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Metcalf & Luther - [Illustration of an eye, with an imp leaning on top of it with a bandage covering one eye, between the letters O and C]. O C $50,000.00 worth of house furnishing goods to be sold this Fall, regardless of cost! ...
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Probate court record
Northfield - Wills proved - Hezekiah Mattoon, Northfield, S.W. Dutton, Northfield, ex'r. Account filed - in estate of Joel Fay, N. Inventories filed - in estate of Samuel Alexander, N., $8351; Avery Clapp, Montague, $1869; Sarah M. Hawks, Deerfield, $489. [?] of notice - in estate of Jeremiah Dow, Erving; Alban Hill,Shutesbury. Next Probate Court at Greenfield.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Greenfield items
Greenfield - There was a bloody melee among Manly McClure's brickmakers on Sat. Two, Cook and Tucker, beat a comrade's face into jelly. They were arrested by policemen Jones and Carbee, and bound over to the Superior Court by Justice Davis.
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
News of the week
The government won its first suit against the whisky [i.e. whiskey] ring at St. Josephs, Mo. Sat., when John Shenan was convicted; he had pleaded guilty, however the penalty in this case is not less than 2 year's imprisonment, and not less than $5,000 fine. Shenan's case is regarded at the Treasury Dept. as a type of those to follow, the evidence in possession of the government in this class of cases being of the same character.
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 - Mon. Trial Justice John A. Winslow Esq. of Charlemont fined William O. Donahue for drunkenness, $2 and costs; Thomas Sharky for assault and battery upon David Smith, bookkeeper for James H. Edwards, $5 and costs. The complaint against Robert Maloney for disorderly conduct was nollo prosequied. The other two for want of money, went down to lodge and board with Sheriff Wells.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Turners Falls
Turners Falls - At a dance at Montague City the other night a lot of fellows pounced upon Abner Avery without provocation, and pounded him in a fearful manner. Constables Allen and Jones gathered in 5 of the fellows, and Whit. Berden, James Swing, Horatio Cutler and Lewis Buffum were each fined $8.92, while David Snow was discharged.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Court record
Court record - The fifth week of the Superior Court continued the business of the term, beginning Tues. with the following trials before the court:
John O’Donnell vs. Bartholomew Reardon & Trustees - Finding for the plaintiff, amount $68.68, and the charging of the Trustee (the Keith Paper Co.) with $76.07...Erastus Cowles vs. Edwin A. Ball - This was an action of trespass, wherein the plaintiff alleged that the defendant, who, being a highway surveyor, had, in repairing the highway on Deerfield Meadow, trespassed upon the plaintiff’s land, plowing into the Broughton Pond road, a turf embankment some 3 ft. wide and 68 rods in length.
Also, by removing a stone at the western terminus of the road. The question at issue being the true location of the northern line of said road. The defendant claimed that he had not exceeded the original limits of the road, which was laid out in 1796. The case developed the fact that the race of old men were not yet extinct, and the remembrances of the greater portion of Deerfield were required on the pros and cons of the matter in dispute. Finding for the defendant...
Henry Couillard vs. Elihu Smead - This was an action by the plaintiff, as tax collector of Shelburne, to recover $33.85, being a tax assessed in 1871. The defendant claimed that the tax had already been paid by J.B. Whitney, who, acting as his agent, handed the plaintiff the money in the yard of his livery stable at Shelburne Falls, and moreover, fixed the date as Apr. 29, 1871.
The circumstances attending the alleged payment were detailed by Mr. Whitney, while the plaintiff, while testifying that at the date named he was at Winchester N.H., engaged in the joint occupation of "courting a woman and trading horses", succeeded in raising an issue of fact, which, after a subsequent attempt by the plaintiff’s side to show the true status of the witness Whitney, for truth and veracity, and the counter attempt of the defense to discredit Couillard on the same ground; the truth might be said to indeed be "trembling in the balance". Finding for the plaintiff, amount $40.78...
The inhabitants of Leverett vs. the inhabitants of Rowe - This was an action to recover for money expended by the town of Leverett in assisting a pauper by the name of Rice, and whom it was claimed, had a legal settlement in the town of Rowe. The circumstances of the case were quite peculiar. One of the ways by which a person gains a settlement in a town is by the possession and residence on an estate of freehold for 3 years.
A settlement once gained of course continuing until a new one is gained elsewhere. In this case, Mr. Rice owned and lived upon a place in Rowe, but a few days previous to the expiration of 3 years he returned the deed of land to the original grantor, who then conveyed the property to a new party. Mr. Rice continued to live upon the land for some few weeks after giving up the deed as mentioned.
