Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-07-11
The Plninfleld Fire.

The examination of james Richards charged
with setting the fire which occurred at plain6eld,
on the morning of the 18th VI May took place be-
fore Justice Nathan skinner in Stay tons hotel,
at that place, last Thursday and Friday. States
Attorney Frank Plumley, of Mortified, and MIR.
Orame l.. Hoyt, Of Plainaeld, conducted the pros
ecution, and Mr.. S. G. Shurtleff, Of Montpelier,
appeared for the respondent The witnesses were
G. Slayton, Charles Buckley, Ambrose Greeley,
Charles Buckley, 5r. u. - Smith, Sewall Batch
elder, George r. Niles, Robinson. Kenaston, Ora
mel l.. lIoyt, Charles r. Batchelder, Ambrose h
Taylor, Harriet NJ. Scott, John Sheppard, VII
liam Parks aud his wife, Maria r Parks, Roswell
Reed, Charles b. Gale, Edward j Bartlett, Alpheus
Batchelder, Fred =. Gale, David Cass Henry Low,
Grin Potter, Harrison Bean, Nahum Palmer, Glenn.
ent st. John, Edgar Wheeler, n G. Lombard,
George Nye Herman Dewey and Dan Moses, all
in behalf Of the state. The respondent made NJ
defence, his counsel preferring to his fire
till trial before the county court. The most I'M
portant witness was Mrs Parks, who occupied
the house tuow burnt) in the basement Of which
was Richards grocery, and with whom Richards
boarded She testified to threats made by him
against the community on account Of the seizure
VI lnill on llf iDhU VI My
IN his grocery the greater part Of the day and re
fused to come To his meals that his conduct made
her nervous and suspicious Of fire, she thought
he was dynnk, and she did not go te bed till mid
night that about eleven o'clock she heard some
one go out Of the grocery but she could not tell
who it was, and that she was awakened between
two and three in the morning by the fire. Several
of the other witnesses testified to threats made by
Richards against Mr.. IIoyt and Mr. Batcheder,
who had been active in prosecuting him for
liquor selling, and there was some evidence rs TO
contradictory stories told by Richards in regard
to his sleeping-pace on the night of the fire and
the amount Of his property destroyed; that to
some he said he slept in George Niles barn, some
distance from the village, and to Others that he
slept in the grocery till awakened by the fire;
that he claimed to have lost everything, all his
clothing and seventy-eight dollars in money when
in fact he had seventeen dollars on his person at
the time of his arrest, and had saved all his
clothes. There was also testimony tending to
show that the fire must have been set, since it
first seen bursting out of the basement of the
shops Justice skinner said that he was satisfied
of the incendary origin of the fire, and although
the proof was not convincing, yet the government
had made out the probable guilt of the re-
spondent, which was all that was necessary in a
preliminary examination, and he should therefore
hold him in Ave thousand dollars for trial Re-
spondent not being able to furnish bail, is now in
Jail. The respondent has lived about Plainfeld
some four years. lie is II man Of about sixty and
belongs in Massachusetts,, he says, and was once
n coast fisherman lie came from TOpsham to
plainfield and worked while for Joseph Lane
and George Niles Two years ago he opened a
grocery and fish market under Mr.. Parks house,
and has twice been prosecuted for selling liquor,
once under the nuisance act. The cases are now
pending in the county court immediately after
one Of the trials Mr.. Hoyt's sleigh was badly dis
figured, and the night Of the fire several Of Mr..
Hoyt's-irut trees were cut and girded, and an at
tempt was made 10 enter Mr. Batcheders barn,
Both of these gentlemen had been active in prose-
cutting Richards Richards is an inofiensive
appearing man. aud tho proof against him is not
as very