The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-08-05
DETECTIVE SERVICE
IN WINDSOR COUNTY
Attorney General Brown Tells What was
Done with Expenditure Of Several
Thousand Dollars from Dec.
1. 1912 TO May 1, 1914.

In Windsor county from Dec. /, 1919
TO May /, 1914, the Wood Morgan de-
tective agency was paid for services
S2,2l5 and for expenses $l,5O6.lO, making
total of $3,72llO.
Covering the same time under the
head of detective service the sum OF
S426.s5 was paid to local officers. Or
the amount paid to the Wood Morgan
agency, practically one-third was IN con
neetion with the investigation OF the
mysterious death OF Eugene r. Carr,
who was found dead by the roadside in
Hartford, Oct. /, 1912, and in the in.
yestigation of state VS.. Drown, charged
with the crime of rape. Practically all
of this expense accrued before the pres.
emit attorney general took the once, out
was paid afterward.
In all, seven matters in Windsor coun-
ty, including those above referred TO-
have been the subject OF investigation
by the Wood Morgan agency. OF these
| in one case lin re Eugene +. Carr no
prosecution was instituted. In one case
| lin re Drown a mol pros was entered,
| The other five Investigations resulted IN
prosecutions and convictions. In three
| OF these sentence was to the state pris-
on. one to the house of correction, one
to the county Jail. In each OF two cases
| fine of $500 and costs was imposed
and collected,
| The most important matter investi-
gated in Windsor county was that of
| the death of Frank j. Toby of Wood
AaI found N a
corn field near Woodstock village about
one month after his death. The matter
was investigated by the Wood Morgan
detective agency. In connection with
this case the states attorney OF Wind
sor county under date of May is, 1914,
wrote the Wood Morgan agency as fol-
lows:
/ "The finding of the body of Frank
Toby in a corn field in Woodstock, Vt,
under circumstances which warranted
the belief that he had come to his death
by foul means was most battling mys-
! terry. | held an inquest at which ! ex-
amined 63 witnesses. This inquest de-
veloped the fact that the last man seen
with him was George w. Briggs, who
was in team with Toby apparently
headed for White River Junction, VI,
at quarter past ten on the evening OF
August 25. Briggs committed perjury
at the INQUEST: so | had him arrested
on that charge and he was held IN jail
| for the December term under $1,000
bonds. ] was convinced that he either
killed Toby or knew who did, but could
find no evidence beyond the fact that
he was with Toby at the hour atore-
said If there ever was case that war
ranted the assistance of trained detec-
tiyes this was one and with the con
sent Of the attorney general ! employed
your agency and received from you very
efficient service. After most care
full investigation it became apparent to
us all that the only way to clear up
the mystery was to secure confession
from Briggs, and your operative, Mr..
Stearns. with the assistance OF Officer
]. Fl. ODER and other county officials,
skillfully obtained this result. The con-
fession Of Briggs made the crime man.
slaughter and the state under the cir
cumstances was obliged to accept this
plea"
The above is fair and unprecedented
statement regarding this case. Briggs is
now serving sentence in the state pris-
on.
Another important matter in connee-
ton with which detective service was
used was the investigation of the escape
OF one Patrick MCGOWAN from the state
prison with the assistance OF one Laura
Osmere. MCGOWAN was finally returned
to the state prison and Laura Osmere,
who assisted in his escape, was prose
cuted in Windsor county court and sen
fenced to serve not less than one and
half years and not more than two years
in the house of correction.
The case in re Charles Batchelder was
also investigated by an operative Of the
Wood Morgan agency. Three ind.3t-
ments were found against this respond
emit, one for obtaining funds by use of
a fraudulent check and two for EN-
bezzlement. To each of these indict-
ments the respondent pleaded guilty.
A small expense was also made in the
case of state vs.. Gerling. This man was
an old offender and had passed fraudu
lent checks in several different counties
in this state. He was convicted in
Windsor county and is serving sentence
in the state prison.
In view of the serious nature OF the
matters investigated and the results OBJ
tanned, it is believed that no just crit
cism can be made regarding the use
of detective service in Windsor county.
Respectfully,
r. Z. Brown,
Attorney General.