The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-02
LATTER WAS CUT
TING WIRE AT THE
LAND IN DISPUTE
In County Court Trial Jury
Had Decided for Hale in
Claim for Ownership of
Land--Morse Is Alleged
to Have Threatened Hale
-TheLatter Went About
Armed.

of Middlesex and the present town rep
resentative in the legislature, spent
last night in county Jail on the charge
Of having killed H. Lester Morse,
neighbor and man with whom he had
had trouble over boundary line. The
shooting took place on the disputed
ground yesterday, and Hale was placed
in the jail at $50 o'clock last evening,
after he had notified the sheriff's Office
of the shooting.
The bullet entered Morse's body a
little above the heart, pierced the lung
and took a downward course The
body was taken to the Barber & Lanier
undertaking rooms in Montpelier last
night.
The section in which the shooting
took place was in the Middlesex Center
part of the town, the approach to which
from Montpelier is over the hin by way
Of the Redstone property, north of that
city.
The first information TO reach the
sheriff's department came over the teIe-
phone wire from Mr. Hale himself.
Mrs Tracy, wife of the sheriff, received
the message, as Sheriff Tracy was at
the Montpelier house eating dinner
with the jury in the Graham case aud
preparing TO 20 with Juror Fred Cram
TO Roxbury so that the juror might at
tend his grandson's funeral In max
ing his announcement to Mrs Tracy,
Hale said a shooting had occurred and
that man named Morse had been
Ii lal tnA has Airs
as to who had done the shooting, Hale
is understood TO have stated that he
did it, advising also that a physician
be brought.
Sheriff Tracy changed his plans about
going to RoSbury, turning that matter
over to "A deputy, and he started with
DR. w. r. Hardness. together with an
ambulance, to the scene Of the shoot
ing They found Morse's body lying
face down in the snow, and the under-
takers then took the body to Mont
pelier. Apparently Morse had died in
stantly.
Hale Waited for Sheriff.
After tclephoning the shcrifls office,
Hale waited at his own home for the
arrival of the sheriff and then went
with the sheriff to the Monroe house,
which is near the site Of the tragedy
The surroundings were locked over BY
Sheriff Tracy.
The place was near the land over
which case was tried in Washington
county court last September. Hale win
ming the verdict and costs OF 500 being
charged against Morse. This action IN
court was brought last summer, follow
inc some trouble between the men over
the boundary line, The result Of the
verdict was the establishment of -
fence line. Some time after the trial
Morse was brought into Montpelier city
court on the charge OF having torn
down trespass signs which Hale had
set up after securing the verdict.
Morse did not pay the Judgment IN
county court, and on Saturday close
iail execution was placed in the hands
Of Sheriff Tracy for service.
Morse Alleged to Have Threatened Hale
IL is said that the actions Of Morse
have for some time been a subject of
inquiry. and some people stated that
thev feared the man. II i claimed
that Hale carried his rifle in his team.
as Morse is alleged 10 have threatened
him.
Hale had the rifle when he started by
team Yesterday forenoon to drive over
the Hill which lies between his property
and that Of Morse and 10 the site Of the
disputed territory II appears that
James Portal had been drawing wood
there and that the other day he found
A wire placed across the roadway lead
ing 10 the sugarhousc. Hale went 10
the roadway Yesterday and proceeded
10 cut the wire fence.
Morse Appears.
While Hale was still at the task,
Morse = said to have come out ot his
own house and approached Hale. Be
inc warned by Hale not 10 come nearer,
Morse did not comply and Hale dis
charged his rife. which Is a $40 Rem
inpfon. Morse l. said 10 have been
armed with a pitchfork AZ the time.
Only one shot j. believed to have
been fired. In Hale's gun when the
rcapon was examined later by the
sheriff were found two cartridges that
had not been fired. Il j. understood
that the victims mother, who is about
SO wears % age was spectator 81 Tire
encounter Hale l. said 20 have been
standing al the time On the land Which
was The cause for the u xiEatiou last
fau and which Was giyeIS him ~ the
iury.
knrT being broueht - ne county