St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1914-11-11
VERMONT NEWS
A Double Murder in SimOnsviIIe-
Murderer Has Confessed.


George E. Warner of Andover
was arrested Nov. charged with
the murder of Mr.. and Mrs. Henry
F. Virgins of Simonsville, the day
befo.e. Warner confessed and ex-
pressed satisfaction over the deed.
Warmers wife is daughter of the
Virgins and he is said to have
blamed them for the differences
which resulted in her suing for a
divorce. Warner was found in a
pasture armed with a rifle and shot
gun but surrendered without lesis-
lance Virgins son-in-law, Rams
| dell Amsden, heard their telephone
ringing so repeatedly without an
swer that he became suspicious and
went to their home. He could find
no signs of the family but after
searching an hour found Mrs. Wig
gins body hidden in the woodshed.
She had been shot twice through the
head. Three hours later her hus-
bands body was found in stall in
the BAN hidden under straw. Mr..
Virgins was a prominent man, had
represented Andover in the legisla
ture and was interested in the
grange. At a hearing before Judge
H. H. Blanchard of Springfield on
Friday, Warner pleaded not guilty
to the indictment charging him with
double murder, waived examina-
ton and was. held without bail for
the December term of Windsor
county court. A special grand jury
will be summoned for this case.
Sheriff Kiniry took Warner to the
county Jail at Woodstock.
James Hardness Appointed.
Gov. Allen M. Fletcher has re-
ceived and accepted the resignation
from the state board of education of
President John M. Thomas of Mid
dlebuFy college and has named as
his successor James Hardness of
Sp: ingfield. The new appointee was
born in Schenectady, N. Y, on Sept.
3, 1861. He was educated in the
public schools of Cleveland, o. The
University of Vermont in 1910 con-
ferred upon him the honorary degree
of M. E. He is the president of the
Jones G Lamson Machine Company
and of the Bryant Chucking Grinder
Company, both of Springfield. Mr..
Hartness is well known in the scien-
tific world. He is a member of the
American Society of Mechanical en-
ginee.s, of the Council of American
Society of Mechanical Engineers, a
life member of the Institution of Me-
chanical Engineers, British organi-
Zation for the Advancement of
Science and a member of the Amer
lean Society for Scientific Research.
He is the inventor Of astronomical
apparatus and metal working ma
chimes, having been granted 10
American patents. He has written
on scientific subjects. Mr.. Hart
ness is a member of many New York
and Boston clubs and of the Bos-
ton Chamber of Commerce.
Between 1880 p. m, Nov. and
8 a. m. Nov. 4, Brattleboro was Wis
tied with two fires which entailed a
property loss of approximately $29,-
600. The first destroyed four build
ings on Flat street and the second
Quilted a stable in Crosby square.
The first fi.e was undoubtedly in
cendiary and many think the Sec
on was also. The first Ere started
in a wooden carriage shop owned
by H. G. Barber and that and three
other buildings occupied by the VAIL
ley Grain Co. and Mosher & Tucker,
liverymen, burned to the ground.
When morning came the. e was not
a dry piece of fire hose in Brattle-
boro and the fremen were almost ex-
hausted.
MiddIebury College is to have a
new gTandstand with locker rooms
and shower baths, the gift of a
friend whose name is not revealed.
The stand will be covered and built
of concrete. 1t will have accomo-
dations for the college athletic teams
and also for visiting teams. The
seating capacity will be $500.
Specialists fea- that Carol, two
year-old son of Mr.. and Mrs. Leslie
Gray of Mount Holly will 'ose the
sight of his right eye as the result
of an encounter with an ugly rooster.
The new Episcopal Church of All
Saints at Burlington was dedicated,
Nov. 1. 1t IS the gift of L. c. Clark
and his family in memory of his
wife.
Mrs. Helena Hill of Richmond was
fatally burned on Nov. while pre-
pairing b. eakfast on a chafing dish.
She was pouring wood alcohol from
a can into a dish when it exploded.
Her clothing caught fire and she ran
shrieking into the street where help
put out the fire but too late to save
her life.
Ernest Gray an employee of the
Cooper Mfg. Co. at Bennington fell
into a large vat of boiling water in
the dye room Nov. 5, and was Sc
riously scalded.
The study of Spanish has been in
t. oduced into the curriculum of the
BrattIeboro High School and a dozen
students are taking it.
At the 35th annual convention of
the Vermont Branch of the Woman's
Auxiliary of the Episcopal Church
at Enosburg Falls last week, officers
f11T