The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-06
Examination OF John Murray.

day afternoon, before Justices Heaton and |
Clark. H. A. Huse, states attorney for Wash |
ington county, assisted BY g. H. Pitkin, ap-
peared for the state; G. H. Heath and T. K.
Gordon, counsel for the respondent.
Charles Lawrence and John Phelps testified
that they we're ut Murray's house about noon
of July 10, the day Of Mrs Murray's sudden
death, leaving the house at about half-past
twelve o'clock. They testified TO seeing Mrs.
Murray standing at the window, apparently
well-Phelps who knew Mrs. Murray, testify
ing that she seemed to be fooling with boy
ten or eleven years DID,
Moses Shuttle, a neghbor living about one
third OF mile from Murray's, swore that John
Murray came to his house at about quarter of
eleven o'clock Sunday night, July i3th with
the boy Tommy, and awakened him. On opening
the door Murray told him his wife had dropped
down dead. Murray asked him to go to the
house, and wanted to get his horse to go to
Montpelier to notify family friends and obtain
dc ctor. Murray went with him to the pasture,
some seyenty-tve rods away, to catch the
horse, which was led to the house and bar
messed to the wagon. Murray seemed to be
full, handled himself with difficulty, and his
breath smelled of liquor. He plunged around
good deal and WAS, in short drunk. The
witness determined not to intrust his team to
Murray, but to go with him to Montpelier
While Murray was getting into the wagon, he
stumbled and broke his lantern. Witness then
took his own lantern and they drove to the
", ii
got out, aroused Mr. Beardsley, and asked him
to go up with his wife and remain with the
corpse during his absence in Montpelier On
the way to Montpelier Murray spoke OF the
sudden death of his wife. His explanation was
that she started to go to her bedroom and fell
over chair by the door. He picked her up
and laid her on the bed. To suggestion of
the witness, Murray said that the mishap did
not kill her dead" that she got up, walked to
the sink and back to the bedroom, and fell
down on the floor. He picked her up and put
her to bed took off her shoes and stockings,
but she took off the rest of her clothes; said
she was dizzy. Murray said he had colt in
the barn which he wanted to break that day.
She was anxious to see him drive it, He hitched
him up and drove out to the top of the hill and
back. When he drove back he supposed she
was looking out the window at him. He put
up the colt and went into the house. He found
his wife just as he had left her, her hand over
her face, which was turned tow ard the wall. He
said she fell over the chair about five o'clock,
and that she died about eight o'clock. He
bathed her head with water and tried to restore
her. He hunted all over his sheep pasture to
find his horses, and when he was unable to
find them he went TO the house OF the witness
to get his team In Montpelier at the fathers
and relatives of Murray, there were consulta-
tions, but he could distinguish nothing that
was said. He returned alone to his home and
having put up his team, went to Murray's,
where he found a number of neighbors and
relatives assembled. He saw the corpse
The face seemed bloated and the lips were
swollen The next afternoon he observed that
there we're dark-colored marks extending over
a portion Of the left side of the nc ok and cheek
The witness testified to Mrs. Murray's taking
refuge in his house, on certain occasion three
years ago, from the violence of her husband
Charles w. Beardsley testified that John
Murray called at his house late Sunday night,
July IL, and wanted to know If he and his
| wife would 60 up to his house, as his wife was
| dead. Witness asked one or two questions as
| to when she died and what allied her. to which
Murray said that she died about seven O'Clock
| that she went TO go into a room and fell over a
chair, or partly fell; that he picked or helped
her up, laid her on the bed, and she died. Said
he and the boy had been hunting in the pasture
| for the hoIses that the boy broke the lantern,
and they couldn't find the horses. Murray
handed witness the key to the house; said ne
| was going to Montpelier for help, and would
| be right back. He noticed that Murray's breath
| smelled of liquor and he had wild, peculiar
| look-not anything more, he thought, than he
would have under similar circumstances. Wit
ness detailed the circumstances attending the
entrance to the Murray house at that time of
| night, the discovery of the dead woman and
the measures taken for the proper treatment OF
| the corpse. The windows were all down, the
| air was close and there was a peculiar scent in
! the room. He noticed the red marks ON the
J neck, as if the blood had settled there.
| Opoueu tHe WluuOWs III tne Kitchen ana DeQ-
| ROOM John Murray came with Miss Seinas
| He wept bitterly Witness asked John where
| the doctor was. He said he supposed he was
coming. Finally Peter Murray went TO Mont
| pelier and returned with DR.. j. NJ. Templeton
Witness had talk with Temp.eton about the
gone he said to Murray that the doctor asked
about those marks. Witness told Murray these
might be suspicious, and the latter said he
supposed she fell and struck there. She had
complained Of being dizzy. The story o
| breaking the colt was repeated. Witness no
ticed, when he saw the body first, that the
lips and face were swollen, and there was ar
| enlargement over the left eye.
FRIDAY MORNING.
Mrs. c. w. Beardsley testified to many o.
the circumstances detailed by the former wit
ness as to the appearance OF the face Of tht
| dead woman. She said, further, that tn,
doctor examined the spots on the neck par
ticularly, remarking that he guessed none O.
the bones were broken. She heard sounds o
grief coming from the bedroom, while Murray
| wa in there alone, and heard sounds of kissing
There were purple streaks like the settling o.
| blood, all over the back, and down the limbs
on the inside, to the heels. The spots on the
back did not connect with those on the neck
and the latter were of a lighter color.
Miss Selinas testified to going with Johr
Murray from Montpelier to his house the nigh
he came to the village to announce the deatt
Of his wife. To this witness, in explanation O
the circumstances attending the death Of his
wife, the respondent said that he went to LID
down, on the Sunday in question, telling hi.
wife to call him. She went out with the box
to pick some peas. When supper was ready
his wife called him. She was not feeling wei
and did not eat much; got up and went TO he
room to lie down; had dizzy spell and fel
over chair. To his Inquiry II she had hur
her, she answered, No" She then went L
lie down. She had intended to go out to picl
some berries, but said she could not go. III,
advised her to go to bed. The story Of break
ing the colt was substantially the same as tolc
to other witnesses. When she did not reply
to his call to come and see the colt, he though
she was asleep and he would not disturb her
He then went to milk his cows After milking
two, he felt uneasy about his wife and went Il
the house He saw that his wife was very pal,
and did not look right. He bathed her head
to try to restore her and fearing she wa,
dead, went to Shuttle's To tell him. Witness
noticed the settling OF blood on the back, bu
did not see the streaks on the limbs. Murray
said nothing to her about looking for his owI
horse before going to Shuttle's. Murray drove
home as fast as circumstances would allow
lie was not intoxicated nor had he the smel
of the face the next afternoon, and the lip,
ments lay on the floor by the bedside Just a.
they would If she had undressed to go to bed
Mrs. Silver and Mr.. and Mrs Peter Murray
testified to many details which do not vary
materially from the testimony Of other witnessei
who were present at Murray's house tina
night and w. w. Prescott swore 10 the inter
yisw with MurraV In the iail. the substa nca n