VERMONT’S HAUNTS Tall Tales & True from the Green Mountains by Joseph A. Citro

VERMONT’S HAUNTS Tall Tales & True from the Green Mountains by Joseph A. Citro

Author:Joseph A. Citro [Citro, Joseph A.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Bat Books
Published: 2011-06-12T16:00:00+00:00


"I have enjoyed the distinction and

have prized dearly the compliment

of being a conspicuous citizen."

—Clarence Adams

In those days Vermont had no state police force. Crime fighting—what there was of it—was the responsibility of the constable and the Board of Selectmen.

The citizens of Chester considered themselves lucky to have as their first selectman the distinguished Mr. Clarence Adams. Though born in neighboring Cavendish in 1857, Mr. Adams had grown up in Chester and—even as a lad—had demonstrated exceptional intelligence, wisdom, and diplomacy. In adolescence he had talked about a career in the military. Later he considered detective work or the secret service. But he won the respect of his neighbors when he chose to remain on the isolated family farm, tending the business and taking care of his aging, ailing parents.

When they passed on, Clarence continued working his 270-acres and buried himself in the affairs of the town. He was deacon at the local church, a founding trustee of the Whiting Library, a village lister, and an incorporator of the Chester Savings Bank. In time his interests turned to politics. He was elected First Selectman in 1892—a position roughly equivalent to mayor—and even represented Chester in the Vermont legislature.

At six feet tall, the well-groomed, blue-eyed, and mustachioed Mr. Adams was considered handsome. Farm work kept him healthy; reading kept him well-informed and cultured. His personal library included nearly 2000 volumes.

Though he avoided small talk, Mr. Adams was well-spoken, with a good word for everyone. As Ed Kendall recalled in 1955, "It was a pleasure to listen to him as he took part in town meeting debates."

In short, he was the sort of man who won the respect of his peers, turned the heads of the ladies, and inspired mothers to cite him as a role model for their sons. His only "vice," folks said, was too much reading. Rather than spin yarns and swap gossip at the general store, he'd invariably return to his farm on the hill and the solitude of his library. But everyone had to admit that self-education had made him the most learned man in town. They even entrusted him as the unofficial guardian of juvenile morals by having him select all the books for the town library.

So when Mr. Adams decided to take a personal interest in the burglaries, most people breathed a sign of relief. The voracious reading they'd teased him about might prove to be their salvation. Mr. Adams admitted to a special fondness for detective fiction. He read police thrillers of the era, including Nick Carter and "Old Sleuth," but he admired the works of Poe, Gaboriau, and especially Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.

No doubt his fellow selectmen chided him a bit when they saw how eager Clarence was to put his own sleuthing skills to work. Clearly, he wanted to play detective.

Not surprisingly, the multi-talented Mr. Adams displayed an aptitude for police work. Before long he was running the investigation. He approved security plans, consulted about strategy, questioned victims, even examined crime scenes, often disclosing the burglar's ingenious mode of entry.



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