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Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
South Deerfield
South Deerfield - S.F. Fisher has reopened his harness shop in the basement of the Methodist Church; P. Corcoran a shop in Pierce's block; James Baghardt a shop over the post office; E.H. Warren a stable at his residence, and James M. Houston has opened a hotel in the second story of Pierce's block.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Greenfield items
Rev. Mr. Warfield of Greenfield, who was instrumental in getting up the protest of the Franklin County clergymen against Mr. Beecher's preaching at Lake Pleasant, and who bore the protest to Mr. Beecher at the Twin Mountain House, is man enough to publish a letter in the Greenfield Gazette, vindicating the motives of Mr.Beecher in making his engagement, and rebuking that paper for its unjust and uncharitable statement -- Springfield Union.
We deny that our statement was uncharitable to Mr.Beecher, or intentionally unjust. Mr.Warfield and every clergyman who signed the protest presented by Mr. Warfield to Mr. Beecher, and a large majority of the people of this vicinity, approved of our article and were glad to see it. It was the first thing that opened Mr. Beecher's eyes to the nature of his engagement.
The only thing stated, not strictly correct, was that Mr. Beecher was to receive compensation for his services. Whether people go back on us or not, the Gazette & Courier will not hesitate at all times to advocate an observance of the Sabbath and good morals for the community in which it circulates.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Greenfield items
Greenfield - J.C. Chase of Whitingham, Vt., who stopped Wed. night at the Mansion House, found, on reaching Coleraine the next day, that his pocket book containing $50 was missing.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Greenfield items
Greenfield - J.P. Felton has purchased of W.S. Moore the meat market opposite the American House. D.L. Fay, formerly with Mrs. Moore, takes charge of it for Mr. Felton.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
The Coleraine Murder
The Coleraine Murder - As briefly stated in our last issue, Daniel Dwight, supposed to be one of the murderers of Joseph R. Farnsworth, was arrested Sat. night at the door of his father’s house on Catamount Hill, Coleraine, where he had come 5 days after the murder. There were 6 men, under Deputy Sheriff John Gould, stationed around the house, and between 10 and 11 o’clock, they saw a man coming up the road, which proved to be young Dwight.
They allowed him to approach near the house, when a signal was given, and they stepped from their hiding places. Dwight ran around the house in the direction of the barn, but he was then surrounded and forced to surrender. When taken into the house before his father, he fainted.
Dwight was confined in the lock-up at Shelburne Falls, and on Mon., Trial Justice Brainard of Greenfield held a court at the office of H.M.Puffer, Esq., and had the young man brought before him. A large gathering of people were in attendance, and among them Dwight’s wife, father and mother.
He pleaded not guilty, and the magistrate, without having a hearing of evidence, arraigned him on the charge of murder and continued the case to Mon. the 17th. Officers Swan and Gould then brought the prisoner to Greenfield,where he is now confined in jail. Dwight appears quite calm and is not disposed to talk much about the affair. He accounts for his absence and his whereabouts during the 4 days as follows:
"I had some trouble with my wife on Tues. aft., which had ended by my saying I was going off, and her replying that she hoped I would, and what was more, that I would stay away. She then started to go to father’s house, which is only a short distance from mine, and I started for a pasture where some of father’s cattle were grazing.
On the way I met Herbert Davenport, and together we went to Farnsworth’s house, and afterward went down the lane to the road leading to Shelburne Falls. Herbert wanted a cane, so we stopped and cut one, I bending the tree over while he cut it; but he did not carry it long before he threw it away.
From there we went through the fields directly to my house, where I changed my clothes and gave a suit to Herbert, as his were all patched and dirty. We left home about 5 o’clock, and went down the mountain to Heath, and then through Hartwellville down to North Adams, getting there on Wed. aft.
We walked all Tues. night.Wed. night we slept on the hills near North Adams, and on Thurs. morning, after staying a while in North Adams, we walked to Pownal on the railroad track. At Pownal we got on board a train which was returning with the firemen from the muster at North Adams that day.
At Petersburg Junction Herbert got left with some Salem, N.Y. firemen, because the train started so quick, and I could not get off, it was going so fast. That night I stopped at Greenwich, N.Y. and registered my name in the hotel book in full - Daniel J. Dwight, Coleraine, Mass. I remained there that night, but had nothing to eat, as I only had money enough to pay for my lodging.
[For more information on this area, see the Internet Archive’s "Williamstown, the Berkshire Hills, and thereabout"]
The next day I walked to Troy. I did not remain there long because I was hungry and sick, and thought I would go right home and go to work for father, and let my wife do as she chose. Coming back I got a ride part of the way on a freight train, and got to N. Adams Sat. aft.,and walked to central shaft in the tunnel, and from there I rode to the east end on the workmen’s train and walked to Zoar, where they let me ride on a hand car to Charlemont. From there I rode with a Mr.Wells as far as his house, and then went across the fields home".
