Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-09-17
Washington County Court.
Hos. T. P. REpfrELD, Presiding Judge
Hon PHItANDER RroRD, ,.,,.,au, ,,,,,...
Hon JAMES A. COBuRN hS"StoW JuugeS.

| TtANh liiNiiFft f1fnfe = HffOfnfH.
Henry OvfATr, Stenogropher
The September term Of the Washington Count
Court was begun pursuant to adjournment yes
terday forenoon Hon. Timothy P Redfed, pre-
siding. Prayer having been offered by the Rev
John II. Hincks, pastor Of Bethany Congrega
tional church, Montpelier, court was opened b,
the sheriff The following gentlemen were sworl
in as grand and petit jurors;
Grand Jurors. Barre, X. f. Patterson; Berlin
|" N. Ellis; Cabot, John Austin; Calais, James X
Tobey; East Montpelier, Mason X. Paine; Dux
bury Janus Crossett; Mddesex, Don p. Car
penter; Marshfeld, S. X. Hollister; Montpelier
X X. Rikeri Moretown, Joseph M. Brown; North
field, ID. t. Averill; Waitsfeld, Ezra o. Joslyn
Warren, James l.. Tillotson; Waterbury, A. b
Remington Woodbury. L. c. Ball; Worcester
A. d. Tewksburyi Roxbury, Ashael Flint; Plain
field, d. A. Perry.
PeW Jurors.-Barre, Arad jackson and John II
Batcheder; Berlin, j. W. Leland and Mortor
Marvin Cabot, s. X, Moulton and c. NJ Sea
bury Calais. Willard Bugbee; East Montpelier
Lyman W. ormsbee and c. Clark willard Dux
bury, W. r. Strickland; Fayston, John u. Thomp
son; Marsh6eld, John L. Severance and Marx
Mears; Middlesex Rufus w. Warren and Ben
| J'hih bfiitlti hlpHtptltT, 1fOlAce Mills Hn0
Ezekiel Kent; Moretown, Charles A. Foster
Mortified, Charles Dole and Walter H. Duns.
more; Plainfed, L. J. Bartlett and Wesley Gray
Roxbnry, Y. S. Stanton; Waitsfed Charles Jone.
and George Fisher; Warren II. d. Parker and G
H. Roys; Waterbury, James A. Bureigh and
George stearns; Woodbury., Hiram Putnam
Worcester Henry T. Hunt
After charging the jurors as TO their duties
Judge Redfeld appointed Judge Stephen r. Bol.
| lister foreman Of the grand jury, and proceeded
to call the docket.
William A Boutelle Us. Westchester Insurance
Company was the first case to come to trial The
counsel for plaintiff are Messrs. J. A. Wing j
p. Lamson, J. o. Livingston and William p Dill.
bingham; for defendant, Messrs Heath & Carle-
ton and ex-Lieutenant-Go Governor Russell S. Taft
OF Burlington. trial two years ago resulted In
verdict for plaintiff of seventeen hundred odd
| dollars. 1t then went to the supreme court and
was sent back for a new trial 1t took seven days
to dispose OF IL at the former trial, and will this
| time probably consume nearly all the week
Among other important cases likely to be heard
this term are Charles 7. Stevens rs ID. W. bud
ley, Cochrane rs. Elliot, State u.s. Carr, and State
u.s. "Glycerine Jack for passing counterfeit
money.
| Edgar II. Van Deusen Of Warren charged with
burglary, plead guilty, and upon representations
made to the court by his counsel, Clarence II
Pitkin, Esq, that he was under age, son of an
invalid and widowed mother, had hitherto bore
good character, and was sincerely repentant,
the court sentenced him to year and half in
the House of Correction.
Mr.. John II. Harris, student from the office Of
Mr.. l.. L. Durant, was admitted to the bar.
