The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-08-07
DETECTIVE SERVICE BILL
Attorney General Gives Windsor
County Figures

1 bufllnStOn, AUG. Oil WlnuSO
County from December list, 1912 Il
May 1st 1914, the Wood-Morgan De
tective Agency was paid for services
two thousand two hundred fifteen do
lars and for expenses one thousanC
five hundred six dollars and tel
cents, making a total OF three thous
and seven hundred twenty-one dollars
and ten cents.
Covering the same time under the
| head of detective service the sum oil
four hundred twenty-six dollars and
eighty-1ve cents was paid to local
officers. OF the amount paid to the
| Wood-Morgan Agency, practically one
third was in connection with the in.
vestigation of the systeriou8 death of
| Eugene +. Carr, who was found dead
| by the roadside in Hartford, VI,
| October LIST, 1912 and in the inyestiga
ton of State VS. Drown charged with
the crime of Rape Practically all of
! this expense occurred before the pres
ent Attorney General took the office
but was paid afterward
In all seven matters in Windsor
County including those above refer
red to have been the subject of inves-
tigation by the Wood Morgan
Agency. OF these in one case Tin
Re Eugene F. Caro- no prosecution
fngfffnfaH In IL Do
Drown a mol pros was entered. The
other five investigations resulted in
prosecutions and convictions. In
three of these sentence was TO the
State Prison, one TO the House of
Correction, one to the County Jail
In each of two case a fine of three
hundred dollars and costs was inn
posed and collected
The most important matter inyesti.
gated in Windsor County was that of
the death OF Frank j. Toby of Wood
stock whose dead body was found in
a corn field near Woodstock village
about one month after his death
This matter was investigated by the
Wood-Morgan Detective Agency. In
connection with this case the States
Attorney of Windsor County under
date of May 18th, 1914, wrote the
Wood-Morgan Agency as follows
"The finding OF the body of Frank
Toby in a corn field in Woodstock,
VT. under circumstances which war
ranted the belief that he had come to
his death by foul means was a most
battling mystery. | held an inquest
at which examined sixty-three wit
nesses.. This inquest developed 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 25th. Briggs committed pur
Jury at the inquest so | had him ar
rested on that charge and no was
held in Jail for the December term un
der ten thousand dollars 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. II there ever was case that
warranted assistance of trained de-
tectives this was one and with the
consent of the Attorney General | EN-
ployed your Agency and received
from you very efficient service. After
a most careful investigation it be
came apparent to us all that the only
way TO clear up the mystery was to
secure a confession from Briggs and
your operative Mr. Stearns. with the
assistance of officer J. II Ober and
other County officials, skillfully OBJ
tanned this result. The confession of
Briggs made the crime manslaughter
and the State under the circum
stances was Obliged to accept this
plea"
The above is a fair and unprejudic.
cd statement regarding this case.
Briggs is now serving sentence in the
State Prison.
Another important matter in con-
nection 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 prosecuted in Wind
sor County Court and sentenced 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 Batohelder
was also Investigated by an operative
OF the Wood Morgan Agency. Three
indictments were found against this
respondent. one tor obtaining funds
by use of fraudulent check and two
for embezzlement. To each of these
indictments 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 fraudulent checks in several diff
ferent 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