The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-24
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
IN LUMBER CAMP
Woman Accidentally Killed
by Chopper, Who Then
Shoots Himself
SOME CIRCUMSTANCES
HAVE PECULIAR LOOK
Husband of Woman Returns Home To
day and Is Satisfied Shooting Was
Accident-Two Babies Left Mother
less-GrueSome Sight.

W. odb4Oo 1LC1t 1'1OthCA-
less-Gruesome Sight.
The deep woods of Somerset. some 30
miles from Brattleboro, yielded double
tragedy Saturday night, Mrs. John See
saw being shot through the heart by a
rifle in the hands Of Harve Buker, who
then shot himself in the head, dying YES
terday morning from the effects OF his
wounds. The shooting occurred i'll shack
al Camp No. Of the Deertield Lumber
corporation, and the two victims and Mrs.
Secsaw's two babies were the only per
sons in the building
So far as can be learned the shooting
oil Mrs. Seesaw WA. accidental, but some
Of the circumstances are peculiar enough
TO at once raise a suspicion, and a the
voices OF the two principals are stilled in
death il is not likely that the real truth
of the matter ever viii be settled
The camp Is located about mile below
the Somerset dam OF the Connecticut
| River Power Co. on the each branch OF
| the Deerfield river. and has been in
! charge of John Seesaw and his wife.
Some 70 men live there mostly Poland
!
saw had been in that locality three or
/ four years. but took charge OF Camp No.
/ ! only about week before the tragedy.
All but -four Of the Iaborers went away
last week to celebrate Christmas. and on
| Friday Mr.. Seesaw went to Albany \. y,
to hire more help. He had not returned
at the time of the shooting.
The foI -labpyers- Mere in the Moods
Saturday, returning 10 the camp after
work. about ) o'clock Buker had with
him his - cahbre high power Savage re-
peating rife which he had taken into tho
woods to use in ease he sighted game.
Buker and a companion came in little
ahead of the other two men. and while
the companion went into the tool house
to leave the tools Buker went into the
shack, which up to that time had beer
occupied only by Mrs. Seesaw and her tive
little children, one five months old anC
the other a boy two years old.
! The events which transpired after that
| happened in quick succession, and theil
cause at best is vague Before the tv,
men coming in last had arrived and be
fore Buker's companion had left the too
house the first shot was fired. The MAJ
, in the tool house 1t once started for th'
shack. but within half minute and be
fore he had reached it the second sho
rang ont
A shocking sight met the mans gaze a
he opened the door Mrs Scesaw la,
dead on the floor and Buker presented
startling appearance, his lower jaw hav
ing been shot away and his tongue hang
ing down.
The nearest telephone was not IN work
/ ing order so one of the choppers went I
/ the Somerset dam and telephoned to til
1 Decriield Lumber corporation in Whining
Z ton. The company sent one Of its locomo
{ tives to Somerset over its private 10
) road with Deputy Sheriff Walter I
Howe Of Wilmington and DR.. Allen I
: Wright OF the same place.
When they went into the shacl
i around $50 o'clock the body OF Mrs. Sec
/ saw lay on the floor, while Buker wa
II kneelng on one knee, with his hands Q
| his head. Deputy Sheriff Howe said
Il was the worst sight he ever saw.
II Buker could not articulate. but he wa
| fully conscious. He answered question
II by nodding or shaking his head "Di
II YOU shoot the woman" the officer aske,
/ and Buker nodded did YOU do it Q
II purpose" questioned Deputy Howe, an
!, in answer Buker shook his head
II Other questions were asked and al
II swcred III the same way by both NJ
II Howe and Dr. Wright, and in this mann,
II il was understood that Buker undertoo
II to unload the rifle and accidentally di
II charged it, shooting Mrs. Seesaw throug
II the heart. 1t is thought that Buker, rca
II izing what he had done, placed the bu
H Of the gun on the floor and his chin OK,
II the muzzle and discharged the rifle agai
II That he should have shot himself
LII Continues on Pare 6