THE VERMONT PHOENIX AND RECORD AND FARMER Friday, December 4, 1885 Townshend James B. BEMIS, who is under bonds to appear befoe the grand jury at the next term of county court for the alleged offence of stealing turkeys in Grafton, and who had left town, as many supposed permanently, came back last Friday on the morning train. He was seen to pass through the village and Deputy LOVELL of Bellows Falls was at once notified of the fact. Deputy Lovell telephoned Deputy WINSLOW of Townshend to arrest Bemis and hold him until he could arrive. Deputy Winslow had already had papers put in his hands to take him on private debt, and being thus armed with double authority started for his man, who he found in a barn. After making the arrest Bemis asked the privilege of going to his father's to see if he would not settle the matter. Soon after reaching his father's Deputy Lovell arrived, and as his writ was only for private damages for stealing turkeys from a man in Springfield, Bemis's father, after much hesitation, settled both claims so far as the parties were concerned. Bemis claims to be innocent and has gone back on the farm in Brookline where he says he will remain if let alone, and behave himself. Quite a number of Townshend people have lost poultry, pigs and lambs during the last few months, so parties that are suspected of being guilty will be pretty closely watched in the future. Henry SALISBURY and wife leave town Friday for Schenectady, N. Y., where their three sons are engaged in business. The people of townshend very much regret Mr. Salisbury's leaving town, and the se regrets are not confined to the members of the Congregational church, as implied sometime ago in the Reformer. This item was not noticed at the time by your correspondent, as he deemed it useless, know that Mr. Salisbury had committed the unpardonable sin toward the present adminstration in being an honest and sincere Republican, and that he must "go." At the time referred to there had been a petition to the post-office department circulated to have Mr. Saulisbury reinstated in office. Only three, so far as your correspondent knows, were shown the petition without signing it. This petition contained about 100 petitioners, 18 male members of the Congregational church and 26 male members of the Baptist church, including both pastors. At the usual town meeting held to raise money the first Tuesday in December, and which, in consequence of some other matters coming before the town, was attended by an unusual number, it was on motion of S.D. WINSOW, 2d, unanimously voted. "That the town of Townshend, represented by its legal voters, now tender to Henry Salisbury our thanks for the efficient and impartial manner in which he has discharged the duties of Town Clerk for the past 16 years, and while we sincerely regret his decision to go to a neighboring state, we hope he may have the confidence of the people to whom he goes as much as he had enjoyed that of the citizens of Townshend." Mrs. Chas. BURNHAM and her son John have left town and it is feared they do not intend to return, as Mrs. Burnham has put her farm on the river into Oscar R. GARFIELD's hands to sell. The annual meeting of the BIRCHARD post will be held next Wednesday eening for the election of officers. Leland & Gray seminary opened Tuesday with 21 students. If Prof. DAVIDSON had been in town two weeks earlier he might have had a much larger number and doubtless will as the term progresses. Henry SALISBURY has sold his undertaking business to Chas. TAFT & son, who will conduct the business hereafter. At the town meeting on Tuesday the town voted to raise 80 cents on a dollar of the grand list to pay the running expenses of the town the past year and $1000 of the railroad indebtedness. The expenses have been unusually large the last year in consequence of the building of a tomb and extensive repairs on the old burying ground. Transcribed by Ruth Barton 12 May 2008 -- Ruth Barton mrgjb@sover.net Dummerston, VT