Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-10-04

| lii against Alfred Stevens, which was on trial
at the time Of going TO press last week, was
| given to the jury Thursday morning, and n
! special verdict was rendered Thursday after
noon in the following language
! In the above entitled cause the Jurors on
their oaths find that the defendant is guilty in
manner and form US the plaintiff has alleged
against him in his declaration and therefore
find for the plaintiff to recover the SUN of
S272.9l aud his costs, and in the above sum
we have included the sum of ~ as exemplary
damages S. w. KDmA1L, Foreman.
The jury further find that the alleged libel
was written by Rev Mr.. Merrill the scribe of
Windham County Association of Congrega-
tiOnal Ministers in regular meeting Of said
association, May lG 1877 and that the de-
PENDANT, member of said association, did on
said meeting bring up the subject of taking
action against the plaintiff before said associa-
ton, and did there claim and inform said as
ISOLATION that the plaintiff had been guilty Of
untruthfulness and deception and.iid aid in
putting in form, move and vote for the
preamble and resolutions set forth in the dec
laration, and that said preamble and resolu-
tons were published in the Congregationalist
and in the Vermont Chronicle by said scribe
Of the association agrecably to and in compli-
ance with the vote of said association and said
resolutions, and that the foregoing is all the
the alleged libel. :. w. k1NIBALL, Foreman.
The jury further find that the defendant in
giving said information. in aiding to put in
form, moving and voting for said preamble
aud resolutions did not act solely from sense
of the duty which he owed to said association
and to the churches aud that he did then
honestly believe and then had knowledge of
such facts and circumstances rs would induce
aman OF ordinary prudence and conscience to
believe that the pllintin had been guilty of
untruthfulness. deception. and of creating
disturbance in the churches
S. W. kmBALL. Foreman.
The jury further find that the defendant did
seize upon the occasion of said meeting of
said association Of May ID and TO- 1877 to do
the acts which We have found he did in whole
or in part from desire and with the purpose
of iujuring the plaintiff in his standing and
character as minister and as man.
). W. ktsBALL. Foreman.
In connection with this case and its result
it is proper to say that Dr. Stevens's first and
only pastorato has been at Westminster West,
where he is now settled This pastorate has
extended over period Of SO years, and DIR.
Stevens has been IL ,mber Of the Windham
county association since 1913. The special
verdict as above given, was a great surprise
to the court, bar. and people generally, so far
as has been asccrtaiuod A careful reading of
the verdict makes it appear to be entirely in
consistent in its several findings The case
now goes to the supreme court on questions
of law.
STATE cs. S,dnty Joats. This was an indict-
ment against the respondent for the burning
of school house in Windham situated Just in
the rear OF the dwelling house Of VIM Har-
ris, and it was claimed that the purpose of
Jones was to destroy the property of VIM.
Harris and son, against whom he had made
from time to time various threats. 1t APP
poared that Harris and son had lost by fire,
about the time the school house was burned,
a tenement house. and large barn The case
has been tried twice before. The jury return
Cd IL verdict Of guilty upon the first trial, the
case then passed to the supreme court upon
exceptions and was remanded for a new trial.
Upon the second trial the jury failed to agree
upon a verdict and at the present term Of
court the respondent was acquitted. The ev-
id,nce in the case has fully appeared in re-
ports Of the previous trials.
Uponthe going in of the court Monday after
noon there was no other case ready for trial,
though there were several cases standing up
on the docket for the jury. No case being
ready the jurors were discharged from fur
ther service.
Milford :. Dsdy plead guilty to an indict-
ment for forgery and was sentenced to six
years hard labor in the state prison. The
charge was for altering draft OF eight dol
lars by inserting the word hundred" after
the word eight.
The following bills Of divorce were granted:
elias. T. Sheldon vs.. Georgianna Sheldon. |
Bill granted for adultery.
James II. Me;calf Vs. Mary Ann Metcalf. |
Bill granted for wilful desertion.
Corianna I. White vs. Henry White. Bill |
granted for wiful desertion.
Lucy Ann Goodtnough vs.. Frazier Good |
enough. Bill granted Tor failure to support.
W. would call attention to the fact that the |
Office Of assistant judge held 10y Hon. o. S.
Howard Of Towushcnd has nearly expired. |
this being the last term Of court which he
will attend in his official capacity. Judge |
Howard has held this position for eleven
years and has discharged the duties pertain |
ing to the office faithfully and with ability. |
Besides being man Of excellent judgment |
he has possessed that independence of char
acter which always induced him to express
his convictions frankly and without fear or ia
yor In the discharge of his duties he has |
been instrumental in saving the State much |
expense by his judicious management. He is
a man who never sought Office but whom the |
office has repeatedly sought. He will take |
with him in his retirement from official du-
ties, the respect and kindly feelings of his as
sociates and of the bar
A final adjournment of the Court was had |
on Tuesday.