The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-02-26
ANoTHER MEW 81 LIE cAsE
Shrewsbury Citizen Writes Of Mrs
Crossman and Family.

crossman and Family.
Rutland, Feb 26.-The following let
ter from Frank l.. Russell Of Shrews-
bury expressing Indignation at the
turn matters in connection with the
case Mrs. l.. II. CrOssman have taken,
was received yesterday by the Herald,
and the letter, with the exception OF
a charge made against the character
of Mrs. CrOssman and another mem
Der Of her family, follows;
Shrewsbury, Feb. 20, 1909.
To the Editor Of the Rutland Herald
Sir:-After reading the article IN
this mornings Herald. presenting Mr..
HapgOOd's and Mrs. Crossman' views
OF this neighborhOod. / think in Jus
tice TO the people of Shrewsbury that
the public be made acquainted with
some OF the facts and be given an OPP
portunity to look at the other side
The Crossman family came here
from the town of Brandon less than
two years ago. Mrs. Crossman made
her first appearance in town, in COM
pany with the notorious Frank TAYLOR
(whO she calls her cousin looking for
a place TO locate. They finally set
tied in the house she now occupies.
Mr.. Crossman did not accompany the
family when they first moved.
There was a large family of chill
.dren and they appeared to be in rath-
Ter destitute circumstances. Some Of
the neighbOrs gave her employment
and assisted in other ways.
II took but a short time to decide
that she was very undesirable citi-
zen, as her character was soon deyl.
onstrated by word and deed. No one
has claimed that she abused hec chill.
dren as Mr.. Hapgood mentions. oxcept
in this way; she has given so little
attention TO mending their clothes and
keeping them clean.
When she made the first call on the
town for help Mr. Lord attended to
their needs and notified the town OF
Brandon. The overseer from that
town came and instructed MIR Lord
to give them the necessary helD. The
calls for help became more FREQUENT
and the Brandon overseer decided to
remove them to that town. Mr.. Cross
man was willing to go, but she utterly
refused.
Her conduct with Taylor was such,
that it could not longer be tolerated
and action was taken. Mr.. Lord was
one of many that made complaint. A
warrant was issued by States Ator.
ney Jones and he (Taylor) was bound
over to county court.
She at once became very hostile to-
ward Mr.. Lord and made it very M
pleasant for him in every possible
way, but he has never refused to fur
nish them needed assistance when
called on.
A complaint was made to the states
attorney that he had refused to sup.
ply them with food, etc. Mr.. Lord
went TO her house to investigate when
she assaulted him For this charge
she was committed to Jail.
Now that Mr. Hapgood has made It
possible to spend short time with
her family, and Taylor Is barred from
coming into town, the neighbors hope
she will find time and inclinations to
repair the childrens clothes.
"A privileged character as Hap.
good said. Why the only one in the
state of Vermont? We sincerely hope
there Is not such another in the state
Mother Of 19 children | consider ID
a misfortune to the human race that
a woman of her character ever had a
child.
What is her home? What can II
be? Nothing but a hot bed of In.
iquity.
Why did not Mr.. Hapgood and his
posse of reporters and artists investi.
gate this affair when they we're in
town? AS l understand they made
but one stop aside from Mrs. Cross
mans, and that was to get the picture
of Mr.. Lord.
When she accuses Mr.. Lord of
swearing | feel quite sure she will
find it very difficult, In fact impossible
to convince any one that knows him.
that she is speaking the truth must
have been an echo of her own words.
While it may be true that she lay
in her cell and prayed for help; IL is
certainly true that this same woman
has stood in her door yard and used
language that would shock a Chinese
idol and used 1t in such stentorian
tones that 1t was heard a quarter OF
a mile away
Since Mr. Hapgood is so fayorably
with the fact that she is
the mother of 10 children, the resi-
dents of Shrewsbury hope he will take
this queen" and her retinue to dwell
with him in the mountains of Peru.
Perhaps he can make of the fine chill
dren, useful citizens. There is large
field for operation. | hope he will
consider Mr.. Jones sugges-
ton, that he can have them without
paying a penny.
Yours truly,
Frank L. Russell
(Signed)