The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-03-03
Former Ipswich Clergyman
Charged With Murder
HAPPENED TEN YEARS AGO
Two Days After the Sudden Death Of His
First, Wife, Rev. william Thompson
Married the Nurse Who Had
Been in Charge.

DunNulf mitch o. Ten years hlANl WV
death Of his wife Under circumstance
that were regarded as suspicious, an In
dictment returned by an Essex county
grand jury against the Rev. William J
Thompson Of Ipswich and Edith A
Thompson, alias Edith +. A. Murray, on
the charge Of causing the death Of
Thompson's first wife, has been mol
pressed BY District Attorney w. Scott
Peters, along with 80 criminal eases
against Others that range from simple
assault to murder
Two days after the sudden death Of
his first wife, Thompson married the
nurse who had attended his wife. Then
followed the sudden death Of Mrs. Muir
rays 6.year.old son, soon after hsr mar.
rage to Thompson. After some delay
both bodies were exhumed and an indiet-
ment was found in the case Of the wife.
The Rev. MIR, Thompson was pastor
of Baptist church in Ipswich. Soon af-
ter his marriage to Mrs. Murray they
left town and went to British Columbia
They were never apprehended. The in.
dictment set forth that the Rev. Mr..
Thompson and his nurse Mrs. Murray,
administered morphine to Mrs. Thomp-
son in such quantities as to cause her
death.
The circumstances Of the departure OF
Mr.. and Mrs. after their speedy nuptials
upon the demise of the FIRST Mrs. Thomp.
son; the dsire of the husband that his
wife be Immediately buried on the day
following her death; his marriage with
Mrs Murray afterward aroused suspic-
ion.
Inquiry Followed Flight.
II was the pastor of te North Congre-
gationa church who persuaded Thomp-
son TO defer the wifes funeral for a
few days On the 9th of May Thomp-
son left Ipswich. as was understood, to
90 to Europe upon a tour. After that
came the marriage to Mrs. Murray, who
was a district nurse, and who came to
Ipswich, obtaining board in Mrs. Thomp-
sons family.
The departure of the couple led TO an
investigation into the causes for the
death Of Mrs. Thompson. District Off.
Ger Neal, now chief of the state police,
took up the case. II was manifest from
previous conversations of the late Mrs.
Thompson with her acquaintance that
she was distrustful Of her husband and
especially of Mrs. Murray. She had ex
pressed fear of eating anything lest
she might be poisoned, according to the
physician, DIR. Russell. was of different
opinion OF the cause Of death subsequent
~ it was decided to definitely determine
the matter. The original cause was given
as heart failure. Later, when an air of
mystery had been thrown about it, the
opinion was given that there was nothing
incompatible in the appearance of the
woman with death from opium or from
narcotic poisoning.
The sudden death of the Murray boy
so soon after that OF Mrs Thompson
was recalled and again speculation was
rife. After holding an exhaustive in
quest, District Attorney White ordered
that the boys body be exhumed and
that an autopsy be held by DR.. Bailey.
1t was performed in the presence of DIR.
Tucker and George Haskell. the under.
taker, to whom Mr.. Thompson was quot
ed as saying on the day OF the boys
death. Come down to my house /
have got corpse for you,' and subse-
quently: Hurry mp, rs modification
win set in" telling Haskell that the
Murray boy died Of rupture Of the bow
els.n
The medical examiner found no rupture
or perforations OF the bowels. He found
no adhesions or Inflammation as from
external causes After full examina. |
tion, DR. Bailey announces that Stanley |
Murray died from other than natural
: 1t was ascertained that on the after.
noon before Mrs. Thompson died she |
sent for the Congregational minister to
pray with her, because, as it is declared, |
she said she would not have her hus-
band in her presence" She spoke bit |
terly of Mrs. Murray.
Went to British Columbia.
Thompson and his second wife went
to kamloops, British Columbia, where
he canvassed for newspaper and she
took roomers. Thompson gave out the
statement that he had been Baptist I
minister and when his identity became |
known he said he expected arrest at
any time. He was not arrested and the /
couple left the town and little If any. /
thing has been heard Of them since.