Greetings: *** Please do not respond to this message in any way which sends your reply to the list. *** If you feel the need to comment, please contact me privately at either: [email protected] [email protected] The recent message asking about someone who was murdered by being harried by his wife was completely on topic for the VERMONT list. Further discussion of the death record as a genealogical document continues to be on topic, and will be welcomed. However, the thread has somehow gotten tangled up with the issue of abuse. This is a very important topic, one that affects a lot of people. It should be discussed. This is *NOT* the forum for that discussion. Abuse is a very emotional subject. It is extremely painful for the victims, for loved ones who are not directly involved, and -- in a few cases -- for those who have been falsely accused. There are those who go to great lengths to avoid dealing with it in any way, and it is not for us on the VERMONT list to impose our opinions on them. We are about genealogy, as it relates to the state of Vermont, and related topics. I am very flexible in that regard, but there is a limit, and we have crossed it. Lastly, should you wonder if I have any formal training in the field, the answer is yes, I do. I have a B.A. in Psychology. That qualifies me to be a puzzlement to my friends and, occasionally, myself; but I do know there is a time and a place for everything ... you get my drift. Darrell VERMONT list admin