A portion of Dwight’s story has proved to be true. Bradley Davenport and Wesley Woodard, sent to Petersburg Junction, sent back that two men answering the description of Dwight and Davenport had been there. At Greenwich, N.Y., Dwight’s name was found registered in full, as he had said, and there is nothing to show that Davenport was with him at the time.
The Davenport boy arrested - Search was continued for Davenport and finally he was tracked to Williamstown, and Thurs. aft. was found there by a Mr. White. He made no efforts to escape, but on the other hand seemed glad to give himself up.
He was brought through the tunnel to Shelburne Falls Fri. morning, and Trial Justice Brainard of Greenfield held a preliminary trial, arraigned him for murder, and continued the trial until the 27th. The Davenport boy’s narrative is substantially the same as that given by Dwight, but he does not deny that they killed Farnsworth.
He says their only object was to obtain money, that he had no enmity or ill will towards the murdered man. He and Dwight had made up their minds to go West and hoped to get enough money from Farnsworth to pay their expenses, but he says they only got about $4.
There were 2 sticks cut, he says, a walnut and a maple. It was with the latter that Farnsworth was knocked down. He says that he did not do the striking, though he was there. After he was left at Petersburg Junction, he wandered from place to place, working for something to eat when he could get employment, and was endeavoring to get back home.
Davenport is not of ordinary intelligence. He was dull at school, and has since been lazy and shiftless. Want of mental responsibility will be entered as a plea in his behalf. His mother says that he has always been a "strange boy". She has another son and a daughter who are bright, active and industrious.
Davenport was brought to Greenfield and lodged in jail on Fri. by Deputy Sheriff Swan. Both boys, who are allowed to be together when not locked in their cells, do not appear to be cast down or afflicted much with remorse. They will be brought before the Grand Jury at the November Court and if bills are found against them the trial will be before a special session of the Supreme Court.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Hampshire County items
Hampshire County items - Mrs. Susan M. Fuller was acquitted on the complaint of Trumbull & Gere that she aided in defrauding them recently, but her husband Irad Fuller, proprietor of the Round Hill Hotel, charged with the same offense, was held under $500 bonds, for appearance before the Grand Jury next Dec.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Hampshire County items
Hampshire County items - Fuller of the Round Hill Hotel has played a sharp and dishonorable game on the Gazette establishment. They have sued him for fraud, and we hope they will convict him. It is not often a man attempts to boldly do such an act. Northampton business men appear to be in a bad way.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Shelburne Falls
Shelburne Falls - Cole, of the Shelburne Falls House, has returned from a long sojourn at Saratoga. He is very much benefited, but his wife is to remain a while longer.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
South Deerfield
South Deerfield - O.S. Arms' stock of boots and shoes was removed from his store in Pierce's block, and was considerably damaged. Mr. Boche's stock of drugs was injured in removal to the amount of $500. [This name was blurry; I had him down as M. Roch before; it might even be Roche].
Boyd & Houghton also removed their goods which were damaged not less than $250. Charles S. Babcock, who was boarding at the Bloody Brook House with his family, lost about $600 worth of furniture, clothing, etc. G.W. Scudder, jeweler, lost tools and jewelry to the value of $250. S.F. Fisher's loss from damage to harness goods in [?] is $300 not insured.
Pierce's block was injured to the extent of $300 or $400, which was insured. Dr. D.M. Elliot's residence, though in great danger for some time, was finally saved, and with little damage to the contents which were partly removed.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
An excursion
The Connecticut River Railroad has issued excursion tickets to the White Mountains and back at very low rates. They take the excursionists to the top of Mount Washington and are good from the 11th to the 21st for the upward passage and on the return to the 25th, inclusive. The price of tickets are to the Profile House and return, $9; Fabyan House, $8; Crawford House, $8.50; top of Mt. Washington $11.50. This is a favorable time of year to visit the White Mountains and the fare is very low.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
The Bloody Brook celebration
The Bloody Brook celebration - Though crippled and discouraged by the disastrous fire, the people of South Deerfield do not propose to "back out" of the Bicentennial Celebration of the Massacre of Bloody Brook which had been arranged for next Fri. With the aid and the cooperation of the residents of Old Deerfield and neighboring towns, they propose to carry out the programme, giving the thousands who may come to participate in the honors and pleasures of the day a cordial and generous welcome.
