The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-11-15
F FOSTER MUST GO
TO WINDSOR FOR
IS YEARS
For Fatally Shooting 0ssie E.
Prouty of Halifax
APPEAL TO SUPREME COURT
Man Who Studied for Ministry Dis
plays No Emotion When Re
ceivIng Long Sentence.

Newiane, Nov 14.-Just before
noon today Lou A. Foster OF Halifax
heard Judge W. W. Miles in Wind
ham County court pronounce upon
him sentence of not less than 10
years or more than 10 years at hard
labor in the state prison for shooting
and killing his neighbor, Ossie Elmer
Prouty, on the evening of Oct. l6
in front OF the Foster house at Hal
fax.
Foster received the sentence, as he
had the verdict of the jury. like a
sole Later his face plainly indicat
ed disappointment at the length of
the sentence.
f. ". Gibson and W. II. Daley,
counsel for Foster. argued for len
iency, declaring that he had been a
man Of influence and had accomplish
ed much good. States Attorney a.
Y. y. Piper, arguing for the state de
c'ared that he had been a disturber
in the town and that the shooting of
Prouty was absolutely unjustihed
Attorney Gibson announced this
afternoon that the case would be
taken to the Supreme court on ex
cepuons.
The circumstances leading up to
the shooting were that Foster and
Prouty who lived about 30 rods from
each other on Thomas hill in Halifax
about three miles beyond Hipesburg
village, had been a loggerheads for
several years and had frequently
Quarreled verbally and threatened
each other. although there is no
record that either had actually
assaulted the other.
Thursday morning, October l6, as
Prouty drove by the Foster farm on
his way to W b. Warrens mill with
load OF apples the two men had
( some sort of an alteration over
Proutys dog which Foster claimed
was vicious and ought to he killed
On Proutys return the argument
was continued. and again in tho after
neon, when Prouiy was on his way
to Warrens mill. there was moro
! trouble, II being claimed that the dog
at that time bit ono of the children
OF Fosters hougekeeper. Mrs. Mabel
| Cumming.
When Prouty appeared on his wag
on in front of the Foster house a
short time after o'clock the quarrel
had It's fatal elimination. According
70 Mrs Cumming, who was the only
! eye witness OF the shooting. the al
tercntion began when Foster began
/ TO cali Prouty names and the latter
replied u Foster didn't shut up he
would kill him.
Prouty then stepped out of the
wagon and struck Foster twice IN
the face with his fist. The mon
/ cliuched and in the brief scuHc that
cnsued Foster fred his revolver
/ three times. mt least one OF tho
/ bullets entering the victims fore
head just over the right eye. Prouty
/ fell 10 the ground without a sound.
and the man who killed him, after
rushing into his house. jumped upon
/ his horse and rode five miles to The
home OF Constable Green Worden in
/ Marlboro. whence he was taken ia
( Brattleboro. and later 20 Newfanc
jail.
As soon as Foster had gone Mrs
. Cumming rushed 10 the home of Ho
sea Fisher nearby shouting "mur
der Prouty's team had meanwhile
gone home. and his wife got hel
first iutimation Of trouble when sh,
went out TO meet her husband and
found be was not on tho wagon.
Suspecting that something va.
wrong she left her two young chi
dren and rushed up the road towar,
the Fos-er farm. 4 rcd or two b,
vond her house she was met b,
H0sea Fisher and his son. ora. aus
was told that her husband had beer
fearfully hurt. 4 expected IT," wa
her only comment.
Foster Is about 81 years old an,
: has lived In Halifax for about si-
years. lie was born IN Psvlet an,
| prepared for the ministry az Tro,
Conference academy tn Poultney
where be was a. one time in the pul
fishing business under the firm nam
of L. A. Foster 4 CO.
His name appears as reviser OF
the title page OF a volume enti'le
standard American Bushes
Guide.' Whether he ever entere
the ministry is not known. althoug
be acted as a book agent for som
time and is said 70 have lived in va