Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-06-16
GUARDED HUSBANDS BODY.
Insane Woman Refused to Allow I'm
dertaker to Remove it for Burial,
threatening to Kill Him.

With revolver, axe and knife with
in easy access, Mrs. Frank f. Wash
burn of Keene, n. H., who lived two
miles out of the city on Winchester
street, refused to let anybody remove
the body of her husband from the
house for burial after the funeral Sun
day, saying she would kill anybody
who undertook to take it away. 1t
was not until she was induced by an
officer to leave the house Monday after
noon that there was opportunity to
remove the body. and while that was
being done papers were being made
out for Mrs. Washbun s commitment
to the state insane hospital in Concord.
She was in the insane hospital previous
to six years ago, when her husband Sc
cured her release.
She refused to have any minister in
the house for the funeral Sunday
morning at o clock, SO the service
was conducted by Beaver Brook lodge
of Odd Fellows, whom she allowed to
enter without protest.
At the close of the service Under
taker Harry n. Aldrich made prepare.
tons to remove the body, whereupon
Mrs. Washburn exclaimed: "Mr.
Washburn owns this house and he will
stay here" The undertaken tried to
persuade her to allow the body to be
buried, but she was insistent and said
she would kill him if he tried to re-
move it. Relatives undertook to over
come the woman s objections, but she
was firm and made it so unpleasant
that they left the house. "This is u
funny funeral, isn't it?' Mrs. Wash
burn said to some of those present
Lo 10 .&1
| Aldrich took counsel, but found that
he had no right to take the body by
force.
A nephew of Mr. Washburn said she
had n revolver in the pantry, an axe
at the head of her bed and a knife in
another place.
When the time came for taking
Mrs. Washburn to the state insane
hospital Monday night the officers ex-
perienced no trouble in accomplishing
the task.
About 345 CLOCK Lawrence Gilbo,
acting city marshal in the abs1nce
of Marshal Philbrick, went to the
Washburn home and raped and Mrs.
Washburn came to the door with the
greeting "Who are you2' The Off
Ger replied, 81 am officer Gilbo,'
whereupon she asked him to "come
right in.
Mrs. Washburn readily consented
to go to the police station, where she
was told that she must go back to the
insane hospital at Concord. She did
not like the idea, but made no trouble.
Judge of Probate Robert f. Ray had
the commitment papers made out
about 6 clock.
When everything was ready for the
start Officer Gilbo said to Mrs. Wash
burn: "There is big crowd out there
by the car and they think you are
crazy, and you want to fool them and
show them that you are not by walk
ing straight up to the car and getting
in. - The unfortunate woman complied
with the suggestion, and the trip was
| begun by automobile, Officer Swan
strom and John II. Fender accom-
panying the party. They reached Con-
cord about midnight.
After Mrs. Washburn had gone to
the police station Undertaken Aid
rich went to the Washburn home and
removed Mr.. Washburn s body, which
was taken to Alstead, n. H., for buri-
al, accompanied by relatives.
Mr.. Washburn was peddling fish in
Dublin Thursday, June s, and in
trying to overtake his horse, which
had started without command, he fell
dead of heart disease. He was about
so years old. and left no children.
Mrs. Fred Lower, who lives next
door to the Washburn house, was ask
ed to notify Mrs. Washburn of her
husbands death, which she did. In an
instant Mrs. Washbwn exclaimed: " If
he is dead you killed him." and drove
her ont of the house.