The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-13
SHERIFF
SHOT TO DEATH
At MONROE
EFF. Haskins Killed While At
tempting an Arrest
SILAS N. PHELPS, MURDERER
Man Who Committed Crime Escaped
to the Mountains and Has Not
Yet Been Found

While attempting to make an ar
rest Sunday morning at Monroe
Bridge, small hamlet about Is miles
southeast of Bennington and just
over the Massachusetts line from the
town of Readsboro, Deputy Sheriff
Emmett p. Haskins Of Charlemont,
Mass, was shot and instantly killed
by Silas N. Phelps.
Phelps stabbed Superintendent VIII
liam Penman of the Ramage Paper
company at Monroe Bridge at 6 o.
clock Saturday evening. Phelps was
an employe of the company and the
stabbing arose out of an alteration
between the two men. Penman who
was stabbed in the right side was not
seriously injured.
Sheriff Haskins arrived from Char
lemont during the night accompanied
by l.. w. Sears of that town. Five
others were recruited by the sheriff
at Monroe Bridge and the party went
to Phelps home. The doors were
found locked and the sheriff and his
linen we're obliged to force them open.
The party entered the kitchen and
not finding Phelps opened door at
the foot of a flight OF stairs leading
to the attic. Phelps who had taken
refuge in the upper part Of the house
fired upon Haskins, who lead the
party. The charge struck the sheriff
entering the heart and causing death
almost instantly. Sheriff Haskins'
only words were He's got me boys"
The shooting occurred at 430 yester-
day morning. Phelps made his es-
cape to the woods and though search
ed for by large posse all day no
trace OF him had been found up to a
late hour last night
Sheriff Haskins was first notified
OF the assault upon Superintendent
Penman soon after o'clock Saturday
evening, when he received tele-
phone call from a ReadsbOro consta-
Bile at his home on Main street in
Charlemont Accompanied by l.. w.
Sears of Charlemont the sheriff went
by carriage to the scene of the troub-
lie, distance OF ~ miles. They
reached Monroe Bridge about 4 o.
clock yesterday morning and upon
their arrival they swore in Hugh
Tower. John Seymour. Charles F.
Newell. a son OF Deputy Sheriff Brad
ley Newell Of Rowe and young man
named Fisher as a posse.
Following the shooting the body OF
IA. ohnrfM moo Irouyad thrnuub tho
kitchen to the porch by his compan.
Ions. Tower attempted to parley
with Phelps but the latter would
have no communication with any one,
except by firearms and gave warning
that II they were not of his premises
within three minutes he would con.
tinue to shoot them down. They left,
According to Mrs. Phelps her hus.
band remained In the house for near
ly two hours. then he picked up ri
fle. reloaded his shotgun. equipped
himself with ammunition for both
weapons. and walked out OF the back
door OF the house, after bidding his
wife and six children good by and his
whereabouts she does not know
Neither do the officers who gathered
from all quarters of Western Massa
chusetts and Southern Vermont In an
EFFORT to surround Phelps. His home
situated as II is. with woods on all
sides. makes Il almost impossible for
even very large party TO entrap a
man so familiar with the country as
Phelps is known TO be. Incidentally
well armed as he is. and with his re
putation as a desperado, not every
man has q desire TO encounter him
Unexpectedly IN the woods. Nor,
than 40 men were engaged In the hunt
yesterday.