Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-07-19
Historical Sketches.
NUMBER THREE.
BY II. A. CUTTING

in the house of Samuel Gates, which
was the first framed house built in
town and was recently torn down by
the present owner Of the Gates farm,
John NJ. Lucas, who has now erected
a modern cottage on the former site.
Seven cases had been entered upon
the docket. the first of which was
case Of slanderous words spoken
against Mrs. Anna Hugh, by James
Lucas and his wife Nancy. This has
been called the first case tried by jury
in the Essex County conrt, but such
was not true. This case was continued,
and all others except number five,
which was an action on account
brought by Isaac Bundy against
Levi Day, in which case the defend
ant recovered his cost amounting to
seven dollars. This was in reality
the first jury trial, but as the action
of John and Anna Hugh, against
James and Nancy Lucas" was the
great case of Essex County, in which
all felt an interest and on which all
had an opinion, it has passed down
to the present time as the first jury
ri al as the case mentioned, which
was actually the first was of no spe-
cial interest. On the third Monday
of June, 1901, Daniel Dana as chief
Judge, and Samuel Phelps and Mills
DeForest as assistant Judges, called
the Essex County Court again to Or
der, at Brunswick; and the case Of
SANDER before mentioned was called
up and set for the jury. After the
usual amount Of sharp talk among
the lawyers, Nathaniel Wait, Joshua
Lamkin, Gordon Smith, Simon Howe,
Robert McKoy, Samuel Gates, Wood
ward Berry, Thomas Lamkin, Abra-
ham Williams, Zerubabel Eager, Sam
uel Howe and William Hewes, were
duly sworn as freeholders of said
County, being thus impaneled as jul
rors according to law. 1t appeared
in evidence that Mrs. Anna Hugh
was a reliable woman, well to do in
the world, beloved and respected by
all as a good wife and neighbor. 1t
seems that Mr.. Hugh had at least two
daughters Dorcus and Sally, and
through some reason which does not
appear they lived at home after mar
riage. 1t seems further that ore oil
those daughters had child which
died very suddenly and Mrs. Lucas
said that Mrs. Hugh killed it; and al
several places where a number of PEG
pie were collected together, it seems
she stated that Old Anna Hugh" as
she called her. was guilty of murder
1t seems she further stated tina
this was the child of Dorcas, and al
other times that it was the child o
Sally. This however might have beer
discrepancy in the testimony. The
result of those bold assertions in tba
early time, was to isolate the Hugh
family from their neighbors, as they
seemed TO believe that statements 81
boldly made must have some foun
dations. After Mrs. Lucas hat
several times repeated those falls,
remarks the suit for Islander wa
brought by John and Anna Hugh
against James and Nancy Lucas a
first mentioned.
The case was closly contested will
able counsel, and after long argu
ments committed to the hands of tn,
jury. 1t SENS there was conflicting
opinions among them and after many
hours Of talking and dividing dana
ges they brought in for the Plaintiff,
the sum Of IA dollars and forty-on,
cts. and judgement was accordingl,
given for that, with costs amountin!
to sixty dollars and seventy cts. J
Mattocks, Lucas lawyer, at once en-
deavored to have that judgement Sc
aside by the court, claiming that hi
could show that two of the jurors
William Hewes and Thomas Lamkin
were not freeholders and consequent
ly perjured. 1t seems he failed tt
prove his assertion as the judgemen
was not set aside, and an execution
was Immediately issued, but tn
amount could only be collected il
part, and an alias execution wa
issued IN September of the sam
year before the hard feelings en-
gendered by this suit were overcome
In fine the case was so closely con
; tested and the amount claimed
being two thousand dollars
while they recovered but fourtee
dollars and forty-one cts, it SCENE