Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-11-23
STORY WAS A BIG FAKE
wounded Hunter" Tale Is
Cleared Up.
Arthur Gibson Author of IOnx which
Kept Men Searching Day and
Night for Man supposed to
Dying.

This is not the mystery of the cellar
door, a famous tale now history, but is
fully as deep a mystery, for there are
several husky men in the vicinity OF ES-
sex Junction who would like to know
lust where Arthur William Gibson Is
his morning and his meetinI with them
would no doubt prove anything hut n
pleasant one. For Gibson turied as mean
trick as ever could be turned on them
keeping them up during Friday night,
searching the woods in the vicinity of
Essex for him, while he was supposed to
he lying out on the snow bleeding to
death
AS matter Of fact Gibson was not
shot at all and told deliberate fplse-
hood when he stated he was Walter Web
ster of Shelburne. Mr.. Webster was In
Shelburne all day Friday. Then Glib
son led the party back into the woods,
travelling miles during several hours and
finally giving up tho search. The men.
who had gone in good faith to bring I'm a
man severely wounded. when they left
the woods were certain that they had left
behind them a man with wounds in one
hip which would not allow his walking,
to suffer in the snow all night However,
Gibson did show enough sense to clear
out and will probably not come into this
vicinity again.
The story as learned Saturday shows
that Gibson giving his first name as Ar
thur. went to the store Of n q Mudgett
& Co. at Essex Junction Friday aft
ernoon and hired rife for two days
saying that he was going into the woods
20 hunt deer The next seen Of him was
when he came out Of the woods in Essex
and stopped at the home of Edward
prury on the road leading t. the juno
II, nj
any man being slot in
IN" woods. Neither did he intimate Il
the oriNer of the team. owned by DaviC
Robinson. who gave him n lift toward.
the Junction that anyone had beer
shot He jumped off the team as T.
was passing the home of Charlie.
Gibbs and said that he wanted to &,
in md telephone
When he did telephone It was TO hi.
aunt Mrs. william Foote of South Bur
lin@ton. He did not tell Mrs Foote
who was speaking. but gave his nam,
to the Gibbs family as Walter webstet
of Shelhurnc. He telephoncd to Mrs
Foote that her nephew, Gibson. ha,
been shot in one hip and was lvini
out in the woods and that Il part
was about to start ont in search G
him. He told the people Mt the hous,
that man by the name Of Clark,
was with the wounded Gibson in tn,
woods
Gibson and Charles Gibbs, Jr. lcf
in RIG to bring back the woundc.
man. Aftor leaving the rig Gibsoi
led the trail for hours, but finally sal,
that he was unable to locate the trai
and the two gave up the search abou
ten o'clock. Other men, whom the,
learned OF the reported accident. mad,
UD parties and went into the wood
and search was carried on durin.
the night and late into ycsterda,
morning. when Gibson. who was know
10 them rs Webster. was found t,
Nc missing. The last seen Of Gibso1
b. Essex people was when he lef
the Gibbs home. There ne was urge,
,, to stay all night. but refused
Gibson was seen in Shelburne b.
william Footc Saturday and at tina
time told Mr.. Footc, whose wife i
Gihson's aunt, that he was going T.
clear out as soon as possible as Il
did not wish To be iollied about shoot
. ing himself with his own gun. He toll
Mr.. Foote that his injury was yer
slight Relatives do not know wher
Gibsons HON" IL. but it is probably q
Manchester or Nashua, y. H.. and it
p, thought that he has gone home whcr
> he has a wife and children. He lef
. the gun with Mr.. Foote. who viii To
. day return ii to the Mud@ctt Stor,
! where Gibson left his suit case.