The services of commemoration are held in connection with the sixth annual field meeting of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association. The President of the day is Hon. George T. Davis of Portland, Me., with Hon. George Grennell, Hon. James S. Whitney, Col. David Wells, Rev. C.S. Brooks, James C. Arms, Henry Childs, George W. Jones, Hon. W.B. Washburn, Rev. F.A. Warfield, Rev. J.F. Moors, Col. Austin Rice for Vice Presidents.
A grand procession will be formed at the depot on the arrival of the train from the north at 10 1/2 a.m., Col. J.B. Parsons of Northampton acting as Chief Marshal. Participating in the parade will be 7 companies of Col. Parson's command, the 2nd Regiment, the South Deerfield Band, members of the Grand Army and Veterans of the late war, the officers, speakers and poets of the day, Patrons of Husbandry, aged citizens, invited guests and other civic bodies and citizens generally.
The order of exercises will be as follows: Dirge by the South Deerfield Band; opening address by George Sheldon, Chairman of the Committee; an original ode by E.W.B. Canning, sung by the Quartette Club; prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. C.S. Brooks; music by the Band; oration by Hon. George B. Loring of Salem; collation; music; poem by William Everett of Cambridge; ode by Miss Eliza A. Starr, sung by the Quartette Club; and then will follow short addresses, music, etc.
The collation will be served in the same way as at the Whatelly Centennial - paper napkins being distributed and the provisions then passed around. The Deerfield Guards had invited several companies of their regiment, intending to provide for their entertainment, but as the fire destroyed some $500 or $600 worth of property belonging to the Guards, they are almost in a bankrupt condition, and the citizens of the town have now come forward and guarantee to furnish the military with a collation.
The people who attend are supposed to carry their lunch baskets and are requested to furnish what they can for our guests of the town who come unprovided. As the hotels of the place have been destroyed, all strangers will be dependent upon the citizens for entertainment. Passengers over the Connecticut River Railroad will be transported for half fare. and the same courtesy will be extended from North Adams and stations west of Greenfield on the Vt. & Mass. road.
All Grangers who attend the Bi-centennial are requested to report at the house of Norman B. Clark, a little south of the monument near the grave of Lathrop, where a committee of the order will be in readiness to receive and wait upon them. The people of Deerfield will be called upon to contribute provisions for the occasion by solicitors in each neighborhood, and they should be prepared to contribute biscuit, cold meats and plain cake.
The Pocumtuck Lodge of Odd Fellows of Greenfield have voted to attend the gathering and parcipate in the parade. The committee of arrangements though not issuing special invitations, desire the attendance of all organizations, including the Grand Army and other secret societies.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Mr. Beecher and Lake Pleasant
Mr. Beecher and Lake Pleasant - Your correspondent, induced by feelings of regret at Mr. Beecher’s announced visit to Lake Pleasant, called upon him during the week, at his summer home, the Twin Mountain House, and by a personal interview learned that your article of last week did him great injustice. Having a letter signed by all the clergy of this immediate vicinity, I found ready access to Mr. Beecher, though he must be often annoyed by visitors who, from their position, have more claim upon his attention than I. Further, the letter expressing, as it did, the Christian sentiment of this vicinity, found a quick response in Mr. Beecher’s heart, and a long conference revealed the following facts which are quite in antagonism to those published by you last week.
First - that Mr. Beecher was led to feel, that by a visit to Lake Pleasant, he would confer a favor upon his numerous friends in all this region - that there were many to whom it would be a lifelong pleasure to have once listened to him, so he should declare the Gospel unto them. Among the recent gatherings at Lake Pleasant, and their gala day character he knew nothing. When he learned that these gatherings in the past, had predjudiced [i.e. prejudiced] the Christian mind against a similar meeting there under similar conditions, though it should be in the interests of the Gospel, Mr. Beecher with true nobility of soul replied "In all matters where my own conscience will not be violated I defer most heartily and readily to the convictions of my ministerial brethren, and shall do in this".
Second - that as far as Mr. Beecher was concerned, there was no "stroke of business" at all to the arrangement. The inference in your article, that it was the compensation offered that had led him to accept the invitation to speak at Lake Pleasant, needs correction and emphatic denial.
In the course of the arrangements when compensation was spoken of, Mr. Beecher replied that "he had never taken a penny for outside work, save for his lectures, never a penny for charity addresses, never a penny for sermons preached during his vacation, never a penny for campaigning in support of political doctrines, as he did in 1856 when he made 3 addresses a week, sometimes of 3 hours each in the open air, during which campaign he even insisted upon paying his own expenses, that he might be above all criticism"; and then in substance added, I shall not accept anything for this service more than careful provision for my personal comfort.
