The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-29
The Grafton Murder Trial.

The Windham county court, Judge Bar
rett presiding, opened at nine o'clock on
Tuesday, the case Of the Estate vs.. Scion s.
Wooley for the murder Of his brother
Frank at Grafton, October .25, 1876. The
case was opened by States Attorney Mar
tin.
]. II. Putnam, the.fr witness, was a
nelghbor of the. partiesi presented Hplans
and explanations of the premises wberethe
shooting occurred. The principal points
of the case was shown by the next two
witnesses, Sarah and Oliver 2 0od. Of Put
ney, aged people, brother anI -lr Of the
mother of Scion and Frank " ooley. They
received letter October "a, written by
Frank, saying Scion was abusing his aged
mother and taking her property. They
went to Franks residence at Grafton viii
lage, and asked him to ride to Solon'e, two
miles out, and talk over matters, and try to
satisfactorily settle with Scion and make
arrangements regarding his mothers resi-
dence. He met them at the door, with pis-
tol in hand, and warned Frank to leave the
premises or he would shoot him. Frank
did not go, and Scion fired, the bullet TAX
| ing effect in his abdomen. Frank ran, and
| was pursued by Scion. He ran as far as
the road, when be fell, and Scion returned
| to the house. He afterwGrd voluntarily
gave himself up to the officer. Frank was
conveyed home, and died two Gays after
| ward.
Maria Woolley, wife of the deceased,
testified to the clothes worn by the de-
ceased at the time, showing the bullet hole
in the shirt, vest and pants, which CORE
| sponded with the wounds described by the
| physicians in attendance.
Doctors NJ. Foss of Grafton, Daniel
Campbell of Saxtons River, described the
post mortem examinations, proving that
death was caused by hemorrhage in the
cavity of the stomach, consequent upon
the bullet wounds in the intestines and
stomach. Numerous witnesses testified
that Scion had armed himself frequently,
with the svowed purpose of shooting
| Frank if he came upon his premises.
| Twenty witnesses in all were cslled by the
state, which rested its case at AGO p. m.
The first witness for the defence was the
respondent himself. 1t is apparent that
his case rests principally upon the abuse by
the deceased previous TO the day of shoot
ing. The judge said this would not con
stitute self defence or justifable homicide
unless they could show violence was offer
ed that day, and no evidence was at hant
to prove the requisite self defence. TIL,
defence have many witnesses to show the
family had been inconstant and quarrellet
many years that the accused had suffered
many indignities at the hands of the de
ceased. Cross examination of the witness
es for the etate aud evidence already Offered
by the defence foreshadows the idea tina
in face of all circumstances that will
endeavor to show that the wound was no
caused by a bullet, but, by falling upon
stub also the temporary insanity of tn
accused, caused by the continual abuse o
the deceased.
The respondent is about thirty-five year
old, was born in Grafton, and has Away
resided there, with the exception Of min
years, when he was a resident Of Kansas
The deceased was about forty years old
and has always resided In Grafton.