Connecticut western news., 1912-12-05
HELD FOR MURDER
Potter and Wagner, former Canaanites
 Kill a Man.

Kill Man.
 Charles Potter and James Wagner, both former residents of Canaan, are in jail in Poughkeepsie awaiting trial for murder so atrOciOus and brutal that the details. as related, are sickening.
 Friday evening Potter and Wagner, i'll company With German named Horace Vandebogart, started in wagon, from Millerton, for Pine Plains. When they reached Talcott Mountain, a couple of miles from Millerton, the German was set upon by the two desperadOs, who knocked him from the wagon and liter ally stamped him to death Ill the road, jumping upon his head and face with their boot heels until his skull was crushed in, his jawbone broken and his face mangled beyond recognition. He was also battered with butt of 8 heavy whip and left dead, in the road while the murderers went on their way.
 A. carpenter named MilIius on his way to his home in Millerton, stumbled on the body in the highway and hurried to notify the police. Search for the mur- derers was at once begun and Potter was arrested @ little later the same night as he was driving home Wagner was cap tured at his home 8 short time after ward, and both were taken to Pough keepsie and lodged ill jail.
 The murdered man leaves 8 wife and four children. He is described as an industrious, respectable, quiet man, aged 39 years. The murderers are known as : @ bad and worthless lot. They have served terms Ill jail and state prison for various offenses, and Deputy Sheriff Rhoades has repeatedley had occasion to arrest them and take them to Litchfeld
 Later details, gleaned from the Pough- keepsie Eagle, make it appear that the killing, was the outcome of a drunken fight. According to the Eagles account, Potter and Wagner, who were drunk, while riding in Potter's wagon, picked up VandebCgart at IrOndale, on their way to Pulver's Corners, the latter consenting to go with them if he were allowed to drive. He did not drive fast enough and Potter took the reins away from him. Potter admitted that he knocked Vandebogart out of the wagon and both Potter and Wagner confess that there was @ terrific fight, though their stories conflict. Wagner, whose hand was badly cut and bruised, de, clared that Potter had knocked him out of the wagon, too, but Potter says Wag ner fell out. Potter declares Wagner and Vandebogart started the fight and were going it hot and heavy when he separated them. He then attacked Vandebogart and knocked him down three times, as has been said. He de- nies he stamped on the man after he was down, with his heavy boots, or kicked him.
 The road was stalned with blood for a distance of twenty feet around the spot where Vandebogart's body was found.
 The coroner is groping for 8 motive for the crime with none evident but plain maliciOusness.
 Millius testified that he saw the three men on the road below the Palver ten ant house where he lives. Vandebo- gart was standing in the road and was trying to get back in the wagon. He went down to see what was going on and Potter was telling Vandebogart not so get back ill the wagon. as he didn't want him to. Vandebogart was then bleeding from wounds on the face and head, but did not appear to be badly hurt.
 It looked like a dispute between drunken men. Millius went back to his house and let events take their course. Half an hour later he returned and found Vandebogart helpless in the road, but the injured mans companions were nowhere ill sight. Millius called Will liam Pulver and MT. Osborne, who did what they could for Vandebogart. He was just breathing and a few minutes later died.