The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-02-05
vermont state Library i
In61YTT|fd 1Y'if|ifiid JILA II
CHARGED WITH
KILLING BROTHER
Alleged Murder In the Back.
woods Of Stephentown
SILK NOW IN TROY JAIL
Hermit 75 Years Old Is Accused Of
Killing His Brother, Aged 81,
with a Club,

The backwoods of Stephentown,
noted in years Of cd for feuds ana
tragic events, but which of late have
been free from sensation, come into
notice again, and with a tragedy
which in its nature scounts many Of
those which gave the locality It's bad
fame
Numerous cases OF murder or al
legged murder have sprung from tho
secluded parts Of the town, but, as
Constable Freeman Palmer said at
the Troy Jail last night, a conviction
OF murder in the first degree has yet
To be found against a man from that
4 locality.
! Constable Palmer, Under Sheriff
George Morris. and Deputy Sheriffs
Frank Kleen, Chester Wendell and
John Hennessey arrived at the Jail
at 8 o'c'ock last night with an aged
man, accused CT the murder of his
still more aged brother.
The prisoner brought In is Thomas
SILK, aged rs years, and he was COM
m'tted by Justice Of the Peace Z. A.
Strait of Stephentown on the charge
of murder in the first degree, the al
legation being that he killed his
brother Michael S TX, aged 81 years
some tine Wednesday night or early
Thursday morning He denies the
charge. and claims that terrible
wounds found upon his brother were
the result of the latter trying to jump
out OF window, and beating his
head aga nst walls, while in fits. The
sheriffs officers, and District Attor.
ney Jones, Assistant District Attor.
rev Qull'inan, County Detective
Plackwood and District Attorneys OF
ficer Marcus 0 Jones, who visited the
scene of the alleged murder yester-'
day afternoon and remained part Of
last eYenlug co'lert'ng evidence. all
say. however. that the Wretched shack
in witch the body Of the dead man
was, found. was full Of evidence that .
p desperate struggle hal taken place
there The floors and the walls We're
covered with blood, and an attempt
had been made to clean the floors and
wa'is from the incrim mating stains.
Coroner staphen NJ. Curtis, who
also visited the scene and with DR..
Alison ]. Hull, made an autopsy. on
the body says that the dead mans
head was beaten In terrible way.
and that his arms and hands were
covered with bruises, ind eating that
he sought to shield himself from
blows.
The body was found In a small
room adjoining the main part CT the
shack. aud the clothing uDon 1t was
saturated with blood All went to
support the belief that a brutal crime
had been committed. and from all
that could he learned by the officers
and the ccroner there was no one
on the premises to commit the crime
except the brother OF the victim.
It was learned that the accused
lived trely alone in the shack,
which is situated about four miles
from the Massachusetts, state line
and near the village OF Garfield. He
at one time owned farm near by
but sold It and hired the pace he
lived in from Frederick Kipp, who
was first to learn Of the traSedy.
The victim of the alleged murder
lived IKE his brother, a recluse In
the woods near North Adams, and
CAME to visit the latter last we'd
nesdav The accused brother says
that the fact is that Michael was not
IN his right mind, and he, Thomas,
hearing OF his condition. went to see
him and prevailed upon him to re-
turn with him to the Stephentown re-
treat.
They were seen there IN appar-
entity friendly relations on Wednes-
day night by Felix Jolls, who WORKS
on farm near by and who called
to borrow some tobacco He says
that at that time there was no sign
of had feeling, and the man whose
life was so soon tc be a thing OF the
past gave no evidence of its or OF
mental trouble.
II was learned from the accused
that his brother, when he came 70
the shack, had with him about SUI
and a watch but no dther the money
nor the watch could be found by the
officers whc searched the place. the
accused told them that his 'Drother
had hidden the money and the watcn
but he d d not know where. He posi-
lively denied that he Killed his
brother or that there had been
fight between them, and he sought to
explain blood upon his own clothes
and cuts and bruises upon his head
and face. by saying that they were
the result cf his attempt to prevent
his brother from jumping out OF a
window and beating his head against
the walls.
It is also said that Michael was the
owner of some wood lots and that
the deeds to them had been promised
to Thomas, but the transfer was not
tc be made until after the death OF
the owner.
Whether a quarrel over that, and
the money Michael is said to have
had, was motive for the alleged
crime is, Of course but a matter Of