Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-09-22
For the MONITOR.
ORLEANS COUNTY COURT.

ORLEANS COUNTY COURT.
Although the number of cases tried by
jury was less than usual, yet the term
was an important one. as nearly every
case involved either reputation or large
amount of money. The case of State VS.
Mrs. Katie Mignault and her daughter
Mrs. Maryetta Sanborn, for forgery and
uttering forged paper, was by far the
most interesting of all. 1t appears from
the evidence produced by the State that
one Mrs. Mary G. Morrill, of Derby held
several notes against Mr.. Mignault, the
husband of Katie, and that he went I'd
the house of M. NJ Kelsey, who held
the notes for collection as they became
due, for the purpose of paying portion
of them, one evening in the fall of 1877
that Mr.. Kelsey produced the Mignault
notes, which were in an envelope with
others, among which was note of $91S
signed by Elisha Lane and payable I'd
Mrs. Morrill, or bearer; that after Mr.
Kelsey had computed the interest, Mig
nault paid six Of the notes-being for
one hundred dollars each-and the inter-
est on the remainder; that Mr.. Kelsey
counted out the six notes to Mignault in z
the hearing of Kelseys wife. daughter.
Mrs. Morrill, and other members of the
family. A few days after this transac-
ton Mr.. Mignault returned to Mr.. KEEL
sey, stating that there was mistake in
Uuv cUuuUrug Or Jne noJes, as ne nad re-
ceived but five instead of SIX, and there
upon Mr.. Kelsey, upon examination,
found and gave the missing note to
Mignault. On the 18th day of October
following two ladies. one claiming to be
Mrs. Mary @. Morrill,, presented at the
Derby Line bank the Lane note for dis
count. Mr.. Foster, the cashier, discount
ed the note after the signature of the
lady assuming to be Mrs. Morrill, had
been by her written upon its back. Soon
after the loss of the Lane note was dis
covered by Mr.. Kelsey he ascertained|
where it was and under what circum-
stances it came into the possession of the
bank, and Immediately set himself about
| discovering the criminal parties. His
theory was that when Mignault paid and
took up those six notes, that he gave
the Lane note in the place of the $lO0
note given to Mignault afterwards, and
that Mignault handed it over to his wife
and daughter who procured it to be dis
counted. In the meantime Mrs. Sanborn
moved to Sheffield, where she was arrest
ed and put under bonds. Evidence was
introduced tending to show that the re-
spondents went to Derby Line on the
afternoon of the forgery that they were
seen on the road about two o'clock, ard
coming out of the bank about three, and
that they made some purchases at the
stores. Mr.. Foster, cashier, could not
swear positively to the identity of the
] respondents, but said he had no doubt
) they were the parties. The State alsc
5 produced a school register in which Mrs
| Sanborn had written her own and hel
mothers name and compared it with the
8 signature on the note, but as far as car
! be learned there was little similarity
j The defense was not guilty and that they
q went to West Charleston on the after
: noon of the alleged forgery to procure ;
!, picture of Mrs. Sanborn's child, but tina
the artist was not at home, and afte
g making few purchases returned hom
about for O'Clock. Testimony was ais
introduced corrobarative of theirs, ant
several witnesses swore to having seel
them on the road leading to Charleston
about two o'clock and in Charleston
{, at three, or at the same time the Stat
Y claimed them to be ON their way to an
S at the bank. Upon the whole the evi
l. dence of the State tended to show tina
e some one had committed forgery an
e that there was nothing to hinder tn
i respondents from having done it. Th
d case was argued for the State by N. I
Sheafe and John Young, W. w. Grou
If and J. L. Edwards for the defense. I
d was given to the jury about six o'clocl
% p. m. They retired until two o'clock a
: m, when the bell was rung and tn
d prisoners brought into the court room
le the verdict read and sentence pronounce
m for stay of three years at Windsor, an
ct the law thereby satisfied.