The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-09


was evidently the frenzied young
mans intention, although immediate
action was taken TO remove the vic
tim to the hospital and Officer Will
lam Cameron was at once summoned
to make the arrest, it became i'm
possible to restore order in the plant
and work was practically suspended
for the remainder Of the day.
Fitzgerald was married about three
months ago. As soon as semblance
OF order was secured his wife, who
was Miss Ruth Brown, was summon
ed to the Office with instructions toI
take her coat and hat AS gently as
possible she was informed of what
had taken place but the shock was too
much and she collapsed in heap
upon the floor.
Two families and two young wives
are completely crushed by the trag.
edy. White less than two years ago
married Miss Irene Johnson of this
village who is also an emloye at the
the Il. u. Waist mill His parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Allie White, who live on
School street were last evening ap-
parently standing the shock as well as
could be expected under the circum.
stances. This morning, however.
while at the hospital, Mr.. White col
apsed after sleepless night and had
to be assisted to his home Much of
the burden incident to the shooting is
being carried by brother Rudd
White.
Ernest White is believed TO have
been the first young man TO sign an
enlistment paper In Bennington after
war was declared against Germany.
Harry q. Remington and Paul Jewett
had enlisted in company at Brattle.
boro and Fred n. Austin had taken
service with the engineers. a large
number Of young men were enlisted
from Bennington in company !. Upon
the first visit OF Capt T.. w. Gibson
mere for the purpose of filling the
ranks of his company White was the
first recruit
He was In camp at Fort Ethan
Allen and was lad up for a few days
after being severely kicked by an
army mule. Later when the company
was moved to Camp Bartlett at West
field, Mass. and there lost It's identity
he was transferred to the 10lst anu.
nition train and went overseas with
the Yankee division.
He was in France 10 months and
his record In the service was an ex.
ceptional one because OF It's excel
lence and the hardships undergone.
Fitzgerald has not apparently rea.
lized the enormity Of his crime since
his arrest. At the county Jail he
has had little to say and the few
privileged to visit him have obtained
little information concerning the mo.
tive that impelled him TO shoot down
4 fellow workman in cold blood. Soon
after he was placed in q cell he was
supplied with cigarettes by Deputy
Sheriff Shanahan, after having OBJ.
tanned permission from Sheriff p. b.
Gardner, and he sits and smokes in
silence except when asked questions
by officers or his relatives.
Attorney General Frank c. Arch.
bald, who had been in town in atten.
dance upon the December term Of
, Bennington county court and who was
preparing to return 10 Manchester
when informed OF the shooting, has
remained IN town. lie was at Put.
nam Memorial hospital when the
operation was performed late yester.
day afternoon as was States Attor-
ney George A. Matners.
f, No. hearing is likely to he held un.
Ill after the effects of Whites wound
are definitely known In case the tx.
service man dies IL is presumed that
Fitzgerald will be charged with muir.
der In the first degree. Should
; White recover Il charge of assault with
intent to kin will hang over the pris.
ioner.
Ernest White was still alive at l.30
! O'Clock this afternoon but his condit.
ion was very critical.
/ Dr, Buchanan, who WIS with him
at that hour stated that the perito.
nitis which always follows so seri.
GUS a wound has not yet reached its
crisis aud will not before tomorrow
He may die at any time and his
chances of recovery are very slight.
The esteem in which the young man
is held In Bennington and the posi-.
tion occupied by his people in this
community In demonstrated by the
numerous telephone calls received at
the hospital inqulring for the patient
and in almost every instance express
ing sympathy for the heart broken
parents and grieving young wife. Not
IN the history of the institution, IL
was stated today. has so much kindly
interest been manifested concerning
any patient. regardless of circum
stances or position.