The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-07
AUTHORITIES LOOK UP
DEATH BY HANGING
Michael Manning's Body, Found Sus,
pended in House on Beckley Hill,
Was Not Cut Down Until
Last Evening.

State authorities late yesterday after
noon visited the A. TOmasi tarmouse oI
Beekley Hill for the purpose of inquirins
into the circumstances surrounding tb'
death OF Michael Manning. Led by Dep
uty Sheriff II. A. Slayton, a thorough
examination of the promises was cpn
Quoted and several OF the lumbermer
living at the house, where Manning
body was found suspended from hooS
in a closet on the second floor, were
questioned by the officers. Viewed from
every angle, the mans death appeared
to be plain case of suicide and the
body was accordingly cut down at 5;3t
o'clock and taken in M. J. Whiteomb's
ambulance to East Barre.
Conflicting stories as to the nature oi
the mans death and the position of the
body when discovered by Guiseppi Yee
at 1890 o'clock in the afternoon led
Health Officer DR.. E. II. Bailey of Gran
iteville to notify States Attorney j,
Ward Carver. 1t developed afterwards
that the dead mans feet touched the
floor when Yeo found the body, and the
body rested in this position when the
health officer arrived. Although there
was little disposition to suspect foul
play in the case, it was deemed advisa-
bic to carefully investigate the circum-
stances
Manning was employed at the Tomasi
farmhouse as cook for the men en-
ployed in an adjoining timber lot The
lumbermen left the place at o'clock
yesterday morning and two of Mr.. Tom
asi's young sons, who also stay at the
house, set out for school at $3.50 O'Clock.
Returning home at noon, the men work
ing in the woods failed to find Manning
and began searching the house. Walter
Mortimer, a teamster, went at once 10
his room in the second story and diseov-
cred the loss of SO in bills left in a
coat pocket yesterday morning For the
moment he suspected the missing cook
of the theft, but an exclamation from
another room on the same floor caused
him to run into the corridor, where Yeo
had just found the body of Manning
hanging in a small clothes closet.
In telling his story of the discovery
to the officers yesterday. Yeo said that
the shock of Unexpectedly seeing the
dead body suspended from the hook
ctHtliltH Ht4ti lti Stftiat minutes -'tJi
timer Immediately telephoned Mr.. Tom
asi. who was in East Montpelier at the
time. and the latter in turn notified
Health Officer Bailey. Up to last nigh;
the teamster, Mortimer, had failed TO
find any trace OF the missing money,
which was pilfered from his pockets, ac-
cording to the story told the officers.
The dead man is said to have been in
poor circumstances. and he left few, it
any effects at the Tomasi house In his
pockets were found small quantities of
tobacco, supply Of matches, two dish
cloths and recipe for angel cake. He
was rather scantily clad ana quantities
OF blood which had streamed out OF his
left ear after strangulation set in. were
over his clothing. Friends of
Manning say that he leaves wife living
at the present time in Waterbury. He
was 81 years old and had worked in
the vicinity of Barre and Montpelier for
some wears. For several months he had
complained OF rheumatism and on differ
INT occasions he is said to have confided
IN friends that he wished for the end.
II is said that he belonged to Masonic
lodge, either in Waterbury,or Montpelier.
Deputy Sheriff Slaytou took charge of
The rope with which the deed was com
mitted and the dead mans effects.