Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-03-17
WREN REWARD ORDER
Reasons Why BrattIeboro Men
Did Not Get Share
information Furnished by D. 8. Carey
and Chief Wilson Was Before Re-
ward Was offered.


Judge Robert n. Chamberlin 8 find
ings relative to the claimants for the
81 900 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-
auctions. 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
persons who committed the murder of
j. Stewart Hamilton at Hinsdalc, New
Hampshire, on Feb ), 19l3,' between
Milton Snowdcn of Everett, Mass, a
porter in the North station in Boston,
S400, and Francis 1Ianrahan, u police
detective i'll Halifax, Nova Scotia,
5000.
Originally there were eight claim
ants, the two above mentioned, Joseph
f. Burns, n Boston detective who after
wards disclaimed any interest in the
suit, Frank O'Brien, q Boston police
man, Luigi Braido, an employee of the
Holbrook corporation, and David S.
Carey, Ralph Kirkwood and Police
Chief George Wilson of Brattlcboro.
Judge Chamberlin takes up the case
of each claimant, and with the excep-
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: "Acting upon this in
formation (Braido s story to the sheriff
after Hamilton s body was found, to
the effect that on the day of the MUIR
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 G. Maine and Central
Vermont railroads and interviewed Da-
vid S. 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 1915 train.
Mr.. Carey also told Mr.. Wilson that
the man had previously inquired Of him
for routes to Chester, n. 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. i. 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 o clock Feb. 6, 1913"
In a 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: "All the material
acts done by Mr.. Wilson were detailed
in the above general findings. He ZEN
oered valuable service to the officers
and received the ordinary compensation
allowed a witness or a sheriff or q pc.
| llcCman Tor such services as he rem
dered-at least, after the first day; but
the information which enabled the Of
ficers to trace Mr.. Wren, as found in
the general findings, was given to the
New Hampshire authorities before the
reward was offered
The court makes 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 letter signed by Ralph w. Kirk
wood and dated in Wilmington, Vt.
Feb. g. 1916. Kirkwood had testified
at a hearing on the claim in Kecne Feb.
3. The letter, furnished by former
County Solicitor Cain, reads as follows:
81 want this to be read in court as
evidence about the ease of Jack Wren.
| 10 not think that Jack When did that
murder. / think Jesus has put it into
my mind to say this. L will not push
my claim any further whether he did
the murder or not L want and will