Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-03-25
TcStimony Tor the DeGcnce.

IeNmony JOr Inc Dgtnce.
MRs. ABIGAIL MARTIN. Ariel Martin is son
of mine. | call IN twenty years old this spring
He had the whooping cough when he was nine
years old lie had the bronchitis and catarrh at
the same tme,-wa sick some nine months. Dr.
Deming and Dr. George were his physicians lie
was very sick. He lad spells of being out Of his
mind. He would think he was dying those that
went to assist him he afraid they going
to kill him If any Of the family were absent, he
| thought somebody had killed them. During that
sickness he had spells Of being out of his head
| sometimes they would last all night sometimes
half "A day. since that sickness he has had those
insane spells constantly right along since his
/ father died he has been The summer after
| his father died he didn't do anything ; sometimes
he would say there was an army coming, and
would try to make Us hear them. One time he
tried 70 make MS think his brother-in law was In
the we'll drowning lie had pole that we used to
fasten tho buckets on TO- and worked, | should
think. halfa day, trying to get him out At night
he wouldn't 90 to bed in mis- own room, but would
fasten the door, and lie down in the kitchen with
his gun beside him. lie afraid an enemy was
coming to kill him A another time he thought
his older brother had killed his younger brother
and brother-in-law, and he didn't want he should
stay there but wanted Silas Noodry to come and
stay with him. He was afraid he would kill him,
All these stories that have related have happen
ed since his father died, about the army coming
was both before and since We often tried to per-
suade him out of these notions. lie told me there
were four robbers and there was door that goes
right down into the ground Then he looked up into
Mr.. heelock's pasture and said ''there they be
now" he said one of their names Neads. lie
never was well in the worll-sometmes he would set
up all night (; often he wouldn't sleep at all lie
often made noises and would scream out
lie would often travel the house nights and
say he was sick - he shouldn't live till
morning If any Of the family were absent he
was concerned and said somebody would kill them.
Sometimes he would blow his till it bled, and
complain of his head; often he would complain Of
| his stomach. His motions when walking and at
work with his hand, were always quick. About
| twow weeks before this affair happened, he kept
| travelling ab)ut-didn't eat any regular meals
/ would sometimes drink little milk and then be
off. The day before this he went up into the
woods and fired the gun-shOuld think it was ff-
teen or twenty rods from the house. Mrs. Good
ale went to look for him-didnt find him. did
not go, for did not know but might find him
dead In the morning of the day these men were
shot he went out in order to milk; he came in
travelled the house. | tried to persuade him to
lie down and rest till [ got him some breakfast
| lie made no answer, but took down his gun and
| went OF as quick as he could. / noticed at this
time he looked white around the eyes, and purple
in the face his eyes few in his haad
The above is fair sample Of the testimony
of II dozen witnesses, who testified as 10 the
general condition of Martins mind
| IL. h. SLAYfoN.-l live in Calais. Have known
| Martin for Is years. lie came and asked me
| if was AN oficcr-said he had lost money
| Said some men came along and told him if he
| would make box they would fill it with money
and he should have half l looked up at him
| lie appeared excted-Said his sister had taken
the box away Asked him if there was much
money in the box-said there was. lie looked
| wild
This talk about money after some money
had been stolen in Calais. | saw him the day of
| the murder and the day after at the trial. ask
| cd him why b, shit the boys. said he didn't
ly mean to kill Jennison, he got hi. gun point
| ed, but his hand trent led and he went to take it
| down and the gun went of. Says |, il that
| the ease why did you kill Lucus' lie said he
KILLED him to his life, that he had kill
ed one of them, and if he did not kill Lucius,
| Lucus would have killed him. then question
| ed him about breaking into my store. lie said he
did not know anything about it. lie did not ap-
pear that day so rational us took him to be be-
fore. lie seemed unconcerned about what he hai
done
ReJutting testimony for The Prosecution,
OF the rebuttlng testimony, that of Mr.
and Mrs. Flanna5a and the Physicians,
appears to have been the most important,
~ b. FLANNAGAy.-I reside in burlington. l
am keeper of the Jail there-was last summer and
fall Ariel Martin was brought there II few days
after the report OF the shooting. lie stnid there
till the 7th of December. Ills appearance was
simple | used to converse with him frequently.
When he first came there he complained OF being
unwell. Had physician call to see hun two or
three times. When | asked him questions no
would answer generally slower than men IN gen