The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-06-10
DEATH OF VETERAN
IS TO BE FULLY
INVESTIGATED
Alexander Freeman Died After
An Alteration.
PROBABLY FROM WEAK HEART
Superintendent Harmon Promptly No
titled States Attorney and Autop-
sy Will be Made

Alexander Freeman, aged 20, vet
eran inmate Of the Soldiers Home,
died in the hospital there this morn
ing at 1880 under circumstances that
are to be thoroughly investigated.
Superintendent Thomas Harmon
promptly notified States Attorney
w. J. Meagher and is giving him all
the assistance possible in getting at
the truth in the matter.
States Attorney Meagher went at
once to the home and secured the
statements OF all those having any
knowledge OF the matter and DR.. b.
II. Stone, pathologist of the state lab
oratory of hygiene at Burlington, will
arrive this afternoon on the flyer to
perform an autopsy on the body OF
the deceased. Two members of the
board of trustees of the home, Col.
Hugh Henry of Chester, president OF
the board, and Col. j. H. Goulding OF
Wilmington were present when the
affair occurred.
The circumstances of the case are
as follows: Mr.. Freeman got into an
alteration with Henry G. Camp, also
an inmate at the home, yesterday af-
ternoon and the two came to blows,
as a result of Freeman calling Camp
a ---- liar. Freeman was
large and powerful man and could
easily have handled Camp. He was
in fact getting the best of it when
Herbert Barden, also an inmate OF the
home and who has an appointment as
| special policeman, arrived on the
scene and got between the two men,
In trying to separate them, all three
| fell to the floor in the corridor adjoin-
| ing the smoking room.
In a minute or two the trouble
seemed all over and Mr.. Barden re-
| turned to some work he was doing in
another room, but in q few minutes
Freeman again approached Camp and
is said TO have struck him. Mr. Bar
den heard the row and again rushed
TO interfere In the melee all three
were again on the floor and some
| blows were struck. Several men were
near by but none of them were able
| bodied enough TO assist. After a
minute however, the struggle was
| stopped but Freeman was unable TO
get up and had to be assisted to a
chair.
Word was carried to Superinten-
dent Harmon and he and Col Henry
came at once TO the scene. Col. Han
non asked Freeman If he was hurt
| and Freeman complained that his
right leg was injured so that he could
not raise it, The superintendent had
| him removed at once TO the hospital
| and DR.. Ross summoned The doctor
found no serious injury but the pa
tent was highly excited and his
heart was weak though his condition
| did not excite alarm.
| This morning at about o'clock the
night nurse at the hospital noticed
that Freeman's condition had chang
| ed for the worse and the doctor was
again summoned but the patient was
beyond help and died at 1880. States
| Attorney Meakher was at once mott
| fed by Col. Harmon and arrived a
| few moments later and began his in
| vestigation.
| Mr.. Freeman was a man of nervous
| and irritable disposition and with i'll
health and advance of years gradu-
| ally grew worse. Mr. Camp is also
of a nervous, excitable makeup and
this probably accounts for the begin
ming of the trouble The two men
were on the porch when the argument
started but stepped into the corridor
before Mr.. Barden's arrival.
Mr.. Freeman was admitted to the
home from Hinesburg four years ago
He leaves a wife and grown children
His son is expected tomorrow to take
home the body.