Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1913-01-24
ADDISON COUNTY COURT.
Louis Purinton Found Not Guilty
Final Adjournment.

The case of the State VS. Louis G.
Purinton of Starksboro, charged with
the killing of Milo Wright at Starks-
boro in June. 1912, was on trial in the
county court when our report was
closed last week. This case developed
into the record of family broil be-
tween the John Wright family, consist
ing of John Wright, himself, his wife,
Sarah Wright, his son, Milo Wright,
his son-in-aw, Nixon Thompson, and
his daughter, Minnie, wife of Nixon
Thompson on the one side and the Pur-
inton family on the other side. For
about 13 months Morris Russell and
wife had lived on sufferance of both
families to the feud in a certain not
very valuable house in Starksboro to
which the Wrights and the Purintons
claimed possession by various conflicting
deeds running back for about 40 years.
On the day of the unfortunate occur
renee the Russels were moving out to
other quarters and it transpred in the
testimony for the defense that they had
engaged the respondent and his brother,
Linley j. Purinton and Edwin Purinton,
to assist in the removal, and their
father, John Purnton, was there taking
care of the 11-months old Russell baby
John Purinton was 76 years on his last
birthday.
Nixon Thompson, the son-in-law, had
gone with hammer and nails to repair a
fence near the premises in dispute
and his wife had passed the house with
him on her way to a nearby berrying
lot. In passing the Russell house they
discovered that something was happen
ing there and when in the lot they
found Milo Wright, the victim. They
talked things over with him and the
Thompsons came back and halted neal
barn at the Russell place. After g
short time Nixon sent his wife to hei
fathers house to gather the clan and
the result was that John Wright anG
his son, Milo, and his wife, Sarah,
joined the Thompson's at the Russell
home and Immediately proceeded tc
take possession of the premises.
This party invaded the premises in q
body and took forcible possession, Johr
Wright announcing to his companions
that they should go in and throw out
E the inmates and all who were there,
] bag and baggage, and that he had $4,000
= laid by with which to pay the expenses.
Thompson at once began to assist the
: Russells to move out; without any
request for his assistance on their part,
f and he threw out several articles OF
furniture. Finally he threw the ole
= man Purinton from the chair, on which
he was sitting holding the Russell baby
to the floor and the infant was thrown
to some distance away across the floor
This precipitated the row which re
suited in the fatal shooting of Milo
, Wright.
In the December previous Louis Pur
inton had been assaulted and knockeC
down at night and he thought he haC
reason to believe that the Wrights anC
: Thompsons were at the bottom of tha
attack upon him. Consequently ht
; armed himself with a revolver for hi
, own protection from them and theil
2 supporters. When he found himsel
attacked by Milo Wright, Nixon Thomp
; son and Mrs. Thompson he drew hi
revolver and told them it was loaded
and that he would shoot if they didn'
keep away from him. In the scuffl
which followed the weapon was dis
charged and Milo Wright received hi
S fatal wound.
!, The responent took the witness stan,
y in his own defence at 10 O. clock Frida
: morning and completed his testimon
p at 3'oclock on the afternoon of tina
(ContInued on Page 81