Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1916-05-05
MURDERER ELLIOTT CAUGHT
FOUND IN SHED WITHIN MILE OF PETTIS FARM
Had Fractured Skull and is in Critical Condition
BURT rrns AND DAUGHTER

bullets was raining the daughter step
ped out of her room, having been
awakened by the firing. Pettis, his
daughter and the assailant were now
in close proximity In the narrow hall
way. Miss Pettis received bullet
that went in the right side, passed
through one kidney and out the left
side of the abdomen. So clos. was the
! pistol held that her nightdress was
seorched. Miss Pettis was heard by
her mother as she cried out, "John has
shot me. IN dying MOTHER and she
staggered into her mothers room aud
sat for few seconds ON the bed until
her lifeess body rolled To the floor.
Meanwhile Mr.. Pettis had entered
his wife's room to get his rifle. Mrs.
Pettis opposed his purpose. He told
her that John Elliott had shot him
and that he wanted his gun. She beg
! ged him TO tell her ii he was badly
hurt. His only answer was II must
hurry" as he stepped out again into
the hall the assailant began firing
! again and he received the fatal bullet
This bullet struck the collar bone, pas
sed through both lungs and lodged in
the shoulder. Pettis fell beside the
dead body of his daughter where they
lay close together.
MRS pErrIsi LIFE SPARED
After completing his work Mrs. Pet
It's says that Elliott went downstairs.
She started after him. He nourished
his revolvers. She begged him not 10
shoot exciaiming, ;" You've done enough
John. You've killed them both, let
me live TO bury them.n She then went
to a window and screamed for help.
The murderer shouted that it would
do no good as no one could hear her
and also said that he had cut the tele-
phone wires. She then came out and
went down where Elliott was and ask
ed him why he did IL. His only an
swer was that he did not mean To kill
Sybil. He also told her he had dyna-
mite and would blow up the house.
She kept begging him to spare her at
the sams time telling him that he
could shoot If he wanted To but that
she was going for help. Elliott said,
"You've got nerve, you can stand IL,
get out of here or I'll blow the whole
place up" Mrs. Pettis then rae out
and started for a neighbours. She saw
Elliott make his way across the or
chard and disappear in the woods TO
the east.
GIVES THE ALARM
Mrs. Pettis went Ito the home of
neighbor, George f. Ross, and told
what had happened. Deputy .Shenft
Bates of Thompson, Deputy Hclbrook
and Captain Ryan OF Putnam ant
other officers were notified and the
alarm was spread broadcast. The
nearest neighbsrs soon began TO arrive
but IL WIS some time before the trail of
/ the fugitive was taken up. In the
streets of Putnam automobiles contain
/ ing guns were lined up and one alter
another drove away to take part in the
search. Every body was talking of the
i tragedy and the final question always
WINS, "Have they caught him yeL?p II
the fugitive had been located und
i found TO be in lighting mood IL SEEM
ed apparent that little quarter would
have been shown him.
AcQUAINTANCE WITH ELLIOTT
Miss Pettis became acquainted with
Elliott OF the home Of Miss Ann Cum
ningham near the West Thompson
trolley station where the man had been
employed for the past five years. Miss
Pettis would leave her home each
morning and drive 10 the Cunningham
place and there put her horse up. She
would then take sthe trolley car 10
Grosvenordale where she taught the
district school, returning after school
Thompson, where she would again
take her horse and drive home. Elliott
was In the habit of taking care of the
horse, unhitching IL and hitching 10
for the young lady. They became
friendly and on account of the mans
kindness both Miss Pettis and her par
ents were accustomed to give him lit
tie presents at Christmas and other
times. II is understood that Elliott
had tried to declare his love for the
school teacher and that she had good
naturally turned him aside. IL Is also
said that Mr.. Pettis had spoken TO Ell
liotl about his attempted attentions to
his daughter which ne did not favor
People who have KNOWN Elliott for
some time say that he WAS queer
acting man ana Ii IL now said 10 be
known that he at times carried revolt
vers and had been slowly collecting
the implements he carried In the black
bag.
BouGHT DYNAMITE
Thomas Ryan, an x-selectman OF
the town OF Thompson, now engaged
in road construction, stated that Ell
lott came to his home Monday. He
told Mr.. Ryan that there were two old
! stumps In a cart ,path on the farm
Continued on Page Four