The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-13
FARMER SHOT BURGLAR
Had Undertaken to Rob House Near
PittsfieId

Pittsfield, May 13.-An unidentified
man, having with him pawn ticket
with the name James King" there
on, was shot and killed by John
Parker, a farmer on Holmes road
yesterday morning about 2:15 o.
clock after the man had entered Mr..
Parker's house and had made his es-
cape after his presence became
known Mrs. Parker heard noises in
the cellar and waking her husband,
told him she suspected burglars were
in the house. Mr.. Parker reached
into the commode for a 28-calibre
Smith & Wesson revolver which he
uses in slaughtering cattle, and in
his night shirt only, made for the
cellar. His wife saw the intruder
leave the cellar hatchway and run
around the end of the house, and In
formed her husband Of the action.
Mr.. Parker then ran out upon his
front veranda and was able to dis
Germ the form of man running to-
ward Pittsheld from the house. He
Jumped over the 'baustrade and
shouted for the man to stop, at the
same time firing shot into the air.
The man continued running and Mr..
Parker in pursuit Mr. Parker when
about five rods from the man, fired
at his legs, according to his story,
intending to stop him. Continuing
his pursuit, Mr.. Parker came up to
the man about 400 yards from the
house and pointing his revolver at
him, commanded him to hold up his
hands. The man made an ineffectu-
al attempt to strike Mr. Parker with
cane he carried. raised his hands
slightly above his head. staggered
forward about Is feet and fell on the
grass at the side of the road.
Fred Bunce, a neighbor, hearing
the shots, came running out, and Mr.
Parker gave the revolver to him to
stand guard over the man while Mr..
Parker left and notified the police
OF the occurrence.
officer McColgan was sent to the
scene in a buggy and upon reaching
the place. about a mile and one-half
outside the city, he was shown the
fallen burglar He turned the man
over and noticed Immediately that
he was dead He so remarked TO
Mr.. Parker, who had returned and
Mr.. Parker said, 81 didn't mean to
kill him" The station-house was no
titled of the death of the man and
the police patrol removed the body
to the undertaking rooms OF Kenney
& Tate, where Medical Examiner
Henry Volt viewed II. An examina
ton made OF the wound showed that
the bullet entered the right thigh
and went through the leg, perforat
ing the femoral artery, causing
hemorrage, which soon resulted IL
death.
The burglar gained entrance to the
Parker home through the cellar
hatchway. which was unlocked. Tit
door at the head OF the cellar stair
leading into the Parker kitchen wa
locked and It was while fumbllng a
the lock OF this door that he mad,
the noise that Mrs. Parker heard
When shot, he carried satche
worn with usage. which he had al
ed with potatoes from the Parke
cellar. He also carried a packag
containing a ham, chicken, tw
pounds OF butter, two loaves OF cak
and one OF bread, a can OF salmon
and other edibles which he had tai
en- from the cellar.
A search OF his clothing and sal
chel revealed many bits OF jewelr
and other articles. which shove,
plainly that the art OF burglary wa
: q profession with him. Four bur
ches OF skeleton keys were found
two on his person and two in tn
, satchel. With these keys he coul
have entered any home. store or ban
, in the city, according to experts VIII
q have seen them. There were 2
keys on one ring, 20 on another an
= about so more on the other two. TIL
key was left on the inside OF tn
. cellar door at the Parker house an
:, this was what caused him to max
a noise in trying to open e.
4 Mr.. Parker presented himself Q
. the police station bright and earl
yesterday morning and told the pc
. ice and reporters his story. He o
fered to furnish surety at any tim
and retained Lawyer Michael l.. III
=, ner as his counsel Later In the df
"a surety for appearance was fixed
n $1,000, which he furnished. and II
n probable that a charge Of manslaug
y ter will be placed against him.
n is the belief OF Chief White that n
" affair is one OF justihabe homicid
but this will be decided at an
quest to be held soon.