THE NEW COURT HOUSE
The remodeled court house ELECTS universal APP
probation. From being one of the least commodi-
Gus and pleasant, it is changed into the most
convenient and one of the most cheerful in the
state 1t had become apparent to everyone that
the old court house was very poorly adapted to
the present times, and permission was obtained
last fall from the legislature to lay tax of ten
per cent upon the county for its improvement
Out Of the 81, 900 thus raised there is STILL after
all the expenditures, a small surplus. That the
expenditures should not have exceeded the APP
preparation, as is too frequently the in such
projects, and, still more, that there should be n
surplus, is very much to the credit OF Judge Phi
lander Riford, who has had the sole responsibility
of the Improvements
An addition, twenty mine by Fl fly feet, has been
made on the north end. 1t is 80 exactly like the
old court house. both in style and in color Of
brick, that only close observer would detect
the junction. 1t affords the following new rooms
On the lower floor, Il hall, twenty-nine and one
half by fifteen feet, and an anteroom fifteen and
one-half by eighteen feet, connected with the
hall by folding doors, for the grand jury. The
wainscoting In these rooms is ash with black
walnut trimmings. On the east side of the court
house is flight of granite steps leading up to the
passage way auu from tue west end of the pas-
sage way flight OF stairs leads to the water
closets and steam boiler in the basement Another
flight of stairs from this passage-way leads up to
the ante-rooms (the judges room and the two wit
ness rooms) in the rear Of the court room itself
These ante-rooms are Of great convenience, espe-
cially the witness room which opens Immediately
into the court room, about twelve feet from the
witness stand. Witnesses once placed there cannot
leave without passing through the court room.
and are likely to be present when wanted. After
testiiying, witnesses can be retired to some
benches near the stand without being permitted
to return to the witness room and report the ques-
tons put to them BY counsel The Judges room
is finely furnished; and the room designed for
consultation with witnesses has long been needed
The two ante-rooms in the front end of the court
house still remain so that there are now in all
five spacious ante-rooms, which is more than any
other court house in the state is provided with.
Another great convenience Is a water closet in
the rear OF the court room, for the use of the
court and bar. But the court room itself presents
the greatest and most desirable improvements
BY means OF recess at the north end where the
bench is now situated, instead of ON the north
side, five feet have been added to the length OF
the room.
The new bench, twenty-five feet in length con-
structed Of chestnut and ornamented with carved
black walnut PRESENTS very attractive appearance
1t is situated in the recess under the middle arch
which has a span of twenty feet On the right
and left of this arch are two more of twelve and
half feet span. These three arches add greatly
to the architectural beauty of the room 1t is car
peted with neat ingram, and has a steam pipe at
the foot running the entire length.
The bar, twenty by twenty-five feet, is, as are
also the jury boxes on the right and left, sur
rounded by heavy balustrade, with black wal
nut posts and railing and chestnut center. 1t is
carpeted with striped Napier mating, and is far
more commodiously arranged than the old one
The witness stand is in one corner OF the bar
and three feet in front of the northeast end of
the bench. The walls of the entire room are hard
finished in white, The seating capacity OF the
auditorium is increased by about seventy, and the
benches, Of birch stats upon iron supports, are a
decided improvement upon the back-breaking
benches OF old. The desks Of the sheriff and
deputy, of black walnut, correspond finely with
the rest of the room
The transverse passage-way below connects with
the old hall way, from which the same entrances
remain into the County Clerks and Probate
offices. These offices are nearly double their
former size, and are divided into front and rear
rooms, They both have been provided with fire
proof vaults
To crown the improvements, the entire building
is heated with steam apparatus, set up by the
Exeter New Hampshire) Machine Works." at
a cost of $500. No other court house In the state
is so heated. The comfort and convenience
which it will render is incalcuable, to say moth
ing of the expense which it will save
Considering the amount of money appropriated
and the number and kind of improvements which
have been made too many thanks cannot be re-
turned to Judge Riford, who has given it his
especial care. Credit also is to be given to Geo.
II Guernsey of Montpelier, who daughted all the
plans to James Mclaughlin OF this place, who
conducted the masonry work, and to Messrs.
Barrows Peck OF Montpelier, who had charge