Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-06-26
The WillistOn Burglary.
ARREST OF CHAs. II. PoTTER.-MRs PoT-
TER's EXAMINATION.

Officers Flanagan, Drew and Isham arrest
ed at Williston Friday night about 10 O'Clock
Charles II. Potter and his brother, DR..
Hamilton S Potter of New Jersey, better
known as - Ham Potter; the former at his
own house and q" Ham" at Walkers house
half mile distant. They were brought here
and lodged in Jail This morning the prison.
ers were brought before Justice Hollenbeck,
at II O'Clock, on charge Of burglary and Sc
creting of goods stolen from Wright's store
in Williston
Henry Ballard Esq, appeared for the pri-
soners, and E. R. Hard ESQ. for the State in
the necessary absence of Mr.. Englesby, the
States attorney. No attempt was made at
trying the case, both sides desiring post
ponement case for the present; and
the examination was set down by order Of
court for two weeks from next Tuesday.
The bail was fixed at $4,000 each, on the
charge Of burglary, and $1,000 on charge Of
secreting stolen goods.
In course cf the hearing it Appeared that
strong suspicion of connection with the rob
berry rests upon Stephen Foster, a man en-
ploved by Potter and whom be has repre-
sented at times as his cousin. Foster was
seen the day ofthe robbery, was around with
one hand bandaged the next day. and has
since disappeared
The line of defence it was intimated, would
be to prove an alibi, and show that at the
time of the robbery Potter and his brother
were on their way to Canada.
The following are the principal facts
brought out at the examination Of Mrs Pot
ter on Wednesday Examination of Mr..
Wright's store and the premises after the
robbery showed that the window was broken,
and one piece Of the broken glass bore marks
Of having inflicted wound on some person.
it is surmisei on the hand Of the one who
broke it the goods were carried away from
the store in wagon whose track was two r
three incLes wider than most Of the wagons
ordinarily used in that town and therefore
was easily distinguishable, while the hoof-
tracks Of the horse showed peculiar shape
in the -hoe-calk These tracks were followed
nearly to Charles Potter's house. Several
persons heard "A wagon pass during that night.
and looking out saw two men driving by.
Mr. Flanagan testified to making search Of
/ Potter's house. uusuceeSsfully the first time,
which evidently relieved Mrs Potter so much
as to excite suspicion in his mind that the
| goods were on the premises after all and he
began another and more careful search, Mrs.
Potter not obiccting, but reiterating her be-
lief that nothing Of the sort was in the house
or could be without her knowledge. No sus-
I picilus place or thing appeared however until
/ Mr.. Flanagan had the crick bed removed. On
which old Mr.. Griswold usually slept in a
room in the kitchen wing of the house. and the
carpet taken up. Here there appeared three
boards cut through a little distance from the
wan anu d ''" i'g' 'u'.'''' ''i''i'g' 'u' '''
'I'' same ''lIu7' oeu''N''E 'nem lloln 'ne
-''' 'ii' ''''i , "'''.'i'i'H 'eii5 1'ii''''
sue '''''''' amy N'''" '''i7' '' i''" oI ".y 'A'
boards were cut Getting tool Mr. Flana-
gan '7''''''u ''''' ne i'',g' one '''Iu anu 'l'''
''''''''' "i''''''' ME l '''l I'LL ii''i''''1 lei.
'''' room y '''''' "pl''''eo !" 'D' ground
under tue u''r-' 'nere 'eins no cellar
wherein lay the goods stolen from the store.
Jumping down into the hole, Mr.. Flanagan
handed them our IN WRIGHT who identified
'''e'l' 'iIS' i'''e' was ''iel 'aA'H lH'' Gus
tody.
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