The new party who took the property did not take possession; neither did the original grantor exercise any act of ownership except the mere transferring of the deeds till after the expiration of 3 years. The question arises whether the fact of giving the deed back by Rice to his grantor, did moderate the circumstances, divest Rice of his seizin of the freehold. If not, of course he gained a settlement; while if the residence or the seizin were cut short by a few days, the statute would not be complied with and the town would not be liable. The point raised was so peculiar that the Judge reserved his decision...
Lucius Smith vs. Austin Drake, appt. The case came up on appeal from a magistrate’s findings. The court found for the plaintiff and assessed damages of $7.42...
The following cases were disposed of by judgment without trial: Samuel B. Fletcher vs. Henry Herring - This case has stood upon the docket for a long time, having been tried by a jury in 1873. It was settled on agreement by a verdict for the plaintiff, amount $19...Moses Stebbins vs. Jasper Gillett - This was another of the old cases consisting of many items of an account with offsets. Judgment was granted on award of referee...Edward H. Fitts vs. Samuel Sugland - Judgment on award of referee for plff. Damages, $4. Each party to pay their own cost...
Turners Falls Lumber Co. vs. David A. Wood - This was an action on 2 promissory notes, one of $1200...and the other of $518...Judgment for plaintiffs on both...Edwin Pierce et al. vs. Levi A. Bates Jr. et al. Judgment for plaintiffs against Bates for account of $52.50...Edwin Pierce et al. vs. Allen Mansfield - Judgment for plaintiff on a promissory note...for $58...
William L. Bradley vs. Edward Barney - Judgment for plaintiff on a promissory note...for $212...Bradley Fertilizer Co. vs. Edward Barney - This was an action on a note given by George Fuller of Deerfield, upon which the defendant was sued as surety, for $300. Judgment for plaintiff on the same...
Asa C. Lewis vs. Lorenzo D. Joslyn appt. Judgment for plaintiff, amount $30...Nathaniel Holmes et al. vs. Stephen L. Pratt - Judgment for plaintiff on note...for $59.10, upon which $40 had been paid before suit. William R. Armstrong vs. R.L. Goss. Judgment for plaintiff...for $400...Nathaniel Holmes et al. vs. Thomas Lap[?]. Judgment for plaintiff for $11...
George W. Potter et al. vs. R.J. Goss. Judgment for plaintiff on 2 notes, one for $732 and another for $82.89, also an account of $319. Total, $1134.52. Frank L. Eldridge vs. R.L. Goss et al - Judgment for plaintiff on note, amount $350...In the case of S.L. Shattuck et al. vs. George Jones, in which a verdict for plaintiff was given by the jury, a motion was filed for a new trial. But the motion has been overruled.
The docket has been well cleared of old cases this term, some 40 being settled out of court, to which no reference has been made in our reports. Judge Aldrich has earned the thanks of suiters by his persistent labors in holding this, the longest term of the Superior Court, known for many years. The court adjourned for the term Fri...The law term of the Supreme Judicial Court will begin Sept. 28, with the full bench.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Leverett
Leverett - H.W. Field of Leverett, on complaint of Amherst parties, was tried before Justice Thomas Mon. for being intoxicated "last June". The evidence was rather conflicting, and showed pretty conclusively that there was some material for the prosecution which did not appear on the surface. The justice was not aware of this fact, and fined him one dollar and costs, which he paid.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Greenfield -
Greenfield - Trial Justice Brainard disposed of the following cases last week: Michael Moran, who took wood from Millers Falls, the property of Oselo Goodnow, was fined $2 and costs, from which he appealed. James Dwyer, Whitney Barden, Horatio Cutler and David Buffum of Montague City, were arrested for assaulting Abner Avery, and were fined $5 and one fourth of the costs each, which amounted to $8.92.
John McIves, one of the Bardwell’s Ferry roughs, was arrested by P.M. Fitzgerald for drunkenness, fined $5 and costs, which if not paid within 3 days, he was to take 20 days in the House of Correction. Dennis Brown for assault on Michael O’Neil, was brought in by Sheriff Swan of Shelburne Falls, and fined $8 and costs. Justice Davis discharged Patrick Mahaney of Cheapside, who was brought up for drunkenness, and fined John McIves $2 and costs - $4.95, who was picked up drunk by night policeman Carbee.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Probate Court Record
Probate court Record - Greenfield - Administration granted on estates of George W. Bardwell of Deerfield, Jane F. Bardwell and Cyrus A. Stowell, Adm'rs.; Jeremiah Dow of Erving, Edmund M. Dow of Erving, Adm'r.; Joseph M. Townsend of Coleraine, Sarah Townsend of Coleraine, Adm'r.
Wills proved - Samuel Alexander of Northfield, George P. Alexander of Northfield, Ex'r.; Sarah Cook of Greenfield, John J. Graves and R.W. Cook of Greenfield, Ex'rs.; Ansel C. Delano of Sunderland, Jesse L. Delano and Edward A. Delano of Sunderland, Ex'rs.; Moses Hubbard of Sunderland, Cyrus M. Hubbard of Sunderland, Adm'r. with the will annexed.