Later, an excursion to the Tunnel having been proposed in connection with his stay here, he declined even this, in part because it would have the appearance of being a return for services rendered. It would seem therefore that the only parties interested in this as a worldly matter of dollars and cents are the railroads; and it is certain it was not from love to any of these, nor from a desire to fill their purses that led Mr. Beecher into this arrangement, but other motives, pure and noble, influenced him.
As to Mr. Beecher’s views concerning the sanctity of the Sabbath and the way in which it should be observed, I need say nothing, as last Sabbath in the course of a reply to certain criticisms upon his course that had appeared in the Vermont Chronicle, he announced that he should soon engage in the discussion of the Sabbath question.
I believe however, that he differs not so much from many of us in relation to Sabbath observance in our rural districts. He affirms that he is not settled about excursion trains in general, but when the possibility of his speaking in Greenfield on the 19th was referred to, his answering question was "How can you stop the trains?"
Whatever his view may be, it is certain that he is unwilling to violate the consciences of his brethren, if he can yield to them without violating his humor. Withal, I am convinced that Mr. Beecher in the matter referred to in your article last week, is deserving of no censure from the Christian public, but rather is worthy of imitation by them in the frankness in which he considered and recognized the judgment of those whom he felt to be better qualified than himself to judge, because of their better knowledge of fact involved; and also worthy of imitation in the promptness with which he acted in the matter.
The criticisms that have been so freely passed by many of us upon Mr. Beecher’s connection with the affair, have been criticisms of a misinformed man and hence Christian courtesy demands that we recall them. But while we draw the arrows let us apply as well the balm to heal. F.A. Warfield.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
A child on the witness stand
Little Walter Ross, brother of the missing Charlie Ross, was on the stand in the Westervelt (brother of the person who abducted Charley Ross [sic] but who was shot for burglary) trial at Philadelphia on Tues. He is about 7 years old, intelligent, and told his story in his own way with very little questioning. His evidence was as follows:
"I live in Germantown, on Washington lane; on the afternoon of July 1, Charlie went out with me into the lane and we were playing; two men came along and spoke to us; they were riding; they heard us shooting fire crackers up in the yard, and they said didn’t we want to go and buy some; and Charlie said he wanted to go and buy some and then the men asked us to get in; they lifted Charlie in and then I got in; they drove up the lane and then drove up toward Limekiln pike; before we got in they said they were going to take us to get some fire crackers.
I was between the two men and Charlie was sitting on one of the men’s lap; we went down Limekiln Pike down to Church Lane; then they turned up a great high hill and then turned up another street, and then they stopped at a hotel and got Charlie and me a drink; then they stopped in a street at the corner; they gave me money and I went in the buy the firecrackers; Charlie was in the carriage; I bought the fire crackers and came out of the store and then the buggy was gone.
A man came along and asked where I lived, and I said on Washington Lane; he asked me if it was in Washington and I said no, it was in Germantown; he asked if I wanted to go to the station house and I said no; I wanted to go home, and he took me home; I met my father in the lane coming up; while we were riding in the buggy Charlie cried a little, and the men said we were going to buy fire crackers now; Charlie said before he got in he wanted torpedoes; the men said they were going to buy the fire crackers at Juliann’s.
There was a red striped cover in this buggy; they had it spread over Charlie and all of us; Charlie rode all the time on the man’s lap; I had seen these two men before the day they took us away in the wagon; I had seen them twice before that and talked with them; when I saw them before that, they were riding in a buggy; they gave us candy first; they gave us candy twice before they took us away; they were right in front of Mr. Boutelier’s place; they were on the other side of the road from me, and they said Halloo; I did not see the buggy that day; that was in the afternoon when we were going to Sunday School...
The day they give us candy I took it up to Papa and told him that the man gave us candy; there were two new houses building opposite our house last summer; there was nothing said by the men about the houses at any time; one of the men had his nose up this way (pushing the end of his own nose upward); and the other had it down; the one whose nose was up had a cut on his nose, and the other had a mustache, which was red, and his hair as red; one man had on black pants and a light jacket; the pocket went below his knees; the other had on black pants and black jacket".
[For more information see Charley Ross in Wikipedia].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Great fire at South Deerfield
Great fire at South Deerfield - over $40,000 worth of property destroyed. One of the most destructive conflagrations that has ever visited Franklin County raged at South Deerfield Sat. night, sweeping out of existence the two village hotels, the finest private dwelling house in the place, a manufacturing establishment, a livery stable with several buildings, sheds and other property.
About 15 minutes before 12 o’clock, fire was discovered in the trimming room, in the second story of the ell part of John Ockington’s carriage shop, which was located on Depot Street, a little west of the Main street of the village. Before the alarm became general the flames with almost lightning rapidity spread to the main building, a large 2 story wooden structure, used for the various branches of the carriage business, and a repository for finished work.
