Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-03-14
Washington County Court.

Hon. r. = REprnLD, Presiding Judge.
| Hos WILLARD S. MARTIN, a..,.,,,,, .t,,,Joos
Hon PnrANDnn RmoRp, A'S's'o'" '''"yeS'
FRANK PLuMLEy, States Attorney
JoHN L. Tu1TIE, Sheriff
MELVILLE T.. SMILE Clerk.
r. Il. MERRILL, Deputy Clerk.
HENRY OvIArr, Reporter
The March term of the Washington County
Court was begun in this village on Tuesday
morning;
Proclamation having been made by the sheriff
the following gentlemen were called and sworn IN
rs jurors: Barre, T.. p. Odds and l.. ?. Wood
Berlin, j. b. Scoyll and j. c. Emerson; Cabot
Geo. W. Paine and j. H. Whitney; Calais, NJ. s.
Hathaway and G. A. Gray; Duxbury j. T. Davis
East Montpelier, n Davis, Jr and Geo. II Dix
Fayston, John Maxwell; Marshfeld, iermon Cut
Ter and II. d. Batchelder; MiddeseX, ID. p Car
penter and Chester Taylor; Montpelier, G. 7. Full
lerton and s. ]. Vail Moretown, G. h. Whlttlesey
and A. G. Prentiss Mortified, 4. X. Jones and
+, II. Howes painfeld s. b. Gale; Roxbury,
Billings Spaulding; Watsfeld, J. II. Campbell
and W. II. Hazleton; Warren, Christopher Moore
Waterbury, James Burleigh and C. r. Town;
Woodbury., c. A. Mcknight; Worcester, Chauncey
T., Harris
is now on trial-,lohn and Ellen G. Donovan rs.
the town of AIiddlesex in which the female plain
tiff claims five thousand dollars damages for in
juries caused by defective highway. The case
was tried last September, when the jury were I'M
able toagree Mrs. Donovan and her boy William
the principal witnesses for the plaintiffs, and
their story is that on the evening of March 10th,
1874, while driving from the depot at Middlesex
village up the notch road eading the hills to
Waterbury, to their home their wagon was tipped
over by partially thawed snowdrift and the old
lady was thrown upon the ground, and thereby re-
ceived fracture Of the collar bone and two or
three ribs and other grevous bodily injuries, from
which she will never recover. The Defense as far
ms it has been developed, seems to be, first that
the road safe and in good repair; second, that
n wagon, and especially the one used, wasn't a
prudent vehicle to ride in ut that time, which was
the "spring thaw,' so-called; third that the old
lady who was returning from a visit TO some
friends in Mortified, was pretty drunk, and fell
out of the wagon for that reason more than any
thing else; fourth, that what injuries she did re-
ceive were caused by her falling down cellar ON
the night in question, or about that time; fifth,
that her whole condition is pretty much a sham.
The testimony is very conflicting, as Is usual In
town cases. 1t will be finished Today, and the
will go to the jury tomorrow forenoon. Mrs.
Donovan is a true daughter of the :" ould sod, -
and possesses full share of the characteristic wit
of her race, as the eminent counsel who cross-ex-
amined her can testify. Ex-Governor Dillingham;,
Mr. William p Dillingham; and Hon. Ileman Car
penter are counsel for the plaintiffs; Mr. Homer
w. Iieaton and Messrs Heath & Carleton appear
for the defendant.
The jury calendar is not very firm and unless
something Unexpectedly lively turns up in the
way of state prosecutions, the panels will not stay
more than three weeks at the furthest
Judge Redfield made some very seasonable and
pertinent remarks to the jury at the opening OF
the court, yesterday, on their duties anG respon-
sibilites.