Accounts rendered - on estates of William W. Alcott of Bernardston, Clark Ellis of New Salem, Clarissa Battle of Orange, Mary J. Gore of Monroe, Harriet M. Brown of Greenfield, A.M. Kingman of Deerfield, George S. Boyd of Deerfield.
License granted to sell real estate - Of John Arms of Gill, Andrew Welch of Montague, Walter D. Thompson of Troy, Ohio.
Widows' allowance - Made in estates of Rufus S. Phillips of Greenfield, $500; Edward Thayer of Greenfield, $9018.
Affidavits filed - in estate of Charles S. Brown of Greenfield, Baxter Harding of Conway, P. May Buddington of Greenfield, Rufus S. Phillips of Greenfield, Moses Field of Leverett.
Estate of Ephraim Murdock, late of Orange, represented insolvent, H. Woodward and G.A. Whipple, Commissioners.
Commissioners' report filed in estate of John Haskins, late of Shutesbury. Distribution ordered in estate of George S. Boyd, late of Deerfield.
John Quinton of Greenfield adopted infant child of William H. Seley; name changed to John George L. Quinton. Name of Flora M. Reynolds of Shutesbury changed to Flora M. Freeman. Next Probate Court at Northfield next Tues. (tomorrow).
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
The Turners Falls bridge
The Turners Falls bridge - A prayer for an injunction was filed by the Montague Paper Co. at the office of the Clerk of Courts, to prevent the County Commissioners from building the new bridge at Turners Falls, as located by the Board, which will bring the matter before the Supreme Judicial Court, which will be in session in Greenfield on the 29th. The company claims that the commissioners had no right to lay out the highway and bridge without first ascertaining that the expenses to be incurred under the act of the Legislature would not exceed $42,000...
That if the bridge is built as located, cutting off the easterly end of the company's paper mill, heavy damages will be sustained, not only by the appropriation of the company's property, but also by the interruption and permanent injury which will thereby be caused to the business; the damage, the company claims, amounting to many thousands of dollars...The company claims that its land and property cannot be lawfully taken.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home (Greenfield)
Greenfield - Register Thompson and Town Clerk Pond had rare sport fishing, down near Sherbrook, Nova Scotia, where they were guests of Newell Snow for some 3 weeks. What would some of the fishers in our local streams think of 75 pounds of trout as the result of half an hour’s piscatorial effort.
That is what THEY did down there. Mr. T. outlined one of the speckled treasures which he caught, and shows the profile to his credulous friends. The fish was about a foot and a half long, and weighed a good 3 pounds. They camped out nights, waded through swamps and bogs, fished, ate, and were happy, and came home browned and toughened, in prime condition, to resume the cares and troubles of every day life.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Greenfield - S.O. Lamb, as Master in Chancery, had a hearing last week, with reference to the bail required of John Baxter. It will be remembered that Baxter was with the two Finn boys the night that John Hayes of Bardwell's Ferry was thrown down and robbed, a few weeks since.
The magistrate fixed the amount of his bail at $1000, and Baxter, unable to raise that sum, has since been confined in jail; but it has been ascertained that Baxter was not seriously implicated in the affair, and Justice Brainard consented to reduce the bail to $600, which Baxter obtained, and was set at liberty.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Greenfield - Wendell T. Davis Esq. received on Mon. the official notice of his appointment as Register in Bankruptcy for this district, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Ithamar F. Conkey Esq. of Amherst. The selection of Mr. D. from among the numerous applicants for the office, is a compliment to his ability, and the appointment will meet with approval throughout the district.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Greenfield - George Woodard, the boy brought before Judge Conant for stealing a gun and powder horn, was on Wed. turned over to Gordon M. Fisk, the agent of the Board of State Charities, who has placed him in the State Primary School at Monson.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Greenfield - A witness who was summoned to appear at a Justice Trial the other day, claimed payment for 500 miles travel, having come from Quebec. The item was reduced somewhat before it was paid by the County.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Born
Born in Greenfield Aug. 8, a daughter to Samuel Parker; Aug. 29, a daughter to R.P. Whipple and grand-daughter to J.M.A. Squier on Monson; Aug. 27, a daughter to E.E. Lyman Esq., Clerk of Courts; Aug. 31, a son to William Schuler.
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
Charlemont
Charlemont - 99 1/100 of our citizens are justly indignant on account of the verdict rendered by the jury in the case of Mary Hillman vs. the Inhabitants of Charlemont. We understand that an effort will be made to procure a new trial.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Leyden
Leyden - Some foolish boys have been doing mischief to unoccupied houses. Patrick Dwyer's suffering the loss of considerable glass. They had better consult Justice Davis and learn what penalty the law imposes upon such rogues.
- Sun, Feb 21, 2010
