Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-12-29
THE BRISTOL MURDER.
TRIAL OF JOHN A. RING.
Addison County Court-Deeemoer
Term.
PRESENT.
Hox. JOHN PIERPoINr. Chief Justice, p-esding
Hon. InunMAs s s1oEd Assistant Judges

considered pretty fast sort OF fellow anu
when ia liquor. as he WIS frequently. rather
reckless character. The character Of Thompson
was about on 3 pzr with that of Ring The
stfrsy which ended in the death Of Thompson'Was
the result Of grulge which had existed between
the two men for a leng time It vas stated that
the men had been heard TO utter threats against
each other many times.
On Saturday evening April l5.h the parties
met at the Hotel at Bristol. and, after some al
tercation. IN encounter ensued which resulted
in Rings getting Thompson down and staoo'ng
him eight or nine times Thompson died in two
o. three minutes. Ring was seized and break
ing away from his captors escaped to neiGhecI-
Ing field AID hid in the fence corner. where he
was recap,ured. These are the circumstances
As narrated at the time of the affair. OF course
the murder produced great excitement, and TO-
day Middlebury is crowded with Bristol people,
eager TO witness the trial.
This N ,rning the shsckett-Hammond case
wss given to the jury with an able snd eloquent
charge from Chief Justice pierp9int lmmedi-
ately sfter, the case Of Ring was called and
the in lictnent for murder gss read, to which
Ring pleaded not guilty The following jury
was impsnneled
James Gregory, Ferrisburgh Joseph Hooker
Salisbury; A. j. Benedict. Cornwall II: d.
Bsscom. Orwell C. Bronson, Leicester Il. \
Joueq. Cornwall J. II. Sprague, Walthsm v"
A. Warehouse, Salisbury .. Lapham anu
Alonzo Bosrdmsn, Shorehsm Ira :. Doty,
Br;lport j. F. Cotton, " eybridge.
After OPENING addresses by States Attorney
CLARK. for the prosecution, and Henry Ballard
for the defense, the court adjourned until after
noon The defense put in the plea of jas'idaols
homicide. Ira W. ClArk, E. r. Hard and A.
Y. spauliing for the prosecution J Phelps
and Henry Ballard for the prisoner.
AFTERNOON.
William Daniels was the first witness called.
Resides in Bristol WAS present at the time
Thompson was killed It occurred about eight
or Zine o'clock IN the evening it was da-k
passed up the street heard loud talking near
the hotel barn. Here plan Of the locality was
shown and explained by MIR. Spaull'ng.) Went
tat1e scene ofthe alteration; fountRiug and the
hostier, Lewis, qusrreling; they hsd clinch
T Ring threw Lewis down and dragged him around
/ in the rosd. Thompson came up Just after the
cl.uoh, told the hoster he MAS fool 10 be drag
gsi around 20. Ring SAID he could drag any
one around Thompson told him perhaps be
/ tRip-) could drag him around the quarrel
couunuel some time, finally Ring struck lhomp-
son. King actei as though be was taking s1ne-
thing from bis pocket, and Thompson called him
coward for carrying weapons King tail lie
would nut hole through him. The msn then
had cinch and fell they fell together, snd
Ring turned over upon Thompson they then
lad Quiet witness stepped up sni asked Ring
If he vss cutting Thompson, Ring g0t up,
Thompson lay on his face with others, raised
NJ Thompson ami carried him to the steps Of the
shoe store near By, be gEspei once OF tSice and
Wss dead Ring struck Thompson back
handed blow struck him near the throat, and
again on the head Thompson hal his bends in
his pockets when FIRST struck after Ring struck
him fret he threw his hands up in the air, then
they clinched and f,ll they lay on the ground
one or tEo minutes before Ring was taken of I;
witness helped TO take him Of Thompson ssii 3
T Sc Eiu, is not cutting me now, have his knife,
lust before Ring WAS taken of be never spcke
again: Thompson made 10 demonstration 90
fcbt Ring before Ring struck him, tut sad u
he lRinr) would lay aside his weapons be could
lick him Thompson was cut IN the throat ;
Ring was tdc largest man Ihomfsou Weighei
los pounds.
