Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-12-05
Washington County Court.

washington tOuntl SOurc
The court is now engaged in trying divorce cases
and dsposing Of the miscellaneous business which
remains upon the docket. II will probably take
all the week to clear up everything.
In the case Of the State against Nathaniel Blair,
William Mills Beamam H. Campbell and James
Blair, indicted for setting fire to the house Of
Ashley Dutton, IN Warren, on the nigh, Of October
10th and i1h, 1876, the jury returned verdict
At noon on Thanksgiving day, in which they found
Nathaniel Blair guilty IA principal, and William
Mills and Beaman II Campbell rs accessories In
the crime James Blair was found TO be not
guilty. On Friday Mills was released from GUS
tody on furnishing bonds to the amount Of one
thousand dollars, and Blair and Campbell
furnishing bonds to the amount of ioor hundred
dollars each The burning Of Mr. buttons house
was one Of the most hgh-handed outrages ever
committed in this county, and the proof against
the convicted respondents, although wholly cir
cumstantial, was very strong and convincing.
The evidence the part OF the state disclosed
nimica feelings on the part of the respondents
,gainst MIR. and Mrs button for many years past,
and the uttemnce ~ many violent threats against
them, several Of which hnted strongly ut burning
the Dutton house. All the parties live in school
district No. 8, in Warren, which lies towards
Granville and there had been for long time
bitter quarrel between the buttons and the re-
| spondents about school matters. Several snts
| had been tried buttons horses names and tails
| had been sheared, three harnesses had been cut
mp, and all manner of petty annoyances had been
committed against them. The fire broke out at
about two o'clock Monday morning On the
| Mr. nd Ira old
couple, had been to pnyer-meeting, and went
to bed in the lower story Of the main part of the
house. Their son, Wesley and another boy slept
upstairs in the ell. The boys were awakened
by the flash of the flames from the wood-shed,
where the fire had been set, in their faces, and
hut for the arousal Of the boys, in all probable
ity the old folks would have been burned to
death Hardly any thing was saved and the house
was completely destroyed. Soon after daylight
tracks, which exactly resembed those made by
Nathaniel Blair, were found leading to and from
buttons house, across lots to another road on
which Soult Parker, one of the original respond
ents lived, and at whose house Nathaniel Blair
claimed to have passed the night nursing Soult
Parker. The governments case rested upon these
tracks and upon the numerous threats from some
of the respondents. The respondents relied
mainly upon their denial of any completely in the
crime or OF the utterance of the threats and upon
impeachment of the states witnesses. Some sew
enty witnesses we're examined upon the stand, and
five days were occupied in the testimony. The
case was argued on Wednesday, by Messrs Geo
NJ Fisk and Frank Plumley States Attorney for
the prosecution, and Messrs. L. l.. Durant and
Charles H. Heath for the respondents The case
was very ably tried on each side. Mr. Plumley
particularly distinguished himself BY the fulness
of his preparation and the skill with which he
forged the chain of circumstances pointing to the
respondents. not leaving a single link missing (;
while Messrs Heath and Randall for the re-
spondents did all that such able counsel could in
defence The case will 90 tn the Snnreme Cont
upon exceptions, and sentences in any event, can
not be given till next August
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