Mr. Ockington’s books were rescued, and a portion of his stock, but a carryall, buggy, express wagon, sleigh, and a no. of carriages in different stages of construction, tools and lumber and stock of various kind were destroyed. ..The wind, which was blowing strongly from the north and north west, carried the flying cinders in the direction of Main Street.
Ten and a half ft. from the shop was the livery stable owned by W. Houston and occupied by Frank Warren. Hardly 15 minutes from the breaking out of the fire the stable had caught, and in a very short time was reduced to ashes...The next building reached by the devouring fire fiend was the Hayden Hotel, a large 2 story wooden building in the south west corner of Main Street and Depot Street, 75 ft. distant from the stable. It was owned by L. Hayden and occupied by his son Charles Hayden.
...Nearly all the furniture was removed from the building, but still considerable valuable property was destroyed. Miss Benn Hayden occupied a fancy goods store in the block, and her stock was nearly all saved.
100 ft. to the south on Main Street was Loren Hayden’s fine dwelling house, built but a short time ago, the most extensive residence in South Deerfield, and well furnished. Only a part of the furniture was saved, and the building and most of its contents were soon in ashes. In the rear, 27 ft. distance, was a large new barn which with its contents of hay and grain were destroyed....
While the conflagration was waging its war of destruction upon this corner of the street, another had broken out with equal fury on the opposite corner. The Bloody Brook House, belonging to C.P. Aldrich, was in a few moments a mass of flames. This long building, extending over 100 ft. on Main Street, with a new ell on Depot Street, its barns and numerous outbuildings melted before the flames like frost beneath the rays of the sun.
Efforts were made to clear out the contents but they were mostly unavailing, and the furniture, a piano, billiard table, provisions, bedding, etc. were lapped up by the greedy element. In the large grocery store of L.T. Harris, in the ell part of the building, but little was taken out. Scudder, a jeweler, saved most of his stock, but shot himself through the hand while handling one of his revolvers. J.T. Burnett occupied a room as a barber shop, but met no serious loss.
S.F. Fisher, who had a harness shop in the building, packed his goods and tools in trunks, and saved nearly all. P. Corkins, the shoemaker, another occupant, was alike fortunate. Several boarders in the hotel lost their clothing, but fortunately no one perished or was seriously injured.
Providentially there was a change in the wind, and the fire made no further progress in a northerly direction; though a horse belonging to Edward Jones of Greenfield, which is adjacent, was scorched and vigilant watching was required to prevent it from igniting. O.S. Arms’ house, on the east side of Main Street opposite Hayden’s, was several times on fire. All of the furniture was taken out, and by cutting through the roof and applying water as best they could when flames were discovered, he and his neighbors managed to save the building.
On the corner of Main Street opposite the Hayden hotel, is a large wooden building belonging to C.A. Pierce. This too was scorched. and the roof was frequently on fire, but it was saved without serious damage. Its occupants, M. Roch, druggist, Boyd & Houghton, dry goods, Mrs. B. Parsons Mansfield, milliner, O.S. Arms, post office and shoe store removed a portion or all of their goods, and had them more or less damaged. William B. Houston, who occupied a tenement on the 2nd floor, had his furniture taken out.
Deacon L.H. Fellow’s house, some 20 ft. from the post office, was also on fire and its contents taken out, but the fire was kept at bay by the use of small hand pumps, such as are used in gardens and in washing carriages. C. Mosher’s livery stable was saved in the same way. Numerous other houses and buildings were at different times on fire, but the assembled people were able to put them out.
South Deerfield is without a fire engine, reservoir, or any organized means for extinguishing fire. The people who assembled in obedience to the alarm could do little but assist in moving furniture and goods, and the fire in the destruction of the buildings mentioned had it all its own way. Within two hours from the breaking out of the flames in Ockington’s shop they had done their work, and nothing was left but tottering chimneys and smouldering embers.
About a quarter past 12 a dispatch was sent to Springfield for help and an hour or two after, two steamers and a hose cart arrived, making the run from Springfield in 40 minutes; but it was too late to be of service, and if the engines had come earlier there would have been little water that could have been made use of. The train soon returned.
The Deerfield Guards, under Captain B.F. Bridges, who had returned from msuter the afternoon previous, were early called to guard the property scattered about the streets. Some disturbance was created by boys who had confiscated liquors, but it was quelled without serious trouble. The fire was seen for miles, and burning brands were carried as far as Sunderland.
Mr. L. Hayden was so prostrated from the excitement incident to the fire that there were rumors yesterday that he was not likely to survive; but these rumors were probably exaggerated. John Ockington, one of the principle sufferers, is away at the seaside.
