Freeman's Journal, Cooperstown, NY, June 27, 1848
Marriage
In Davenport [Delaware Co. NY], June 5th, 1878, by Rev. E.P. Crane, E.H. Conine of Cooperstown [Otsego Co. NY] and Miss Josie F. Dibble of the former place.
Deaths
In Milford [Otsego Co. NY] on the 18th inst. Gertrude [Mevis] daughter of J.W. Mevis, aged 18 years, 5 months and 18 days. Miss M. was a lovely character, cut down in her early womanhood to the regret of her afflicted relatives and a circle of loving friends. Her sickness was a brief one, as only a week before she had come home from Lowell, Mass. She will be missed in the family circle, but she has gone to join the circle of the redeemed.
In Oneonta [Otsego Co. NY] June 18th, Samuel Smith aged 72 years.
In Edmeston [Otsego Co. NY] June 7th, Sallie Slocum, aged 88 years.
In Otego [Otsego Co. NY], June 10th, Ursula C. Buckley aged 4 years and 18 days.
In Pittsfield [Otsego Co. NY] June 10th, Chas. Burlingham in the 72d year of his age.
In Morris [Otsego Co. NY], June 15th, Mrs. Erexena Lull wife of Ezra Lull, Sr., aged 78 years, 8 months and 26 days.
At Phoenix Mills [Otsego Co. NY], June 22d, Fannie [Coss] daughter of Elbridge and Sarah Coss, aged 1 year, 1 month and 25 days.
At Hartwick [Otsego Co. NY], June 20th, Alonzo Axedell aged 28 years.
Deacon Timothy Sabin aged about 80, one of the most respected citizens of Oneonta [Otsego Co. NY], was found dead in his bed on Tuesday morning of this week.
Morris Chronicle, Morris, NY, July 3, 1878
Marriage
Last Wednesday several of our citizens went over to Portlandville [Otsego Co. NY] to attend the wedding of George Yates, 2d of New Lisbon [Otsego Co. NY] to Miss Crandall of Milford [Otsego Co. NY]. A delightful time is reported. Long life attend the pair and filled with days as calm, and bright and beautiful as the day of their union in wedlock.
Death
June 28: In new Lisbon [Otsego Co. NY], of consumption, Alonzo Van Steinburgh, aged 86 years and 1 day.
______________________
News Item
At Plainfield Center [Otsego Co. NY], Tuesday, Catherine M. Richards a fourteen-year-old daughter of William C. Richards was killed by a bull. The animal was fastened in the barn and the little girl went into the barn for the purpose of feeding the calves. At milking time when the hired man went to the barn, he found the little girl on the floor dead and the bull at large in the lot. [Oneonta Herald & Democrat, Oneonta, NY, June 28, 1878]
A Murder in Plainfield
From the Utica Daily Republican
West Winfield [Herkimer Co. NY], June 27, 3:20 A.M.: The account published in yesterday's Republican about the death of Catherine m . Richards of Plainfield, Otsego County was correct in all but one thing. Miss Richards was not gored to death by a bull but was murdered by someone. An examination of the girl's wounds today showed that they could not have been inflicted by a bull. Suspicion is excited against Myron Buell, a man employed on her father's farm, as he had on a previous occasion attempted such improprieties as amounted almost to rape.
The story, as nearly as can be ascertained is as follows: Buell and a man from Florence, named Daniel Bowen, were at work in the hopyard. About three o'clock, Buell left the field and started toward the house leaving Bowen, as is supposed, at work. The people were away from home, but Hannah Jones and John L. Davis were at the house, the former being engaged in sewing. At about the same time that Buell left the hopyard, Miss Richards, who was but fourteen years of age, was seen to leave the house and go toward the barn where she was afterwards found dead. Buell was also seen in the barn by Davis, who left the house to go into the field. This was at three o'clock, and Davis had returned to the house before four. On his way back he passed by the barn and there saw the bull and calves standing docile and well. At this time the girl was in the house alive and well. At 4 she left the house and immediately went into the cheese house. When last seen alive she said that she might possibly go berrying.
Soon after, Buell returned to the field and remained there at work until forty minutes past four, when both hands returned to the house. They found the bull out of the stable and behind the cheese house, where he was never kept. Buell then passed down to the door of the stable, while Bowen drove the bull into the barn. Bowen then stepped into the barn and exclaimed: "Catherine is here killed." Upon this, Buell stepped into the barn and saw the body. He immediately notified the people in the house of what had occurred. The body of the unfortunate girl lay resting on the left side with a straight wound on the right cheek three-fourths of an inch long. The temple was crushed in, probably by some blunt instrument.
Buell passed by, paying no attention to the body, going into the house quietly.
The girl's clothes were undisturbed, and it seems that the body must have been placed where it was found by some interested persons. The body was in the stable in the position which had been previously occupied by the bull, with its head towards the feed trough.
There are three narrow doors in the stable through which manure was thrown out. All of these were open at noon. Now two of them were shut. The other could not be closed except with infinite labor.
A three-legged milking stool was found by Lawyer Aylesworth which was plainly marked with blood on one corner. It is thought that this was used to inflict the blow on the temple. this blow probably settled the business.
A strap was also found which corresponded exactly with a bruise mark about the poor girl's neck. On the right shoulder there is the mark of a thumb nail, as though the girl had been forced down.
The theory resulting from these facts is briefly stated that an attempt was made to ravish the girl and that she resisted. The strap was used to choke of her despairing cries, and when this failed the milking stool was brought into requisition. There are many evidences of a struggle, but there are no marks of blood on the bull's horns, and it certainly is not possible that the latter could have strangled the girl.
Buell says that he came to the house and returned to the meadow to secure a horse and that he was there at the time when Miss Richards' death must have occurred. In this connection he made some statements as to a fence which had been knocked down, and other circumstances which lawyer Aylesworth, having examined carefully, find to be false.
Dr. W.M. Spencer of Edmeston, Coroner of Otsego County was notified Wednesday, but did not arrive on the scene till the evening, when a jury was selected and after they had viewed the remains, the inquest was adjourned till 9 A.M. Thursday, the 27.
The Richards residence is on the highest part of Plainfield township, Otsego County, some half-a mile from the Welsh Congregational church at Plainfield Centre.
Later: Buell has been put under arrest, but the death of Catherine Richards is still a mystery and is likely to remain so, despite the earnest efforts of the detectives, the reporters and the neighbors to discover the criminal. The case against Buell is strong, though purely circumstantial and any jury will be liable to hesitate over the two queries: Was there a murder? Did Buell commit it?
No comments:
Post a Comment