The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-03-14
Reasons Why Brattleboro
Men Were Excluded from
Getting Share
KIRKWOOD ASKED
TO BE COUNTED OUT

| and Chief Wilson Was Before Re-
ward Was Offered-Snowden and
Hanrahan Worked on Own Initiative
Judge Robert n. Chamberlin s find
ings relative to the claimants for the
ST 900 reward in the John Wren muir
der case and the manner in which he
disposes of all but two of the claimants
contain some interesting facts and de-
ductions. AS stated last week Judge
Chamberlin of Berlin, n H., divided
the reward, offered by the Holbrook,
Cabot & Rollins corporation ''for the
apprehension and delivery to the New
Hampshire officers of the person or
lpersons who committed the murder of
j. Stewart Hamilton at Hinsdale, New
Hampshire, on Feb. 5, 1913,' between
Milton Snowden of Everett, Mass, a
porter in the North station in Boston,
$400, and Francis Hanrahan, police
detective in Halifax, Nova Scotia,
5000
| Originally there were eight claim
ants, the two above mentioned, Joseph
| Z. Burns, a Boston detective who after
wards diselaimed any interest in the
suit, Frank O 'Brien, a Boston police
1 man, Luigi DTdluO- CiIADlONt O1 the
Holbrook corporation, and David $.
/ Carey, Ralph Kirkwood and Police
Chief George Wilson of Brattleboro.
/ Judge Chamberlin takes up the case
of each claimant and with the exeep-
ton of Snowden and Hanrahan all the
claimants take exceptions to the rul-
ings.
In the cases of Chief Wilson and Mr..
Carey the court makes the following
general findings: 80 Acting upon this in
formation lBraido story to the sheriff
after Hamilton s body was found, to
the effect that on the day of the dnur-
der Wren several times inquired of
Braido where Hamilton was) the sheriff
Immediately communicated with the
county solicitor at Keene and with
Claimant Wilson, chief of police at
Brattleboro, Vt. The solicitor also con-
ferred with Wilson Both requested
Mr.. Wilson to investigate and find out
where Wren was
About 2.45 p. m. the claimant,
George Wilson, acting upon these re-
quests made by the sheriff and county
solicitor, went to the railroad station
of the Boston & Maine and Central
Vermont railroads and interviewed Da-
vld 5. Carey, ticket agent and claim
ant Tor the reward in this proceeding
and learned from Mr. Carey that Jack
Wren that morning purchased two tick
cts for himself and wife for Boston
and left Brattleboro on the 10.15 train
Mr.. Carey also told Mr.. Wilson that
the man had previously inquired of him
for routes to Chester, \. s Mr.. Carey
went to the baggage department in the
station at Brattleboro and obtained for
Mr.. Wilson the numbers of the checks
Of Wren s baggage. After receiving
this information Mr.. Wilson went to
the telephone booth and telephoned.
Both Carey and Wilson testified
that they knew of a reward being of
fered before their conversation with
each other. / find that both were mis-
taken; neither knew of a reward being
offered at this time for it had not been
offered. The reward was not offered
until after 4 clock Feb. 6, 1913.''
In special finding as to Mr.. Carey
the court says: - Mr. Carey gave val
liable information to Mr.. Wilson, chief
of police, Brattleboro, but it was given
before the reward was offered and
without relying upon the reward. -
In special finding as to Chief Will
son the court SAYS: '1All the material
acts done by Mr.. Wilson were detailed
in the above general findings. He ten
Ioered valuable service to the officers
and received the ordinary compensation
allowed a witness or a sheriff or 2 pc.
iceman for such services as he rem
dered-at least, after the first day; but
tho information which enabled the OF
fieers to trace Mr.. Wren, as found in
the general findings, was given to the
New Hampshire authorities before the
reward was offered. y
The court makes a special finding
with reference to Ralph Kirkwood, who
found in the chimney of his father S
house in Brattleboro, where Wren lived,
a registered letter receipt issued to
Hamilton. He incorporates in the find
ings a letter signed by Ralph w. Kirk
wood and dated in Wilmington, Vt.
Feb. 6, 1916. Kirkwood had testified
at hearing on the claim in Keene Feb.
3. The letter, furnished by former
County Solicitor Cain, reads as follows:
s want this to be read in court as
evidence about the case of Jack Wren.
| 10 not think that Jack When did that
murder. ] think Jesus has put it into
my mind to say this. ] will not push
my claim any further whether he did
the murder or not. / want and will
have no part in fighting for the re-
ward Drop my claim altogether
please, also let Mr.. Joseph Madden
hear this. l haven't got any knowl-
ledge of who did the murder and / want
nothing to do with the case. / don L
think | can improve on the will of
/ God. I know that He will tend to it
very well without my help and as far as