[Article goes on to discuss policies and amount of insurance, but this is all nicely listed in the NYTimes article].
Though there is some doubt about the origin of the fire, the prevailing belief is inclined to incendiarism. There had been no fire about the carriage shop after 3 o’clock the previous afternoon. The place in the building where it broke out was quite a distance from the forging shop. The calamity is a serious blow to the community.
[See the article "Losses by fire" in the Sept. 6, 1875 issue of the New York Times Online Archive].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Turners Falls
Turners Falls - Black bass are more than usually abundant in the Connecticut River this season, and several of the business men had a bass dinner at the Farren House Thurs., from a big bass caught by one of them.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
(Greenfield) The Beecher party, consisting of 5 persons, en route from the White Mountains, will stop in Greenfield on Sat. the 18th, having engaged rooms at the Mansion House. They remain over Sun., on which day Mr. Beecher is to preach at Lake Pleasant.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
An old story
The following was told me by the late Theodore Hoyt of Bernardston, father of Richard Hoyt. Mr. Hoyt’s father was Jonathan Hoyt, born in the old Indian House at Deerfield and son of landlord Hoyt. He built a house upon his father’s land at West Deerfield, probably around 1760, where he lived to old age, and sent out into the world a large family of children and grand-children. Here Mr. T. Hoyt was born.
The family were obliged to cross the Deerfield river to attend the public meetings of the town, and to the post office and store. Much of the time the river was crossed in a wooden canoe, which was kept near the old cemetery , as the river at this time was making its way very near its sacred enclosure, and it was feared that it would disturb the sleeping inmates.
Mr. Hoyt was returning from the village, and had entered a ravine on the farm now owned by Salmon Chapman, when a raccoon started up and ran. Mr. Hoyt went for him. He said in those days they did not let any thing disturb them. The raccoon ran under some rubbish and roots of trees, which he began to remove, when he saw a large copper kettle, which he thought was taken by the Indians from the village of King Philip’s time, or in 1704, and buried there.
The old kettle was taken home, but a large hole was found in it, making it unfit for use; but neighbor Deacon Jehiel Jones, grandfather of G.W. Jones and Charles Jones, gave him an old kettle to mend it with, and it did good service for many years. Near where the kettle was found, the Indians had a cemetery and an armory, or a spot for burying arrowheads and other war implements.
The Indians were mostly buried in a sitting posture. This brought the head near the top of the ground. Mr. Hoyt said, when they plowed this land, the plows would cut off and turn out the Indians’ skulls. Oh, what a harvest Mr. Sheldon and Dr. Hitchcock would have gathered from that field! - enough to have filled several shelves of their cabinet.
This farm was then owned by Mr. Hoyt’s brother, father of S.B. Hoyt of Bernardston. The present owner, Mr. Chapman, found deposited in a cavity, 60 or 70 arrow heads, showing it to be a place of deposit. These, we are sorry to say, fell under the eye of Dr. Hitchcock a little too soon after they were found, and are now deposited in the Indian cabinet at Amherst College, with a promise to be returned to Deerfield and deposited in the Memorial Hall when completed. (N. Hitchcock)
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
News about town: Greenfield items
A desperate plan was laid by two of Greenfield’s young roughs, to burglarize Charles Keith’s grocery store last Wed. eve. About 11 o’clock in the eve. Miles Mowry, a clerk employed in the store, accompanied by E.S. Seaver, cutter for Seward & Willard, had occasion to go into the store. In the dark Mowry stumbled over someone secreted behind the counter. He at first thought it one of the other clerks trying to play a joke on him, but dragging the fellow out, he proved to be Jerry McAuliffe, the boy who, two years ago, broke into the store then kept by Mrs. S.F. Warner.
He served an 18 month’s sentence in the House of Correction at Pittsfield, and returned to Greenfield July 17th. Mowry and Seaver took McAuliff into the street and delivered him over to night policemen Jones and Carbee. McAuliff, when arrested, had a long dirk knife in his hand, the sheath of which was found in his pocket. It was not suspected at the time that there was another burglar in the store, and so it was locked and left for the night.
It leaked out the next day, when McAuliff was brought before Justice Brainard, that he was not alone. Another fellow, he said, cut a light from the back window with a diamond, through which they both got into the store, and it was their intention to open the safe, his comrade having the necessary tools. The fellow, he said, was not 4 ft. from him when he was taken from behind the counter, and he had a revolver cocked ready to shoot anyone who took hold of him.
McAuliff would not tell the boy’s name, but from what the Justice pumped out of him, it was suspected that Willard Gillett, employed about the Mansion House, was the second burglar, and he was accordingly arrested. Gillett denied the whole thing at once, but owned up little by little, and finally pleaded guilty to the charge of breaking and entering the store, with the intention of opening the safe to obtain money.
