Connecticut western news., 1871-09-29
SUPERIOR COURT.

The Superior court at LltcnHeld was opened Tuesday, Sept 18th, at o'clock in the afternoon, the Hon. D. w. Pardee presiding as judge. The 1st case brought before the court was: The state vs Maria Jackson. This case may be of especial interest to the readers of the NEWS, as un- doubtedly many of them we'll remember the report of the commission of the crime in East Sheffield last spring. This Maria Jackson was the widow of one John Jack son, formerly of this town, and who served in the army in the Rebellion. The crime for which she was arrested was infanticide; murder in the 2nd degree. On the sth of last March, an infant was found by a little girl of about 12 years of age, in pasture lot belonging to M. Gardner in East Shef- field. She reported this fact to her father, who informed the citizens, and an inquest was held. From the investigation made, it was decided that Mrs. Maria Jackson was the mother of the child. The infant was perfect in form and no marks of vio- lence were visible. At the post neortena examination by Drs. Welch and Wright, Dr. Wright testified that the child was born alive. At the trial in Litchfeld, the Prose- cution established the fact of Mrs. Jackson being the mother of the child by her own confession, and corroborating circumstan- ces. The child was found in the Konkopot river, in Connecticut, the water only cov- ering 8 portion of its body. The Defense claimed that the child was born in Massa- chusetts, just over the line between the two statrs, on the 1lth of March on the banks of the Konkapot stream, and by rise of the water occasioned at that very inclemant season, by rains and the melting of snow, was carried down the stream into Connecti- cut, and also that the child was not born alive. In the 2nd point of the defense, it was contested that if murder was com mitted it was committed in Massachusetts, over the crime of which the laws of Con- necticut had no jurisdiction. The 3rd point was that the prisoner was non conapos men, tus. Verdict: not guilty. For the state, Gen. Sedgwick, states attorney. Col. Har- denburgh, assistant. For Prisoner, D. J.. Warner and E. w. Seymour. Why the prisoner was found not guilty, we have not learned.
 The next case before the court was the state vs Joseph Hill for manslaughter for killing one Joseph Kilson, one of the h. dians of the Schaghticoke tribe in Kent, on the night of the 4th of July last. The par ticulars of this murder were published in full in the first number of the NEWS and which undoubtedly remain fresh ID the memories of our readers. The defense in this case was, .'justifia5le homicide" He was found guilty. Gen. Sedgwick, states attorney, and Chas. A. Andrews, assistant, for the state. Graves and Warner for the prisoner. The 3rd case was the state vs Joseph P. Moore, Geo. A. Russell and Geo. B. Russell, all of Washington, Conn. The crime for which they were arraigned, was the obstructing and resisting an officer in the execution of his office under the statute. It was admitted by Moore, one of the defendants, that he did obstruct and resist the person who was deputed to serve writ in favor of one Gillett against said Moore. Against the Messrs Russell, there was not sufficient evidence and they were acquitted. Moore's defense was merely a legal technicality. He claimed that the writ being directed to, and served by an indifferent person, who was neither sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable or any other officer, that he was not such an officer as the law contemplated by the statute. This techni- cal defense the judge did not sustain, and the jury brought him in guilty.
 Gen. Sedgwick and E. W. Seymour for the state, and Warner and Andrew for the defense. The court adjourned till Monday at 2 o'clock. We learn that the whole term will be occupied by criminal cases, no civil cases will come before It. The session continues throughout next week.