The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-06-15
Green Farms Neighbors. Tell of Tramps Whom He
 Harbored
NO CLUES LEFT IN
 FIRE SWEPT RUINS
Companion of Day Had Warned Veteran Against
 Use of Lamp

susoicious that Edward s. Spring, s,,a sred irecluse.and soldier who came to his death on Saturday night in his Historical home at Greens Farms, may have been murdered, were aroused to- dav when it became known that he -ras the recipient quarterly of a large rpe1-sior from the United States gov ernment-
 g-houefa the ruins had been partially cooled during yesterday and today, none has yet been able to thoroughly search the debris and locate the body.
 Ig was today learned that the ola man. IS years of age was of the most hr5sp4tab1e nature and that hls home was infested by -tramps who sought refure So great was the influx in she vicinity several years agosthat res ddcnts complained to the authorities and many were cleaned out 1e IS also known that recently they have again frouuented the neighborhood and ru- rn5rs that an attempt may have been made to rob him of a three-nonths' 1enAon due June 15 are today current 5n the neighborhoed
 A1thoueh it was learned that he had visited southport on Saturday night sn company with a Hungarian faryn- a1ar1d employed upon one of the estates near Springs home .and that he had returned slightly under the h1f1uence r,f Tiuror after spending consider able rnonev. it could not be learned that he had received his pension claim on. Saturday.
 Tne farm hand has stated that they R1ad returned about 10 o'clock and that, after lighting a lamp. In the kitchen flor Spring, he had cautioned him to naIre d lantern to his room with him. uzor what reason the injunction. was given could not be discovered to- day Henufngs, who was first on the scene, Eavv & lamp lying at the foot of the .stafr-caseA Mrs. O H. Jennings was ahe first to discover the hre- Her house is about 800 feet from the Spring community and contained valuable rel des of colonial times The house would have been 200 years old in October.
 She. was awakened by the glare of Tight entering her bedroom through nn open window Waking NIT. Jennings hhey at first thought that the house
 was merely lighted up unusually bright But. as fire was seen flicker ing in the caves, Jennings hastily dressed, while his wife called Walter KoopEnau, a neighbor, and later the fWestport nre-departn1ent
 When Jennings reached the house, hhe lower floors were a seetfing fur mace He broke down the door but could not enter, as the flames drove him back Similar experiences were
 
 the fire department tried to pentrate through the roof but was driven back:
 It was recalled that, about four years ago. Mrs Spring had died and a ne- Ehew, who came from Newark, N. J.. Committed suicide in the house after viewing the remains. He is said to have gone to an upper story and look anR into an antique mirror to have shot himself through the head.
 Although the dead man has a sister. Mrs Bracket, living Tn Co1linsvil1es Conn. 1t is said that the sole heir Ao the estate Is a niece, Mrs. Turney Banks, of New Haven, who came to .Testpprt this morning. Spring had Involved himself into financial difHcul- kies and several years ago deeded the property to her, receiving life use of it.
 She. this morning. deplored the loss bf the house and the old relics it con- kaSned and said that, with the orig ana1 Jennings homestead the Spring house was the second built by the col ronists in Southport. Spring was con- nected with the surgical staff of the Union army during the war and is safd to be the recipient of a pension equal to that of a lieutenant. s Today there was nothing left in the cellar but a charfed mass of burned Eirnber and ashes Sheriff Fl. R. EH- qrood will this afternoon begin clearing the entire excavation in the hope of locating the body of the missing man.