon, deaf
mute. about forty years old, WIS found
lying in her pantry in q pool OF blood by
neighbors who noticed that enc lad
failed to take in a bottle Of milk left at
her door. An autopsy performed July
rs by DIR. B. H. Stone Of the state latra-
tory showed that the woman was out
ragged and strangled to death, then
pounded on the head with an instrument
used to cut thin wood. Six cuts were in
fiicted on her head, but none Of them
pierced her skull. Open bureau drawers
showed that the house had been ran
sacked after the crime had been commit
ted.
Suspicion fell on Kent Sunday, II being
learned that he had been in the neighbo:-
hood of East wailingford for several days
previous to the murder. He had talked
with several persons, but no one recog-
nized him and, although they saw that he
was mentally unsound, he seemed to be
harmless, and nothing Was done to de-
term;ne who he wa. or where he came
from.
The authorities found tnat ne mao peen
sleeping in abandoned buildings N the
vicinity, and in the old house on the
BufYum farm on Sugar hill, where he was
born; they found where he had stayed
one or more nights, and on the door he
had carved the following :-sE. Kent.
July %, 1905" II Is believed that he
slept in Miss Congdon's barn on the
night before the murder and on the In
side OF the barn door he cut the initials
"E. XII" the letters being Identical with
those found on the door OF the bnnum
farm house. Through q crack IN the
barn he could see into the woman's bed
room from where he lay, the matted nay
showing where be had slept.
II is believed that when Miss Congcon
unlocked the door Friday morning be
stole in when her back was turned and
grabbed her by the throat, the imprints
OF his fingers being plainly visible After
outraging the woman he killed her with
the weapon and fed.
Blood hounds were put on the tran OF
the fugitive and traced Kent TO an ADAM
doned house Of his brother-in-lsw, Roiiin
wallingfords, but could track him no
farther.
r., ..,., az. ,-;r,,nsr ..rae, a, tine
- - ,-h.,s ,..i,h -. ...;s,.,ce a.
sno,h.r -, n. sol. . small stove ana
.a--,ss .. -, L., ,.h;n 4, TIRE woods
- ,soa - h,-,,.r;-sd a AZ Adams,
rshs..a n. .s cs,gh, ana
-. - -. "a .~--...;o,, o. /. ,er,,
49,, ~ -. pu...s... - 1900 +,
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.,,i Sse~s,.. 1900
-. p,oSs,s ha,sa =, pn,rsy ,rss rury-
$3.50 80 r.,.h "a rsnss,ing risse
..r-,.d &C., shsr5n wiItins Traced
-, :, w, uaI,r hs,e ,he article.
..Ian ,ror, AZ, p,,,o1ss xere found-
-. t.,,o.-.s a. Ca a. pr,ti,g,on a,
.sa. 80 ,,,.,s ,a.a, =. ,.ss ~. ara
. I'm. 49, -. Sa,,.~, ..hsr. 81.
s-,.,.s rs. ,r-r,.~s.,or 80
80. - 49, -. "a rh.n \. carne
80 80, -. 20 w.i,,,g gent
-, 80 "a ,ron ., cIose range
~ 81, .a-to,.i- ~e,,sed IN ,bs heck
r;,. ..a,chss we,. so,,na in b,s nocl.e.s-
4 e., - :, ,hs hosnI,sl in Rurlinytou
.o,,,s ,s,,. bu, ,ecore-ea ana Vas SEN
,.,,cs,, -, serve ,hree years in state nris-
.,,.~ ..,,fc, % MON, h. he esce rad
IN I.nns,r 1aoa Ne wen, 10 Brsttle-
horo ana sole a small sum of money
,ro,,, his cousin w a Kent- wes arrest
"a :, ~. no,ns' ~ III ,,o,her in Manehes-
,s, this s,a,e taken 70 Rra,tIeboro.
nIaced under bonds for appea rance AZ the
county court and taken 10 Newfane iaiI.
Nv affections Of Coyernor sickney he was
sen. 70 Windsor. where he completed his
sen,ence Tor ,he Milton burglary. In his
release in August. 1902. he was taken
90 ~ewfare iaii 10 await trial for his rob
herv in RrattIeboro. He had been in iaiI
o,l,, ,,.n esys g hon no es.aned bx tearius
~, So aoor ana making a hole In The Gel.
~ ,sat,
n, she ,,,h, ~ nec a 1912 Ken,
boar5els the train a, grattIeboro with the
ipten,ion Of riding TO West Toxushend
10 see his moi her who was then living
there. When north OF WilIiamsyille sta.
tom Dr George x. Roberts. nov of Brat
,Ishoro atcbea Kent so closely that the
,.ilhi,d bsca,oe Alarmed and iurnned from
H. rear az the train which was going
4. =, the rate 81 % miles an hour. Ken;
turned over two or three times and struck
wi,h bis head against rail. II was