The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-12-26
MiOolrburp Atelstrr
TUESDAY. DECEMBER &c, 1871.
Addison County Court December
Term.

". Strong, Asslstahu - uugc7'
Shacken vs. Hammond.-- Action ior
damages for Grim con. Attorneys for
plaintiff Stewart Phelps and Hard. At.
torncys for defendant, Royce, Dillingham;
Ballard, Eldrcdgc, Clark, Sladc The
testimony was closed on Monday Of last
week at the close Of the day session. The
arguments were made by Stewart and
Phelps for the pitt, and by Royce and
Dillingham; for the DIFF, and they occupied
the evening session Of Monday and the
whole of Tuesday, Mr.. Phelps closing
his plea little after 10 o'clock Tuesday
night. The arguments were all able and
exhaustive. After an extended and able
charge by the Chief Justice the case was
given to the jury The jury came in OIL
Thursday morning and reported that they
had not and could not agree, and they
were discharged. 1t is rumored that they
stood 0 in favor of the plaintiff and 3 ii
favor Of n verdict for the defendant
The MURDER TRtAL.
The trial of John Ring for the murder
of Noah Thompsonut Bristol, on the 10Th
of April last, began Wednesday morning
The circumstances of the murder are still
fresh in the remembrance of the public
Jurors James Gregory, Ferrisburgh
Joseph Hooker, Salisbury; A. J. Bene-
dict, Cornwall II. d. Bascom, Orwell
c. Brownson, Leicester; II. n. Jones
Cornwall j. II. Sprague, Watham; w
A. Waterhouse, and Alonzo Boardman
Salisbury; o. Lapham, Shoreham; Ira
$. Doty, Bridport; J F. Cotton, Wey.
bridge
The opening addresses were made by
States Attorney Clark, for the prosecu'
ton, and Henry Ballard for the defense,
The defense put in the plea Of justifiable
homicide. Ira w. Clark, +. Ii. Hard
and A. V. Spaldipg for the prosecution
Z, j. Phelps and Henry Ballard for the
respondent.
Willard Daniels was the first witness
called. Resides in Bristol was present
at the time Thompson was killed it oc-
Cured about eight or nine o'clock in the
evening it was dark +; passed up the
street heard loud talking near the hotel
barn. Here plan of the locality was
shown and explained by Mr. Spalding)
Went to the scene Of the alteration
found Ring and the hostlcr, Lewis, quar-
rcling they had clinch Ring threw
Lewis down and dragged him around in
the road. Thompson came up just after
the cinch, told the hostlcr he was fool
to be dragged around 50. Ring said he
could drag any one around, Thompson
told him perhaps he ring could drag
him around the quarrel continued some
time, finally Ring struck Thompson.
Ring acted as though he was taking
something from his pocket, and Thompson
called him coward for carrying wcap-
ons. Ring said he would put a hole
through him The men then had clinch
and fell they fell together, and Ring
turned over upon Thompson they then
laid quiet ; witness stepped up and asked
Ring if he was cutting Thompson, Ring
got up, Thompson lay on his face with
others, raised up Thompson and carried
him to the steps Of the shoe store near
by, he gasped once Or twice and was
dead Thompson made no demonstration
to fight Ring before Ring struck him, but
said if he ring would lay aside his
weapons he could lick him Thompson
was cut in the throat; Ring was the
largest man; Thompson weighed l65
pounds.
Cross-exomincd by Mr.. Ballard. -
Thompson was about five feet ten inches
tall quito muscular man; it was a
dark, cloudy evening When they had
the dispute they were about twenty feet
from Rings wagon. Thompson stepped
towards Ring, who told him TO keep a
way from him Ring said this to Thomp-
son three or four times Ring was then
stepping back toward his wagon Thomp-
son followed him few steps, not quite a
rod |; they were about ten or twelve feet
from the wagon when they cinched ;
Thompson did not say | don't care for
your weapons he said to Ring, Il will
knock - out of you when Ring
told Thompson to keep away, he (Thomp-
SOM was going toward Ring; do not re-
member all that was said the wound
that killed Thompson was in the throat ;
he was cut OH the back also Thompson
laid on his face when Ring was taken off;
Thompson bled proiusely.
Michael Callahan testifed-Reside III
Bristol was present at the killing OF
Thompson heard Mr.. Ring and the
hostler quarreing. Witness told sub
stantially the same story as the preceding
witness Of the interference Of Thompson
Ring walked off telling Thompson to keel
away from him. Ring said to Thomp,
son, 81 will put hole into you When
they were down man caught hold Of
Ring and asked him if he was cutting
Thompson, he said "no, he has stabbed
me-" In the quarrel Thompson tolC
Ring he was a coward unless he had {
weapon Ring called Thompson all sort,
Of hard names. After the first quarrcl
Ring walked away to his wagon. Thomp.
son was picked up about four feet from
where Ring dared him to come.
Cross-examined.-Mr. Thompson was
called fighting man by Ring. lie wa.
not generally called anything but very
active, muscular man. They were | ::
rods from the wagon when the quarrc
begun. Ring told Thompson to keep q
way, three or four times. Thompson
made no reply. Thompson did not wall
directly toward Ring Thompson knock
ed Ring upon his knees when they clinch
ed Thompson fell on Ring and Ring turn
ed him ; he did not see anything in Ring
hand when he strnck Thompson nevc
knew Thompson to fight.
John Mansfield lived in Bristol Las
spring; saw the ARRAY between Ring an'
Thompson; after the first alteration
Ring walked toward his wagon, saying t
Thomspon, "if you want anything of me