The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-09-18

NlllldUl AOolClAO' Ot gOdl Olui dll
employe in the washroom at the Hol-
den, Leonard company woolen mill,
was shot and killed Saturday evening
near the Vermont soldiers home
crossing of the Bennington and Hoo
sick Falls division of the Berkshire
street railway system. Although an
investigation was begun before day
light Sunday morning and continued
through the entire day no clue that
might lead to the murderer has been
obtained and no motive for the crime
has been discovered.
When found the body was lying
about twelve feet north of the high,
way and about the same distance east
of the trolley track. The autopsy
held Sunday afternoon disclosed the
fact that the unfortunate man had
been shot three times in the back OF
the head but that only one of the bull
lets had inflicted fatal wound.
While the county officials have OBJ
tanned little information of an en-
couraging nature. they are satisfied
that the shooting took place at 9.3C
o'clock in the evening. Five shots in
quick succession we're heard at that
hour by several persons and
the time is definitely fixed
through a comparison of their state
ments. The night watchman at the
Bennington Scale works who winds
his watchman's clock at $50 heard the
shots as did Edward Mcclure who is
employed in the local yard of the Rut
land railroad company. Patrick
Kearns, who was on his way home al
the time, reported hearing the five
shots as did a young girl who lives
just north OF the Governor Robinson
bridge.
Firing OF the Ave shots is also con
firmed by the finding of five exploded
32-calibre cartridge shells near the
watering trough west of the soldiers
home. The bullets taken from Cos
tello's head were 32-calbre. Findin!
Of the exploded shells would indicate
that the murderer came back toward
the village after the commission of th'
crime.
Although the time OF the shooting II
fixed ii was not until IL o'clock tina
the murder itself became known II
the village. When the last trolley ca
into Bennington reached the crossing
shortly before IL, the rays from tn,
headlight fell directly upon the maj
lying beside the track. The light ais,
revealed blood on the face. William
Powers, the motorman, stopped th
car and together with his conductor
Bernis Powers, and Eugene Shea, jr
one OF the two passengers, got ou
with the intention of taking what the,
supposed was an injured man int
Bennington. They discovered tina
the man. whom none OF them knew
was either dead or nearly so. Withou
disturbing the body they returned t
the car which continued its trip t
Bennington.
As the car came to a stop at Pu
nam house square Chief OF Polio
Patrick Brazil was in the act of tryin
the door OF the Quinlan drug store
Mr.. Shea left the car and at once II
formed the officer of the finding of tn
body. Shea said that he thought tn
man was dead as his forehead wa
cold.
Requistioning George Benedict
car. Chief Brazil and officer Andre'
Griffin. DIR, John d. Lane and som
young men who were on the street a
the time hurried to the crossing N
difficulty was experienced In estal
fishing the fact that the man was dea
but II was some time before any on
identified the victim of the crime.
From the crossing the body wa
taken directly to the Walbrdge NJ
dertaking room whore DR.. Lane mad
n preliminary examination. State
Attorney Frank c. Archibald was sun
moned from his home at ManchestC
by telephone and arrived here abo,
9 o'clock Sunday morning to TAX
charge Of the investigation. Chi,
Brazil and officer Richard Hurley. q
iicer Griffin, Deputy Sheriff job
Nash and Officer Patsey Perrott II
neulately WtHt w NVih WI tue ca'
and kept at Il during the remaind
of the day.
DIR. d. II. Stone. the state pathol
gst from the laboratory of hygiene
burlington arrived here by automobi
early Sunday afternoon and conduct,
the autopsy. DIR. Stone found IN
Costello had been shot three tim
from behind. One bullet struck in q
side Of the neck underneath the ia
and came through the upper lip. A
other striking the back of the he
failed to penetrate the skull b
ranged around underneath the SIX
and lodged in the cheek. A tliitd we
through the skull back of an ear al
passed through the brain. This W