Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-09-17
The Trial of Edwin C.
Hayden, the Wife
Murderer.
VERDICT, GUILTY."


opening of the court. He is straight
built man, with fair features, dark hair,
a slender mustache. and peculiar eyes.
His head or physiognomy do not
indicate that he is capable of commit
ting so terrible a crime. He was neatly
dressed, but his countenance indicated
great mental excitement and depression.
When called to stand during the reading
of the indictment, he stood stolid aud
firm, and when asked if guilty or not
guilty, he promptly answered, mot
guilty"
The counsel for the prosecution were,
w. r. Rowell States Attorney, Hon.
Heman S. Royce of st. Adams, Col. N.
L. Sheafe of Derby Line, and W. D.
Crane, Esq. of Newport; the defense
was conducted by Gen. w. w. Grout of
Barton, Hon. H. G. Wilson of Troy, and
Hon. Henry Ballard of Burlington.
Extra panels of jurors having been Sc
lected from the towns in the county most
remote from Derby, the drawing of the
jury commenced at once. Several jury
men were excused for having formed and
expressed an opinion. The following
was the panel as finally accepted: S. N.
Bates, J. G. Babcock, S. p. Pinney, VIM.
Chamberlin, A. X. Drury of Greensboro;
Stephen Smith and Albert Cass of
Craftsbury; d. Buchanan and S. c.
Wilcox of Albany, and A. p. Bean, ID.
]. Dwinell and j. E. Dwinell of Glover
The States Attorney opened the case
by stating to the jury that the State ex-
pected to prove the killing of Gertrude
(Spalding) Hayden, by Edwin c. Hay
den on the 3lst day of August, 1876
here briefly relating the incidents con-
nected with the murder. Gen. GrOut
opened the defense by virtually admit
ting the claims made by the States At
torney, but claimed that the respondent
was of family in which the father
grandfather, and uncle are or have all
been insane, and that of the five chill
dren in the family of the father of the
prisoner, nearly all died with the ricketts,
that the brother of the respondent is ;
pitiful subject of disease, is deaf anC
under guardianship, and that the pris
oner is nervous. high-strung being
who was laboring under great domesti
troubles at the time of the commission
of the deed-in short was laborin
under temporary insanity.
The first witness examined was c. c
Brigham, the man who was shot by Hay
den at the same time he shot his wife
Mr.. Brigham is the brother-in-law {
} Hayden, their wives being sisters. Nj
B. testified that he met Hayden on tn
; cars at Stanstead Junction the day prt
r vious to the murder. Hayden was goin
to Derby Line. Brigham to Lennoxvill'
Brigham saw that Hayden was undo
the influence of liquor, and fearing tn;
his presence might be disagreeable if NJ
dangerous to Mrs. Hayden and Mr.
Brigham, who were alone in their apar
ment of the Hanson hotel at the Lin
fastened back the same evening, ar
!. found Hayden in his sitting room
company with his wife and Mrs. Hayde
Hayden was surprised and chagrined
! Mr.. Brigham's return. The conversatiC
Immediately turned on to the subject
the domestic trouble of Hayden with b
. wife. After considerable talk Hayd
left. He was in a state of partial into
T ication, but could not be called drum
: The next day little past ten, accordil
7 to Brigham's testimony, he met Hayd
in the bar room of the hotel-spo
= with him and went up stairs with h
; into the upper hall adjoining the roc
u occupied by their wives. Mr.. B. objeC
- ed to Hayden's going into the room,
:; he was then under the influence
-, liquor; long parley went on and M
% Hayden came out and asked her husba
- to desist from his purpose, to go aw
and let her have peace. Hayden souG
/. private interview with her, which v
refused. After further talk with her
consented to go away. They shook hal
n and separated. Mr.. Brigham then
r. turned to his room, and IN few minu
ne was warned by the landlords son of
y, intention of Hayden to do injury to
it wife. Soon after, Hayden's footstt
In were heard in the hall and Mr.. Brigh
nd opened the door. Hayden tried to
lie into the room but Brigham refused
no grant him the privilege; after conslo
~ able talk about Hayden's condition +;
on the trouble with his wife, he asked b
raj ham what he feared, if he thought
1T would harm his wife if he should
The her. Mr.. B. told him he did not KIN
nd Hayden said, 81 couldn't if l would
AN have no arms" Upon this he undert
ap- to deceive Mr.. B. by showing his peck
vas which did not hold the fatal pistol.
he conversation continued a short t
In longer, when Hayden stepped
ma PAGES from Brigham, drew pistol, all
yed it at his breast and fired. Mr.. B. tt
ink fed that the hurt of the wound cat
In him to lose his senses, to struggle and