The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-18
Massachusetts Town Has
Earl. Sunday Morn
ing Murder.
TWO BOYS FINALLY
CAPTURE SLAYER
Churches Are Emptied of Men,
Who Join in the
Pursuit.

NORTH ABINGTON, Mass, July Is
Lawrence Nelson was today captured
by two boys and given into the custody
Of the BrOckton police, who locked him
UP on the charge Of numbering David
Vanderpoole, a wealthy farmer Of this
town.
Vanderpoole was called from his
breakfast table by Nelson, who urged
the farmer to step into the back yard
on the pretense of discussing the ques-
ton Of wages as a workman on the
truck farm. AS the farmer opened the
door TO go into the yard, Nelson fired
two shots from a 32-calibre revolver,
his victim falling deaI and his body
rolling down the steps to the ground.
Leaps Fence.
Before those in the house who had
heard the shots could capture Nelson
the latter had leaped a fence and was
fast making his way across a field to-
ward large piece of woods While
two of the dead mans daughters lead
the chase across the field. others at
tempted to restore some spart of life I'm
VanderpOole's body. The two girls
gained rapidly upon the fleeing man,
he disappeared In the woods and was
lost in the thick Underbrush.
News of the murder was telephoned to
the police at North Abingdon. Rockland
Brockton, ant other towns and a Gordon
thrown abOu the NanderpOOle estate
so that il was utterly impossible for the
murderer 10 make good his escape. TAX
ing no chances, the police sent word 10
all the churches and ministers annOunC-
ed the killing of AIr. VanderpOoIe and
8F he
Join IN the hunt for his slayer. In less
than an hour after the murder the
woods were being beaten through by
armed men and all roads Were carefully
guarded.
Halted In Road.
It was not long afterward that James
Hoey and Frank Williams were driving
over the road between North Arlington
and Brockton, when disheveIed man
appeared from the woods and hating
the team in which the boys were riding
declared that he had killed a man. The
boys. frightened attempted to drive on,
hut were ordered 10y Nelson at the point
Of a revolver to help him escape from
arrest. The boys humored the murderer
and told him he would be safe If he
rode with them and ne boarded thu
team
The lads drove to Brockton. where
they found a policeman. Before Nelson
knew what was happening ne WAS
thrown TO the bottom of the carriage,
hapdcuffed and taken 10 police head
uarters. There he confessed he had
killed VauderpOOl and declared his rea-
son was because the farmer had dis
charged him some time ago ana re-
fused TO reinstate him.
Nelson is twenty-nine years old, and
recently escaped from an asylum TOR the
insane at Nashua. \. II where ne had
been committed after being arrested for
housebreaking. II was his second es-
cape from the institution. on the first
occasion he went 20 Van ltrp0Ole's farm
and asked for employment Unaware OF
his insanity. NanderpOOle hired the man.
He acted so strangely that VauderpOOle
discharged him few dsvs ago. He had
been seen by the police Of BrOcktOn and
North Abingdon, bat Nelson declared
to them that he had been discharged
from the asylum as cured.
NandeTpOOle was a prominent farm
er in central Massachusetts, owning
one Of the largest truck farms in the
State.