His trunk at the Mansion House was searched and in it was found a seven shooter loaded with six charges, capped and ready for execution, a long sheath knife, a policeman’s "billy", a hatchet, a diamond for cutting glass, a chisel, etc., beside some boxes of cigars and a few articles that are supposed to have been stolen. The magistrate bound each of the boys over to the Nov. court in the sum of $500.
Gillett was at one time employed by Dr. Severance, who now recollects numerous things that turned up missing while he was around the house. He afterward worked in Field & Hall’s printing office, but found he hadn’t a taste for that kind of work and so gave it up. A "form" of type was found in his trunk, from which he had probably printed some obscene literature for the benefit of his boy companions. He was certainly equipped for burglary on an extensive scale.
The wonder is, that with one of these boys armed with a dirk knife, and the other a pistol, they did not assault Mowry and Seaver when they entered the store. Had Mowry been alone, he might have had ugly treatment at their hands. McAuliff is 17 and Gillett 18.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
Court record
The second week of the Superior Court was opened at 10 o’clock Mon. The jury in the case of Peleg Adams vs. John Single, and the countersuit of Single vs. Adams, brought in a verdict on each action separately, viz.: In the former for Adams, amount $522; and in the latter for Single, $808, giving a difference in Single’s favor of $286.
The criminal cases were then taken up before the second jury as follows: Timothy Sullivan of Greenfield, on two indictments for larceny. The transaction itself was so lately chronicled that it is unnecessary to repeat it here, but simply to state that the defendant is the party who carried off Conductor Tharp’s clothing, and A.N. Hull’s shoes from the Mansion House. He was found guilty and sentenced to two years at the State Prison at Charlestown; two days solitary. District Attorney for Commonwealth.
Patrick Fraine of Charlemont was tried on two indictments. One for arson and another for larceny from the building, both being tried at the same time. The first charge was for the alleged firing of the Zoar depot last March, and the second for stealing from the same. The defendant worked upon the railroad at the Tunnel and boarded at Zoar. The parties with whom he boarded testified that Fraine came home the night of the fire at 5 minutes before 9, and the alarm was given about half past 9.
The defendant, who had no council, cross questioned the witnesses with considerable shrewdness, and brought out from the depot master the fact that some railroad men were in the depot during the eve; the west end of which was used as a store, and that there was a large fire in the stove, so much that some of the party complained of the heat, but it was claimed that the fire was out, or nearly so, when the store was closed.
The party who lived near, and who seemed to have discovered the fire first, described it as wholly confined to the southwest end, or store part, and there seemed to be no fire in the rest of the building. The evidence seemed very small to hold the defendant on the charge of arson, and the verdict of the jury acquitted the prisoner at the bar therefor.
On the allegation of larceny, the evidence was more conclusive, two witnesses testifying to the defendant having pennies and 5 cent pieces in his pockets, some being in a pocket handkerchief and others done up in a pair of stockings in the defendant’s coat at the place he boarded. On this charge he was found guilty and sentenced to 2 years in the House of Correction at Pittsfield. District Attorney for Commonwealth.
Marshall H. Porter of Williamstown and Henry Smith of South Deerfield, for larceny, and the former also for receiving stolen goods. The defendant, Porter, a dark mulatto, who gave his age as 30, said he was visiting at South Deerfield. He claimed to have had nothing to do with the larceny, but said the articles found on him were given him by Henry Moore, although he acknowledged he knew they were stolen.
It appeared by the confession of Smith, who is a bright colored boy of about 16 years of age, that the larceny alleged consisted in entering the store in the building connected with the Bloody Brook House at South Deerfield; the boy Smith watching in the shade of a large elm tree in front of the store, while Porter and Moore entered the store by the bulk-head and did the stealing. The articles taken were 2 or 3 watches, a revolver, candy, some currency and silver coin and other miscellaneous items.
Henry Moore, indicted with the others for the larceny, was bailed by his father, an was not on hand to be tried with the others. Porter and Smith were found guilty and sentenced each to 3 years at the House of Correction in Pittsfield; District Attorney for Commonwealth, A. Brainard for Smith. A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Henry Moore, who has become scarce in this region since the time he was required at this court to plead with the others to the alleged burglary.
George Doolittle of Greenfield, for assault and battery. The present case came up on an appeal from sentence of the magistrate. The said assault and battery was made upon H.E. Keuran, while visiting the Mansion House, the defendant being keeper of the hotel. The case was virtually decided on the testimony of Doolittle himself, who, after detailing the fact of seeing Keuran passing back and forth through the bar room to the wash room, had ordered Keuran to leave and not be hanging around there, to which the reply was made that he had as much money in there as the defendant, and should go when he got ready, at same time drawing a pocket knife and threatening bodily harm if he was put out; upon which the defendant struck him with his fist, and as he was going out struck him two more blows.
