The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1921-10-27

Ahira aeArs. a deputy county FISH
and game warden and 3 near neighbor
of Squire. Is in Bennington county
jail he admits the shooting but
claims he acted IN aef defense when
/ Sqgirea resisted arrest after being
caught in the act u killing raocoon
out q season.
A 5 near as can be learned, the shoot
ing took place between 1890 and II
O'Clock Friday night in a small open
shed az the rear q and ,.djoiniug
Sqlires' home. Information Of the
tragedy vas not received here until
1.-THE next forenoon when some unknown
person teIephoned 20 States Attorney
Mathers and also 10 Deputy Sheriff
Arthur A. Russell.
Il II was noon when the officers reach
ed the scene Of the shooting, a group
three houses on the right side Of the
road leading to and about three miles
southwest Of Beartown. a bamiet that
Figured in a sensational homicide a
1 humber Of years ago.
| The first Of the three houses Is Occu-
pied by Mears, and the game warden,
Ihaggard because Of a sleepless night,
| met the officers in the doorway.
Briefly. and in a voice that trembled
with emotion, he told his story Of thel
shooting, how he had come upon
Sduires in the act Of shaking a rae /
coon out Of a tree for his dog to kill,
how the two had wrangled over the /
Varden's attempt 10 arrest the hunter, /
how Squires had threatened the officer
with a shotgun and the actual shoot
ing.
Leaving the warden in the custody
Of Deputy Russell, the sheriff and the
states attorney next visited the scene
Of the shooting, the home Of the vic
tim but few steps away. Here were
found a number Of men living In the
neighborhood, Mrs. John Morey, Sis
ter Of Mrs. Squires, and the wounded
mans two children, girl OF nine and
boy Of seven. The little girl seemed
the most elf-possessed Of all. She
told how she had been awakened by
the report Of the revolver, how she
had rushed from the house and had
attempted TO raise her fathers head
from the shed floor. She also pointed
out the dark stains on the rough
boards Of the floor.
The officers next visited the next
house occupied by Herbert and Frank
Mears, cousins Of the warden, and for
whom the warden's mother, Mrs.
Matilda Mears, keeps house. 1t was
from his mother that Mears occurred
the revolver with which he shot
Squires. Mrs. Mears had owned the
weapon for some time, having pur-
chased the pistol because she was
much alone. When shown the revolver
she identified it as one she had given
to Ahira but said she didn't know
whether it was the one that shot Fred .
Squires.
On the way to Bennington, the dep !
uty warden gave number OF addi-
tional details Of the shooting and the .
that led up to it. he
said that he had worked off and on re- !
for the wounded man who keeps
a small general store in a portion OF I
his home. While working about the !
premises he obtained evidence that led :.
him to believe that Squires was violat- !
ing the fish and game laws by hunting I
,oons before the opening Of the sea !
son. He indirectly mentioned the mat I
ter of coon hunting to Squires who re-
piled that he didn't hunt coons because 1
he didn't have time. The warden,
however, was convinced that Squires I
had been violating the game laws.
Going to Arlington few days ago
he visited the home Of his only broth
sr, Frazer Mears, and called County !:
Fish and Game Warden j. Ben Han I
non to the telephone. I
Thursday afternoon County Warden 4
Harmon and DR.. Harry I. Summersgill I
irove TO SYNDICATE and the warden VS. \
ted his deputy. 1t is understood that i
he warden informed his deputy that Z
ne should endeavor TO enforce the FISH I
and game laws and to make arrests II !
ne found any violations. I
Late Friday evening Ahira Mears !
rom his home observed the light OF Z
. lantern in the second growth Of !
hardwood that covers the sides Of the I
To the warden this meant !
,nly one thing at this season, that !
.ome one was hunting raccoons. The 4
,lace where the lantern was moving Z
through the trees is only short dis I
ance from the highway. When he 7
cached the lantern, Mears said ne =
ound Squires up a small tree IN the Z
,edgerow endeavoring to shake down +
coon for a shepherd dog that was Z
,arking at the foot Of the tree. just 7
IS the warden arrived the eoon's grip .
n the tree was broken and It fell to '
e killed Immediately by the dog.
dears story Of what happened there
fter is as follows: M
When he came down the tree l 81
topped up and said, Il thought you m
aid you didn't hunt coons out o sea ,