The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-02
TRIAL. or THOMAS $. gibson
MIR. ellison Acquitted.

/
eager TO obtain the facts in the case which
madam Rumor has magnifedinto huge pro-
portions.
The main points of the case, as set forth
by the attorney on behalf OF the state,
were that Mr.. ellison purchased a
dwelling and other property of one e. Os-
tigee had the same insured and then
hired Mr. Ostegee to burn the property for
the purpose of obtaining the insurance.
| TESTIMONY OF L. osTEGEE.
T.. Ostegee, sworn.-Reside i'll Rutland,
owned property in Middlebury,. sold the
same TO Il. 5. ellison about LIST OF May, re.
ceiving in payment property in Rutland,
gave warranty deed to ellison; property
was mortgaged to John w. Martin. Mar
tin wrote to ellison that if he did not pay
within five days he should foreclose the
mortgage ellison asked me if ! was not
aware that had given him clear deed OF
| the property and wanted to know what
proposed to do | asked him if il could
| not be arranged some way, ellison sad II
was not necessary and said if you will go to
Middlebury and burn down that place
will take the insurance and let that old fel-
low 90 to grass, Asked him what
he would give, said he never made
any promises in such cases, but would
pull out literally. l asked him if ii would
not be difficult to get the insurance lie
said no, he could manage that This CON
versation occurred in Mr.. Gilsons store the
day after Mr.. Martin wrote him in refer
| ence to the mortgage. After some further
conversation, | agreed to burn the proper
| ty. ellison said it ought to be done at once
before the mortgage was foreclosed | told
him | could not do it just then. We talked
the matter over again Monday and on
| Wednesday forenoon we decided that
should go to Middlcbury on the afternoon
train. Gibson advised me to get false NOUS
tache, but could not find one. | told him
wanted some money to defray my eXpen-
SEES. lie asked how much. 1.said S1O,and
he gave it to me. | then got pint of
whisky and started for the train. This
was the last | saw of ellison until after the
property was burned. | left the train at
Salisbury and walked to the woods beyond
j. Sayres' stopped on the way and got
bowl of bread and milk staid in the woods
until after dark, then went to Middlebury;
| found lights were not all out waited till
after the II o'clock train had passed, then
crept up to the building and set the fire
returned to the woods near Salisbury and
|
next morning arrived in Rutland at III
o'clock ! saw Mr. Gibson in the afternoon
and he asked me if it was all right. told
him yes, the property was burned. He
said the only bad feature about it, was that
MIR. Dunn had seen me on the train, but |
must do the best | could and fight them.
| Heard nothing more until | was arrested
, Dy Mr.. Trip. Told him | was in
nocent and knew nothing about it,
and could prove my innocence. After
reaching Middlebury jail, l decided to
make clean breast of it | confessed the
| whole matter. Asked Mr.. Sade if it would
help me any if did. He told me | had
better tell the truth if l was guilty; sent for
| by Justice Mcleod and made a full state
| ment to him.
| Cross-eran,ined Had lived here three
years lived in Burlington four months
had some trouble there and was arrested
on charge of stealing made no objection
to burning property closed the contract
to burn it first with him; we talked it
over; building had been fired week or
ten days before told Mr.. Trip that Mar
tin set that fire. | set the fire first time and
was induced to do so by Mr.. Martini
The attorney for the State objected to intro
ducing this part of the testimony and made
the point that the court could not Grimm
ate Mr.. Martin while trying Mr.. Gibson
COLLECTION sustained by court.)
r0ss-e1amiadti0n cOntinued.-W told
that it would make my case better to con-
iess snc Wnoie ulu hoI cHpec' 10 get any
pay iioii WI. "iison ui'i1 ~ S9' .n9 iii-
s 1iaGo iiiooy "uh' " nu'i'iiu anu We
i iitelca ue9osugo' .iie insurance anu every
.ninS iAou . .hei ou'i,o oa.h anu sc. iii NJ
any llls was lie ilrst tiilie u was iireu. MI
uiison iiieu ilie " set 'iie ilc .ne tsl slile;
hiaN W s'aIeu ;naI ! nau Inducements oi1gleu
ny M, nia i,;l 70 purn lne properly mere
aspiieee u'sIuss1oii ciisucu III leleieioc "
iiipeac i WI. os'tSce, anu .nc coui. sus-
!allieu the attorney lor 'he ola'e Ill the oo-
Jeo'ioiis iaiseu ny HILL
TESTIMONY OF n. $. gibson.
| never had any conversation with Mr..
ostegee III reference 10 burning the prop.
erty never heid out any Inducements OF
any KIND or referred to the subject OF burn
ing the Dullding WIN nm al any time
maze trade without seeing the property
dld not know there was mortgage upon
IT; MT. Ostegec was with me when effect
ed the insurance; SAID property was insur,
ed IN the vermont Mutual Tor ,2oo, ana
told Mr.. FRANCISCO 10 insure 1t Tor the same
amount Mt Ostegee saia tne place was
| worm Sa'ooV, ana tnere ought 10 DC more
insurance told francisco to make 1t
Sl,ooo; FRANCISCO asked II there was
mortgage upon the property; l SAID no
francisco toid me before Otsegee that II
the place was insured win 1amily IN tne
mouse ana afterwards ieit vacant, or II
tnere was mortgage ana not SO speclied
AZ lne lime the insurance was made the
poncy would DC Voiq'
-, ofoss-e1dna'nta:- ana not know ABOUT
lhe mortgage uhti, alleT tIie insurance was
mace alu wrlte MI martin that would
with Otsegee because he was drunk . did
know before the fire from what Mr.. Fran
cisco had said that the house being unoccu-
pied and m0rtgaged it would make the in