The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-06-16
MISS HELEN GILLOW
is NOT IMPLICATED
Former Nurse at Putnam Mem
orial Hospital Cleared BY Ex-
amination--Detectives Prove
That Accused Man Purchased
Strychnine at Local Drug
Store-Doctors Had Refused
to Sign Death Certificate of
Murdered Woman.

murdered woman.
Byron M Pettibone, aged 80, an as
sistant employed a: the ]. Ed. Wal
bridge undertaking rooms, is in the
county Jail charged with the murder
CT his wife by poisoning on the night
of April 6. Following an examina-
ton which continued late into the
night, he young man, according 20
S ate's Attorney Collins NJ. Graves,
made a full confession According 10
the opinion Of the states attorney, the
motive fer the alleged crime as re-
vealed b. Pettibone, was hazy. The
cause, so far as the examination re-
vealed was worry over the payments
on the house which he and his wife
had purchased OF William II Neyils.
Mrs. Pettibone died shortly before
IN o'clock on the night of April 6 and
was I'll not over thirty minu es. She
had retired in her usual condition OF
health and shortly afterward became
yiolen ly III. Her husband immedi
atelly summoned DR.. +. NJ. GARDINER
who at once realized that the woman
was in serious condition and asked
for he assistance of another physi
clan. DIR. F. ]. Hurley was called by
telephone but Mrs. Pettibone died
about hve minutes before his arrival
Believed that there were suspicious
circumstances attached to the case
the physicians declined to sign a
death certificate and DR.. Gardiner
| brcugh. the case to the attention OF
States Attorney Graves. Mrs. Petit
bone died on Tuesday and on the day
| of the funeral, Friday, an ap opsy was
held by Or. b. H,Stone, pa'hologisi at
the sta'e laboratory in Burlington
and his assistant, DIR. c. +. Whitney
The physicians reported tina; death
was due TO s'rychnine poisoning,
AS there were no circumstances to
Indicate that the drug had been taken
with suicidal intent, The states al
torney sough the assistance OF the
Wood detective agency. Operatives
from the agency, including a woman
have since been working on the case
and oh aimed evidence sufficient 10
warrant the arrest of Pet'ibone on the
charge Of murder.
There have been rumors in the case
which seemed to indicate that young
woman. Miss Helen Gillow, trained
nurse who was formerly employed at
the Pu nam Memorial hospital, nigh
have been implicated indirectly but
she was completely cleared by the eX
animation held at the states tor
lney's Office las evening,
Since the death of his wife Petit
bone has been much in Miss Gillow s
company. lie recently underwent an
operation for the removal OF tonsils
a. Troy city hospital, Miss Gillow was
employ yed as special nurse and while
cooperating he had been at the home OF
Miss Gillow and her mother at Sodom
Pettibone and Miss Gillow came tc
Benning on yesterday for the eNamt
nation in Miss Gallow's car. The
prosecuting officers had suspicioned
that Miss Gillow because of her pro
fession might have secured the drue
for Pettibone. This theory has been
completely exploded.
The detectives have positive evi
dence that the husband secured
strychine at Benning on drug store
One of the detectives from the Wood
agency and Chief of Police Brazil
searched Pc t.bone's effects at his
room but found nothing that wculd
indca that Miss Gillow had any
knowledge of the alleged crime They
did find some affec,ionate letters from
the young woman hut no hing more.
According to the states attorney
IPe e.tibone IN his admission described
the actual methcd used in the poison
ling, Early in the evening of April
he prepared three doses of salts, one
for Mrs. Pettibone, one for himself
and one for Eugene Rice who roomet
at the house on School street. Al
three drank the saline. The strych
nine was in the dose prepared fol
Mrs. Pettibone. Tho drug was secured
at he d, A. Ward drug store, only |
few doors away from the WalbridgC
undertaking rooms where Pet.ibon'
was employed. The states attorney
says that the drug was not sold by Mr.
Ward and here are rumors about th'
s rect that Pettibone, who was wei
acquainted with Mr.. Ward and hi
clerk and who frequently visited tn,
drug store, secured the strychnin,
when unobseryed.
The physicians, who were called OF
the night of Mrs. Petitioners dealt
have all along secuted the theory o
suicide. Soon after she was strlckel