Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-18
CHITTENDEN COUNTY COURT.
Opening of the September Term First
DAYS Proceedings.

Days Proceedings.
The regular September term of Chitten-
den County Court opened at the Court
house III this city, Tuesday morning, with
Hon. Russell 5. Taft as presiding judge
and Hon James > Plat and Hon. James
f. Smith rs assistant judges. The regu
lar officers were present except that the
position Of stenographer was filed by
Miss X. +. Benham, owing to the absence
of Mr.. Pember, who is attending the Rut-
land County Court The session was
opened with prayer by Rev. NJ. ID. Jump,
pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church,
and the usual proclamation of the Sheriff.
The grand jury being called all an
swered to their names but one. The
petit jurors were then called and
twentysiX responded to their names.
After the jurors were sworn the
jury calendar was called and of the thir-
teen cases, eight were marked for trial,
three were discontinued, stipulation was
entered in one, and in that of Sexton vs..
tlanncry judgment was entered for the
plaintiff There being no cases ready for
trial the petit jury were excused until
this morning
The grand jury were then sworn and f.
b. Andrews of Richmond was appointed
foreman. Judge Taft then charged the
grand jury,and the following are brief cN
TRACTS from luc Charge.
1t is your duty to investigate all offences
against the criminal law that are not barred
h the statute OF Imitation. You should en-
anime all such offences as are called to your
attention by the court, or submitted to your
consideration 10y the states Attorney; all
cases. where parties have been held for trial
by committing mHgi trat"s. whether the ac-
cuScd are at large ON bail, or IN confinement
in the county jail such eases as may come to
your knuwl dye in the course of your nVcsti-
cation of matters brought before you or
from your own observations, and such as may
he disclosed hi any of your members.
You should not allow private prosecutors to
intrudc themselves in,O your room to pre-
sent accusations. You should bc .Ccur against
outside influences and improper intcrfcrcuCcS.
1t Is Il msdcmCanor and contempt of court
pruaCh, or Communicate with the grand jury
in reference to any matter which is, or may
come, before you.
lam not aware of any matters to which
your attention II, ed he specially called as
there seems to toe no epidemic Of crime in this
county this year y year since only two M
documents We're brought and trust there will
be no occasion for more than that number
at this session.
The grand jury then retired and the
court took recess until nine o'clock
Tuesday morning.
Second Days Session-The First Case on
Trial.
At the opening of County Court Wed
nesday morning it was announced that
the case of Geo. H. Smile VS. Parker,
Holmes x Co., which had been set for
trial was entered as discontinued, il set
Element having been arrived at. In the
case of John TatrO's will which was the
next on the calendar, notice was given
that no contest of the will would be made
ma y.I f,t tril lac.
of John Thomas of Charlotte against
Charles LOVelette of .Shelburn. This
il an action brought to recover
damages amounting to seVenty-live
dollars which the plaintiff claims was
the value of il horse W hiCh he rented to the
defendant i'll November, lSSl for the pur
pose Of plouGhing. The horse died IL few
days aiterNard, the plaintiff claims. from
bad feeding and lll-usaGe, but as the de-
lenuant alleges from colo Which was IN
duced by natural causes and not by i'm
proper feeding. This case occupied the
attention of court during the entire day
yesterday, the defence not having con
cluded their evidence upon adjournment
for the day. 1t is expected that the case
will be completed this forenoon Hon.
Henry Ballard Is attorney for the plaintiff
and H. ;. Peck, Esq, for the defendant.
The next case marked for trial Is that of
Sawyer x Manning vs.. the New York
State Clothlng Company. The grand
jury had not completed their laDOrs at the
close Of the days session.