Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-04-24
AGED WOMAN STRUCK
DOWN BY MERE BOY.
Mrs. Piper Found Dead in Pasture
and Francis McMann Admits
Hitting Her with Fork. No
Adequate Reason.

Hitting Her with Fork. No
Adequate Reason.
The body of Mrs. Ellen Piper, 68
years Of age, wife of T. B., better
known as "Ben" Piper, was found
near an apple orchard in the pasture
of w. S. May, some distance from
the Piper home, on the hill road lead
ing to Orleans, Saturday afternoon.
Later in the day, Francis McMann, a
16-year-old lad living with the S. S.
Hill family, whose farm adjoins the
Piper and May property where the
body was found, was arrested and ad-
mitted having struck Mrs. Piper on
Friday with a manure fork and that
at the blow she fell to the ground
McMann is in county Jail at Newport
awaiting a formal hearing, being TAX
en- there by. Deputy Sheriff Geo. Jen-
nings of Barton on Monday.
I Yesterday an inquest was held be-
fore Assistant Judge F. w. Tenney of
Albany at Orleans, where the body
of Mrs. Piper was taken to under
taking rooms. DR.. B. H. Stone of
the state laboratory of hygiene, per-
formed an autopsy on the body and
several witnesses were examined, in
cluding w. S. May, who found the
body, Mr.. Piper, S. S. Hill, Select
man H. A. Cleveland, George Lepete,
with whom the boy had been working
the day of the crime, and Charles
Roger of Irasburg and James Young
of Bloomington, for whom the boy
had worked at some previous time.
Neither at this time nor at any
time when the boy has been ques-
toned has any adequate reason been
ci1,oyo fo,c 4bo Iood McMonp caUS hp
saw Mrs. Piper when he was working
with Lepete, drawing manure on Fri
day. He was walking between the
barn and field as Lepete drove the
team and went to the place where
Mrs. Piper had been seen unbeknown
to Lepete. Mrs. Piper had been gath
ering apples from the orchard which
she had visited, some being found in
bags, and it is intimated that the boy
thought she was stealing. He is re-
ported to have said he chad an argu-
ment with Ellen Friday" when he
was arrested, and that he hit her
with the fork and after falling to the
ground hit her a second time.
None Of the witnesses claims that
the boy was a vicious youth, or ever
developed any trait of character that
would mark him as one to commit
such an act, and certainly from ap-
pearance he is an ordinary boy IN
mentality and physical capacity, be-
ing yet in knee pants, and rather
smaller than the average, 16-year-oid
youth perhaps. The boy has moth
er living in England and brother in
the army in France. He wrote the
names and addresses of both in
good legible hand and at no time has
appeared disconnected or embarrass-
ed at questions or the circumstances
in which he finds himself, always an
swering with the apparent utmost
frankness. According to report he
came from England about eight years
ago to Knowlton, P. G., with 60 other
immigrant children. At the age of
II he was taken by a family at
Stanstead, P. O., but according to his
story, they abused him SO that he
ran away and finally reached the Hill
farm, where he has been most Of the
time since, but has worked at other
places at times.
Whether or not the feeling caused
by the wanderings Of the Piper live
stock on the Hill farm and the un-
which had arisen be-
tween the families had an effect on
the boys mind, is matter of conJec-
ture.
Mrs. Piper left home Friday but
her non-appearance at night was not
thought of in particular because she
was an eccentric person and some
times remained away at night. But
when she did not appear the next day
noon, Mr.. Piper went to the Mays
and said he was anxious about Mrs.
Piper and he and Mr.. May made
search. Mr.. May discovered the
body, face down with the skull crush
ed
w. w. Reirden of Barton has been
assigned counsel for the defence,
while States Attorney Stoddard is
conducting the case thus far for the
state, under directions from Attorney
General Barber. The state is con-
tinuing an investigation and the de-
fense is also working on the case and
formal hearing will be held
or not is yet in question, the defense
stating that such proceedings may be
waived and the case taken directly to
county court, a special session of
which may be called. =.
The body of Mrs. Piper was buried
Tuesday in the Hill Road cemetery,
services being held at the grave by
Rev. W. A Warner.
to which only death could bring relief. |
-Fho JoooacoJ yUac horn in this town |