Cro,s-ezaminei By Mr. BaIlarl.-Tdouqsoa
vss about five f.e; ten inches tall quite :
mqscaa- man never saw him exhibit any gTeat
strength had the name Of being very strong
mau !. wass dark, cloudy evening. wien
they had the dispute they were about tHeniy
feet from Rings wagon Thompson stepped
towards Ring, who told him 10 keep away ifom
him Ring saiI this to Thompson three or four
times King was then stepping back towards
bis wagon Thompson followed him Few steps.
otguites rod they we're about ten or twelve
feet from the wagon when they chnchei ;
Thomson did not say. IL don't care for Tcur
weapons he said 20 Ring. " viii knock -
out Of YOU - Ring WAS close by the thills Of tie
wagon when be was killed saw 10 knife unit.
they we're on the ground did not say on justice
examination thst be could not say how they EEL ;
when Ring told Thompson 70 keep away, be
Ihcmpson) was going toward Ring DO not re-
member all that was said the wound that killed
Thompson was in the throa; he was cut on the
hack also Thompson laid on bis face when
Ring was taken of Thompson bet proiuseiy.
Michael Callahan testi6ed-Resie in Bristol :
was present st the killing Of Ihompton heard
Mr.. Ring aud tie hotter qusrreling. Witness
told substantially the same story as the precei-
ing witness Of tie interference Of Ihomp-
soa. Witness said that he warned Thomp-
sou 70 keep sway from Ring, for
he (Ring) had knife; Ring walked
of telling Thompson TO keep away from him.
Ring said to Thompson q" will put hole into
YOU" When they were down man caught
hold Of Ring snd asked him If he was cutting
Thompson, be said " no, be has stabbed me. ~
In the quarrel Thompson told Ring he was c
coward unless be had 4 weapon. Ring called
Thompson ell sorts Of hard nsmet. After the
first quarrel Ring walked away to his wagon.
Thompson was picked up about four feet IRON
where Ring dared him to come.
Cross-examined-Mr. Thompson was called
a Sighting msn by Ring. lie was not generally
called anything but very active, muscular
man. They were - rods from the wagon
when the quarrel begun. Ring told Thompson
to keep away, three or four times. Thompson
made no reply Thompson did not walk direct
y toward Ring 1t was not very darS night I;
man named Brooks sat in Rings wagon did
not hear Brooks tell Thompson to pass away ;
Thompson knocked Ring upon his knees when
they c.inchei Thompson fell on Ring aud Ring
turned him did not see anything in Rings
hand when he struck Thompson never knew
Thompson to fight.
John Manifold lived in Bristol last spring /;
saw the sffrsy between Ring and Thompson;
after the first alteration, Ring walked toward
his wagon, saying to Thompson, = # you want
ANYTHING Of me, you can have il -; Ring then
stepped toward Thompson and struck him ;
Thompson s.eppeI back and knocked Ring
upon his knees. They had scutae upon the
ground witness got hold Of Ring pulling him
| of Of Thompson; asked Thompson if Ring hsd
! stabbed him; he ssii "No, have his knife -;
| did not see the knife Thompson was not going
/ directly toward Ring when Ring struck him I;
( he was going toward the s5uth; when Thomp-
son was struck he had one hand in his pocket;
/ Ring advanced y or 10 feet to strike Ihomp-
son.
Cross-ezamined - Was present while Ring
WAS Guarreling with Lewis the hostler. Ihomp-
son ta;d to Lewis. You can humble Ring :"
They were about 20 or 20 feet from Ring
wagon Ring told Thompson to keep away
Thompson said he had as good a right on the
grounl SIS he, Ring then walked towards the
wagon Thompson did not 90 straight towards
the wagon they were, when they clinched,
shout 10, u or Is feet from the wagon Thomp-
son knocked Ring down after Ring had struck
him once or twice they seemed to fsl both
wsys and crawl upon the ground to each other
then some one called that they were cutting
each other heard the knife cutting the clothes
it WAS some dark Ring struck back handed
blow.
George Brooks lives in Bristol; saw the ARRAY;
witnessed the quarrel between Ring and the
hostler. | got into Rings team when 1t was
driven up by Mr.. Whitney; Ring dragged
Lewis about in the dirt Thompson stepped
IN and said that Ring was coward
Ring said you are liar you Cd id son
of a b-h l can lick you or any like you;
Ring said g don't come near me-; then he
stepped along to the wagon, ttill quarreling
with Thompson, told Thompson not to cross
line he desigu.ted, or he would make hole
through him Thompson walked toward him,
when Ring struck him; Thompson gathered up
and struck Ring; then they seemed to fall for
-ard ord ,ban clinched and fell: Ring said - he