| Notes |
- December 2, 1909 - John E. Reid, age 21, Single, Clerk in store, born in Canada, Resident of Richland Township for 3 months, Son of John E. Reid, and unknown, Died in Pulaski of gunshot wound of head.
Newspaper Obituary - Wednesday, December 8, 1909 Pulaski Democrat - Pulaski, New York - He Shot To Kill - Pulaski Has a Real Sensation - Man Shot in Store Door - Murderer Captured - Last Thursday evening, a little before nine o'clock, as the village people were finishing up the shopping and returning to their homes shots were heard in the vicinity of C. H. Brook's store. Not only one but two, three and the fourth and soon they crowd had gathered to the walk in front of the store to witness something, we understand, a man has never witnessed in this village before in its history, the body murdered in this village. It was the lifeless form of a young man named John Reid, who was clerking for Mr. Brooks. He had been about the store waiting on customers as usual when he was called outside the store and held the conversation with a man, stranger to everyone about the place, but probably not a stranger to Reid. The conversation was not in tones that anyone could hear. Reid left his caller and started to enter the store but as he reached the threshold of the door the man with whom he had been talking stepped up behind him and fired a revolver at his back. Reid partially turned, gave a cry and by that time a second shot was fired and Reid fell. The assailant then fired two more shots and walked away down Mill street, leaving the spectators breathless with amazement and fear over his bold deed. One man, Joel Stewart, stepped towards the man as if to interfere but was warned to stand back or he too would be shot. The man was seen by one or two people down Mill street, but of course no one realized that he was a murderer, even if they had, no one unarmed would have interfered with him. He went out into the darkness and all search that night failed to give any clue to his whereabouts. The body of young Reid was removed to Enos & Morton's undertaking rooms. The next morning Sheriff Taft came to town and began the search for clues to the murderer. Letters found in Reid's room and pockets revealed the fact that he had been in correspondence with a woman at Theresa and with this bit if like the Sheriff and officer, S. W. Holmes, went to Theresa and located the woman, who was wife of George Eddy. She was induced to come to Pulaski and here she was taken before District Attorney Freelon J. Davis where she admitted corresponding with Reid and that her husband had discovered the correspondence by an intercepted letter and in his fury threatened to kill Reid and also his wife. This was a big step towards the identity of the murderer but not a clue to his whereabouts. On this evidence Coroner Hollis rendered a verdict that Reid came to his death by the hand of George Eddy and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The search was continued with all persistence. Sunday a revolver was found near the water pump house which is believed Eddy threw away. It was empty. Reid's body was shipped to Collingwood, Ontario, the home of his father, but before it left the Eddy woman asked to see it and when she looked upon the corpse she seemed greatly moved with sorrow and asked for a lock of Reid's hair. Reid's father gave out a statement to the effect that his son was about twenty years of age. Had been a wild fellow, and all he could do for him would not induce him to settle down and be a man. He was arrested for stealing once or twice before he left Canada. His tendency, according to his father, was for bad company of the opposite sex. He met the Eddy woman while working near Cape Vincent. She is about thirty years of age and has two children. She was adopted from the Watertown orphan's home when a little girl and has always lived near Theresa. It is needless to say she is possessed of a very weak or bad mind to have carried on the correspondence and held the position she did towards Reid, who it is claimed, successfully blackmailed her out of about five dollars a week, pretending he was sick. It should be distinctly understood while this crime was committed in our village, the parties are all _ foreigners. It is a _ to be so _ before the public in this way. This should be a lesson to the people to be more careful about taking in strangers, who have no recommend with a _ to it, which is quite certain Reid did not possess. [Several lines unreadable] the town of Orwell, through Boylston, into Lewis county, to Copenhagen, Carthage and Lowville, _ spent his nights in barns, got food from farm homes, skulked in fear about the country and finally wended his way back to his home in Theresa, arriving there about five o’clock, Sunday morning, went to his deserted and broken home, went in and laid himself down for rest after two days and three nights of awful torture by hunger, fatigue and cold. His brother, John Eddy, went to the house the next day and to his surprise found his brother. He stayed with him that day and during the day and arrangement was made for Eddy to go to Rivergate, Monday morning, two miles this way and their meet an officer to whom he would surrender. He was brought to Watertown where Sheriff Taft met him and he was brought to Pulaski on the afternoon train, Monday. He was haggard and dejected. He was lodged in jail and held for examination and to attend the coroner's inquest, conducted by Coroner Hollis. While in Watertown he secured Attorney Jerome B. Cooper as counsel and Mr. Cooper came to Pulaski on the same train. District Attorney F. J. Davis is investigating the evidence, several witnesses have been sworn, but the inquest and examination is behind closed doors at the court room and little is known to the public. Witnesses sworn were C. H. Brooks, Dr. J. L. More, Joe Stewart, Ray Hilton and Edward Parsons. Brooks identified the man as the one who came into his store that night before the shooting. Witnesses brought from Theresa to testify are John Eddy, a brother, Mrs. John Nellis, adopted mother of Mrs. Eddy, E. A. Cook and Charles Henry. The latter sold the revolver to Mr. Eddy.
Eddy Insane - It is strongly possible that defense will attempt to prove Eddy of unsound mind, and his will be helped by the fact his father and brother are insane. Eddy is weak and in poor health and probably caused by the conduct of his wife and Reid. He has the sympathy of his townspeople, many of whom saw him on the way to Watertown and offered sympathy and aid so far as they could give it. The inquest and examination is going on as we go to press.
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1888 - 1909 (21 years)