The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-06-23
The Briggs Case.

came to US the report that one Oman
Briggs had, in the nighttime, in the high
way, fallen upon his neighbor, Russell Nor
ton, and with a large knife inflicted nine
dangerous wounds, of which injuries it 4
was expected he would soon die,-that
Briggs had been examined and committed
to jail in this place for trial, Norton be-
ing alive at the time the Grand Jury was
in session, Briggs was not indicted, but
held to wait the Issue of the youn4s upon
Norton. And that has been his case for
a year. Norton in the meantime recoy-
cred, and by the Lutte Grand Jury, Briggs
was indicted for an assault with intent to,
murder, and for assault and battery.
The government relied almost entirely
upon the testimony of Norton, and one
Thompson, his brother.in-law, who was
with him at the time of the ARRAY. 1t
appears that B. and N had sometime
before had difficulty about damage done
by fire set by Briggs, and, we think,
lawsuit had transpired, in which Briggs
was beaten A feud based upon this had
existed year or more with various DEM
constructions from time to time. A few
days previous to the ARRAY the parties had
met, the lie was given, &C., and Briggs
struck Norton with a hoe whereupon
Norton chased him some distance, but
was not aple TO overtake him Suisse
quently, and on the day of the affray,
Briggs passed Norton's house, and by some
appearances gave Norton to believe that
he had the same temper still, though it
does not appear that he did or said any
thing. But Norton again gave chase and
Briggs as usual ran. He was on his way
to the store for the purpose of making
purchases Some conversation transpired
in the store between those present, one of
whom was Thompson, about the difficulty.
Thompson then went to Norton's house
and the matter was there talked over
Norton having some business with neigh
Dor, one Greenough, at distance of a mile
or SO, and beyond Briggs house, proposed
to Thompson to accompany him, giving as
reason that he was afraid of Briggs. This
request was complied with. They pro-
ceeded on the road little distance to n
secluded ravine, when their attention was
arrested by the noise of footsteps. At
the same time Thompson had occasion to
absen. himself from his companion for a
short time. In his absence, Briggs came
up and exclaimed, who are you and
what are you doing" and Immediately
seized Norton and inflicted the wounds
Thompson then came in and Briggs ran.
Such wa. the testimony on the part Of the
government and its weight Of course de-
ponds upon the reliability Of these two
witnesses.
The position of the defense was thai
Briggs committed the act in s-lt-deience
There was no material disagreement abou
the antecedeut circumstances. 1t wa
testified 10 that Norton had talked Of fog
ging Briggs. - had solicited help,-tha
Thompson did at the store on that even
ing, talk of such an -occurranceas to hap
pen, and invited some to GO and see i
done. He admitted that he did propos
it to Norton at bis house, just before tn
ARRAY. They certainly-knew that Brigg
must pass that way. Briggs could no
have known, or have had any reason t
SUSPECT that he should fall in with then
at all. He had sundry groceries under hi
arm, which were dropped with his hal
and afterwards found on the spot wher
the ARRAY took place. and no weapon bu
a common jack-knife. The defence mad
strong point in showing that the woun
as they were presented by the prosecutio
could not have been made consistent
with their theory, while it was shown wit
much ingenuity, if not truthfulness' tbs
they were just what would have been mad
supposing the hypothesis of the defence
be correct. No direct attempt was mad
to impeach the witnesses for the Stat
but it was urged that their relation to tn
case was such as should throw strong su
piciou upon their testimony inasmuch q
vindicating Briggs would DO nearly tant'
mount to conyieting them Of crime. Son
other testimony was brought in by the d
fence. which if considered trustworth,,
would establish beyond question the fa'
that Norton was the assailant As Il
instance, Immediately after the affra
Thompson was heard, by an old frenc
woman, to ask Briggs why he did M
-. - ;os,a.l Of IN I inc him b