The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-09-13
MURDERS W|FE'S
| FATHER AND ENDS
HIS OWN LIFE
Shocking Double Tragedy at
North Stephentown
WOMAN'S NARROW ESCAPE
Broke from Clutches of Murderer and
Made Way to Home of Dis.
tant Neighbor.
WOMAN'S NARROW ESCAPE

After killing his fatherin.law, An
drew Hoffman. 72, a prominent resi-
dent OF North Stephentown, and max
ing an unsuccessful attempt TO mur
der his own wife, Leon Alderman, 25
also Of North Stephentown, Saturday
night turned double-barreled shot
gun on himself and took his own life
The double tragedy followed quar-
rel at the Hoffman home when Alder
man started abusing his wife and
Hoffman interfered
After killing Mr.. Hoffman, the mur
derer tried to shoot his wife, Mrs
Louise Alderman Her escape from
being killed is considered miraculous
as charge of shot tore through her
dress.
Saturday night about o'clock Mrs.
Alderman was sitting in the living
room sewing. when the door opened
and her husband walked in exclaim-
ing, i've got you now" He held a
shotgun in his hand and started for
her She tried to get away but was
unable to elude him and he was al
most upon her when her father who
had heard the noise, walked into the
1oom in his night clothing, followed
by Mrs. Hoffman.
Mr.. Hoffman, seeing Alderman
standing with the shotgun, started for
him and grabbed the barrel of the gun
in an attempt to take ii away from
his sonin-law. Alderman was too
quick for him and pulled the trigger.
The charge of shot entered the left
side of Mr. Hoffman's face, tearing
away that portion of the head.
The injured man dropped to the
floor and died Instantly Mrs. Alder.
man with her daughter, Dorothy,
three, who had witnessed the shooting
and Mrs. Hoffman, ran into the ad-
joining room and hid under the bed.
Alderman went outside the house
and calling through an open window
told the women that If they did not
come out he would fire into the room.
His wife took the child aud tried to
escape, She had Just reached the
yard, however, when her husband fred
at her, the charge missing its mark by
inches.
Overtaking his wife, the murderer
threw her TO the ground and putting
his knees on her breast, started beat.
ing her in the face. He kept this up
until, suddenly he was taken with a
violent coughing spell, and was
forced to let her up for a moment.
Taking advantage of this the
woman ran back to the house and
got her child, who had returned
there when Alderman caught his
wife in the yard. She then started
across the fields to a relatives home.
which was three miles away. Her
mother left for another relatives in
an opposite direction.
About 1870 o'clock Saturday night
word was received at the sheriff's
office of the murder, the informant
saying that Alderman was hiding in
q barn and could not be reached. A
posse was organized and in charge
OF Sheriff Sharpe went to the scene
of the tragedy.
On his arrival the Sheriff found
Alderman's lifeless body behind a
chicken house In the yard The gun
which had been instrumental in the
death CT two persons in one night,
was still clutched in the mans hands.
One Of his shoes was off and the
county authorities say that he pushed
the trigger of the gun with his toe
while he held the barrel against his
head with his hands. Three fingers
on one of his hands and the whole
upper part of his head were blown
off.