Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1916-05-05
TT ESnAY, MAY

Thompson, about Tour miles from fut-
nam, at 4,30 Tuesday morning, that
has caused great excitement through
out eastern Windham county. Burt
Pettis, So, we'll TODD farmer of
Thompson and his daughter, Miss
Sybil Pettis, rs, school teacher, lie
dead, at the pretty farmhouse, and a
posse Of 100 men armed with rifles, re-
volvers and shot guns are securing the
country round about for the murderer,
John Elliott, A, farm hand of West
Thompson. A deranged mind and an
insane infatuation for the school
teseiier is though. 10 be the motive for
the deed. Mrs. Petlis, the only one of
the family whose life was spared, after
she had entreated and begged the MUIR
derer not to kill her TINT she might
live to bury her loved ones, is in a
state of eollopse and under the care of
a physician. She will not leave the
home where she passed through an or
deal enough TO turn the brain of a
strong man. To an effort made by DR.,
II. G. Paine to have her go to neigh
boris home nearby she turned deaf
ear al will not 90, | will not go7
cried Mrs. Pettis 81 shall stay right
here. They shall do no more to them.
We have never done harm to anyone.
On! | loved them so, | loved them
sou was the cry of the only survivor
of the little family and the group OF
strong men gathered at the scene
brushed the tears from sympathetic
eyes. Relatives and kind friends min
istered to the distracted woman and
she was given medical treatment by
the physician. The gathering crowd
stoud about with grim faces awaiting
the word to start in the hunt for the
fugitive, who, when last seen, was
making off through the woods which
cover the surrounding country, toward
the Rhode Island line.
HUNT FOR THE FUGITIVE
The fugitive had between 2 TO 3
hours start of the first little band OF
pursuers that started on the trail arm
ed with rifles, shot guns and revolvers
AS the morning advanced the number
increased. Sheriff Charles Gates of
Willimantic, iall of his deputies, the
state police and all available citizens
joined in the hunt land secured the
thickly wooded country for miles
about. Shortly after noon police dogs
from the Palisade Kennels of Henri
Baer, killingly, who raises and trains
these animals, were put on the trail.
They started of hot on the scent and
led the men in an easterly direction
across fields and through a swamp To
brook where the trail was lost. Work
for several hours in this section was
unavailing as the dogs could not again
pick up the mans scent. IL would
seem that his cunning mind thought
of the possible use OF dogs and he had
waded the brook for some distance
and taken other means of covering his
track. The sun was slowly sinking
toward the western horizon before the
tiItu pussy hiaily gave NP 1hS 'H'h
for the day. Many had been on the
search since early morning without
stopping for food. Guards were left at
the farm during the night and watch
ers were stationed at points where 1t
was thought the fugitive might APP
pear. From all sections came the re-
port that the man had been seen and
many false clews were run down.
About o'clock word was received
that Elliott had been seen at the tramp
retreat, the Cutler barn on the road TO
the Children's Home. Captain Ryan
and several men went TO the place In
an automobile but nothing developed.
THE SCENE AT THE HOME
Meanwh bile in the Pettis home curl
GUS people swarmed about looking
over the route taken by the murderer
bodies of father and daughter almost
interlocked in each Others arms await
ing the arrival of the coroner and med
ical examiner. A few people looked
IN upOu the indi 5ctfie vi Tile tihBSdJ3
saw the dead face and frail form of the
young woman, the still, cold body OF
the father beside his daughter, both
| but an hour or two before enjoying
good health and looking forward to
happy years, now cold in death by the
assassin's hand.
Walking about were the distracted
and haIf-erazed wife and relatives.
| Their sobs and means end the entreaty
! OF the only survivor of the family to be
| allowed TO stay With her loved ones
made a pitiful scene. AS PATRIOT
representative was led 70 the room OF
death at the head OF the narrow flight
of stairs by neighbor and old citizen
/ this friend OF the family slowly opened
/ the door and said, i"Look there, did
you ever see such pitifui sight"
Within a few feet OF the door sill lay
the dead bodies. One glance was
enough Turning away 10 again des-
cend below Mrs. Pettis came rushing
up the stairs. Relatives told her not
to come up but she said again and