The fact of any knife being drawn was denied by Keuran, who also said he had no such knife as described with him at the time. Several witnesses detailed the facts as they saw them, several testifying they saw a knife in Keuran’s hand, but the court ruled that even if there was any justification for the first blow self defense did not require the others, and according to the defendant’s own testimony, the said blows were given when Keuran was getting away about as fast as he could. Verdict of guilty. Sentence deferred. District Attorney for Commonwealth, A. DeWolf for defendant.
The case of Michael Moran for larceny came up on appeal from a magistrate’s trail, and on motion the complaint was quashed for informality. D. Aiken for defendant.
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Frank P. Bell of Coleraine for assalt and battery had a lengthy trial occupying the most of Thurs. The alleged assault was made with a shovel upon George H. Phillips, one of the Selectmen of the Town, and also another assault upon Newton G. Lake, who was with him at the time. The defendant has not lived very peaceably with certain of his neighbors for some time, and probably dates back to the adultery case of a few years ago, at which the present defendant was one of the parties.
The present difficulty seems to have arisen about one Joshua Fairbanks, a town pauper, at the time living at Bell’s house. Mr. Phillips testified that he went to the defendant’s house, either to get Fairbanks or to notify defendant that the town would not pay for his support. Upon which the defendant ordered them away, using abusive language, and that afterward he came out armed with a shovel and not only assaulted them with his fist, but struck at them with his shovel, and finally thrust the shovel against Mr. Phillips, knocking him down.
All this the defendant denied. The jury, however, found the "Christian Hill" defendant guilty. when the time for sentencing arrived, Bell had departed, he having been on bail since his preliminary trial before the magistrate. His bail was called and defaulted, and a bench warrant issued for his arrest. District Attorney for Commmonwealth, C.C. Conant for defendant. This closed the criminal cases and the civil list was resumed with.
Joseph H. Hollister vs. Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Co. In this case the plaintiff claims a sum due him on a policy in said company. The company, however, defend, alleging that the plaintiff has no claim on them, as he had failed to pay an assessment made in the required time, and his policy had consequently lapsed to the company. The court ordered the jury to return a verdict for the defendant, upon the law involved on an agreed statement of facts, and the case goes at once to the Supreme Court on the questions of law. C.C. Conant for plaintiff, D. Aiken for defendant.
Edward E. Coleman et al. vs. Loren S. Bartlett et al. - This was an action of contract for the recovery of the price of a turbine water wheel, made by E.E. Coleman & Co. of Shelburne Falls, for Loren S. Bartlett & Son of Northampton - the value of the wheel, worksetting the same and interest, amounting to $567.
The wheel in question was put into the mill some 2 years ago, and the contract therefor, the defendants allege, was that the plaintiffs agreed to put in the said wheel and to warrant it to work to the satisfaction of the defendants; that it should use less water and give more power than the wheel they were then using; but after trying the wheel for some time, with the same water as on the old wheel, found they got less power and could not operate the mill; and that on notice given of these facts to the defendants, they endeavored to remedy the defects, but still it did not work to their satisfaction, and they therefore refused to pay for the same.
The case was very thoroughly heard and a great amount of evidence introduced to show the conditions under which wheels are usually put into mills, the nature of turbine wheels in general, and much other matter relative thereto - of interest, perhaps to mill owners, or to the relative value of turbines and the conditions necessary to their successful working; but as a whole, the general interest in the case was not so great as in many others. Verdict for defendants. S.T. Field for plffs.; DW. Bond & H.H. Bond for defts.
Lyman J. Wait vs. Justin Thayer et al. - This case was partially presented to the jury, but was suspended to enable counsel to go to Brattleboro to take the deposition of S.F. Warner. The action is on a promissory note of $1000, given by Warner and endorsed by Thayer, Sargent & Co.of Northampton, Mr. Warner being at the time a member of the above named firm. The case attracts considerable attention on account of several nice points of commercial law involved.
While waiting for the taking of the deposition mentioned, the case of Joel R. Davenport vs. the inhabitants of Coleraine was taken up before the same jury. This action is for injury alleged to have been received by the plaintiff while traveling on the highway in said town. The case is still on trial.
The cases of Mary M. Hillman vs. The Inhabitants of Charlemont, and that of Chandler A. Vincent vs. The Inhabitants of Rowe stand next in order of trial. It will probably take the most of the present week to finish up the cases still standing for trial.
- Wed, Feb 10, 2010
