Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-21
MORE THAN 5000
ATTEND FUNERAL
Bodies Of tie Murdered Mornec
Family Laid at Rest Side
by Side.
ROADS BLOCKED BY TEAMS
Many of the Morbi.lly Curious
Brought Their Lunches and
Had an All-Day
Picnic.
ROADS BLOCKED BY TEAMS

mary MOTDeI, ntr SoH, Arthur, anu TWO
daughters, Blanche and Edith, who were
murdered Tuesday noon presumably by
an Italian farm hand employed by them,
were laid at rest side by side in the
little cemetery at Defreestville.
Although the hour for the funeral was
~ o'clock it was scarcely daylight when
the people began to arrive at the farm
house and by ten o'clock every road
leading to the scene of the murder was
congested with automobiles and vehicles
of all kinds and pedestrians. At II 80
there were over five thousand persons
congregated about the house or morbidly
exploring the barn where the bodies
were found Wednesday night. Many Of
the crowd brought lunches with them and
the scene took on the appearance of a
farmers picnic
Shortly before II: 80 Undertaken Rookie
Teller appeared at the front door of tho
cottage which had been kept securely
locked and announced that all who wish
ed might view the remains. There was
wild rush but Sheriff Cottrell was
there with several deputies and compell-
ed the eager spectators to line up In an
, orderly manner pass by the baskets and
out through the rear door The bodies
| son, Arthur, in an oak coffin and those
| of his mother and two sisters in white
| baskets. There was profusion of flow
! erS sent by neighbors and friends for
| miles around.
FIGHT TO STOP CROWD.
For two hours the crowd filed through
the rooms and then the doors were or
dered closed but it required the COM
bined efforts of the sheriff and his IL men,
assisted by a number OF sturdy farmers
to keep back those who had not viewed
the remains and were determined to do
so despite the stern command of the sher-
if to keep back. In the crush women
tainted and had to be carried out and
great confusion followed.
| The services began ct 80 and were con-
Quoted by the Rev. John Bulnes, pastor of
the Bloomingrove Reformed Church, of
| which the four members of the Morner
| family had been members Quartette
| sang appropriate selections and the min
lister in his remarks drew n lesson from
| the tragedy, urging his hearers to .e ready
for sudden death. At the conclusion of
the services the pastor and many of the
friends rccited the Christian Endeavor
| henedction, the two girls having Joined
that organization just a week ago to-day
Four hearses bore the remains to the
cemetery followed by a crowd The serv-
| ices at the grave We're simple but i'm
pressive The quartette sang Lead,
! Kindly Light" and the minister read the
ritual. AS the bodies were lowered into
| he graves. men and women sohbed aloud,
and low-spoken threats against the muir
derer were heard.
ANOTHER SUSPECT HELD.
North Adams Mass. Dec 17.--An
italian whose description tallies with
that of Edward Donate, the farm hand
sought In connection with the murder
of four members of the Morner family
IN Defreestville y. y, last Tuesday.
was arrested to-day. asleep at the
Wi!liamstOwn railroad station HIS
appearance indicated that he had
walked a long distance and his clothes
were soaked by the rain of the past
few days. He appeared 20 he almos:
exhausted. Fcndirg tie arrival CT
police officers from Albany. tho Itlaian
10 locked up hero on suspicion.
t.poa being questioned by the police
the man said that ho had walked from
Mecharicsv.lie, \. Y. At first he said
his lame was Charles ALI nut later
aid 1t was Antonio Cerato Although
admitting that he had been in Troy,
~ Y. recently he denied that he was
in Albany. During tho questioning he
Is eatd to have made several conflict
ing r;atements.
Officers from Troy and Hudson have
boon in :his vicinity since yesterday
IN the belief that Donate might have
come this way.
AFTER FINGER PRINTS.
AlhGny, y. Y, Dec. l1.--While the fun
eral oervCes fer the Morncr familj
murder victims were being conducted to-
: day, Sheriff elect Smell with William 7
} Powers. finger print expert from th'
State prison department, and number
: OF deputies re-examined the constable
unde cncath the floor ~ which tn" fcui
mutiiated bodies were found.
Tho only physical result OF tho searcl
WAS a sunbonnet, supposed to have beef
worn By Mrs. Morner, and an oat sack
both 40 saturxted with blood that drop
Of the fluid spattered TO the floor n
Q th.v ware lifted from their hiding plac
Y under the floor of the Granary In tn,
g barn. In the bonnet were two long Sits
.
r side, corresponding to gashes found OF
{ Mrs Morner's head,
o Aside from these, Mr.. Powers took pos
S session Of "A picco Of board on which
3 was what Is believed to be the prn
Z of a bloody finger. From an examina
T. ton Of this and the handle of the hatche
o with when the murders were commit
I ted, along with the balesticlI believed t
@ have been used 20 first stun the victims
= Mr., Powers hopes 20 evolve n perfec
e finSer-line description that can be use'
to positively identify the guilty persol
s or persons.
d Another development to-day was tn
d statement of Mrs. George w. schallel
n two OF three pocketbooks owned by tn
l. dead girls and a couple OF bank book
u were missing. She also believes tn
J! rings worn by the girls have been sto
en-. as well as one of their gold watches
Sheriff Cottrel will investigate a rumo
heard to-day that an Italian endeavore
II to dispose OF a gold watch and severe
l. rings 10 an italian shoemaker in uppt
i Rensselaer,, n, Y, which Is but fou
e miles from the scene of the murder.
x No vertincation OF the identity Of d
2 man arrested at Williamstown was mad