Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-06

Another Liquor Case Tried-Patrick Con
ner on I rial.


ner on Trial,
MIDDlEBuRY, Dec. 20 AT the conclu
sion of the Larrow trial last night there
was liquor case, the trial of which WAS
one of the shortest ever known in Addl-
son county. 1t came into court on an ap
peal from the verdict of a Ripton Justice
Court Chester Butterdeld of Lincoln
was the respondent and it was charged
that he took some liquor over to Rpton
to "A party on the night of August 10 last
and sold three pints of it to
one Bert Virgins. Virgins was
the only witness against the respon-
dent and he swore to getting the three
pints from Buttertied on the occasion III
question. 1t was proven on the part of
the defence that Virgins at justice
hearing in Ripton had sworn that he had
only had half pint of liquor on the night
of the party and that he had brought that
half pint from New York State. The
States witness was fatty cont addicted
in all other essential particulars by several
witnesses nevertheless the jury pro
nounced Butterfeld guilty of three of
fences, and he was fined accordingly. The
fine has not yet been paid. States at
torney for the prosecution, j. NJ. Slade for
the defence.
The star criminal cause of the term,
State vs.. Patrick Conner came on the
first thing this morning and jury was
readily secured After portion Of the
evidence for the State had been put IN the
court had to take a recess until this after
noon because most of the witnesses had
been unable to get here from Nergennes
in consequence of the ateness of the mail
train, which did not arrive until after II
o'clock, being two hours and half late.
a bp work n
evidence was proceeded with, and it IS ev-
ident that the trial is to be a
pretty long one. Substantially, the
States claim is this; On the
9Th of August last there were
some horse trots in Nergennes. and
on the morning of that day one Lewis
Morris and the respondent, Conner, drank
together several times out of different
bottles, and in the afternoon they met on
the falr ground, where the trottlng was
going on. Between heats they had
friendly scutlle, in which Conner was
worsted Tins made him angry and he
dared Morris to try it again, and said he
could throw him or whip him either.
Morris was called away by friends, and as
he turned to go some one, alleged to have
been Conner, struck him in the back of
the head and knocked him down.
In the fail both bones of one
leg below the knee were broken.
Conner was bound up and has been in
jail here since the atfray. BY informa-
ton the state has charged Conner with
malicious assault with intent to MAIN,
and in case of conviction the penalty Will
be a severe one. The defense claims that
the injury to Morris was caused purely by
accident and that Conner had no inten-
ton to do him an injury. f. W, futile of
Nergennes has been assigned to assist
states Attorney WIlds, and the court at
the opening of the term ASSIGNED James
Slade to defend the respondent, as it
was shown that he was without means to
employ counsel. w. II. Bliss is assisting
Mr.. Slade, and the case will be sharply
contested to the end,
Conner Convicted of Assault-Two More
Liquor Cases Disposed of.
MIDDLEBURY, Dec. 30. The case of the
State VS.. Conner came to head much
quicker than had been anticipated. The
evidence WAS all got in before the adj
journment last night and as the counsel
agreed not to make any arguments to the
jury, the court delivered the charge the
first thing this morning. After brief
absence the jury came in with verdict Of
guilty of assault and battery, and not of
the more serious charged named in the
information.
Two more liquor cases were disposed OF
last night. as follows: State vs. Lewis
LapOint of Bristol. The respondent APP
peared in court aud withdrew his former
plea of mot guilty." pleaded guilty of
five first offences.and paid fine of $50 and
costs. State VS.. Frank Brown, also of
Bristol, respondent pleaded guilty of one
first offence, paid line of $40 and costs
and was discharged. There are still some
other liquor cases to be disposed of during
the term
AT The conclusion of the trial of State
VS.. Conner this morning the jurors were
all discharged for the term.
The dUcketS were called over this morn
ing and Fl cases We're marked for hear
ing. Some of these are OF course likely to
fall through and probably will, but there
Will still be enough left 10 keep the court
III session for the greater part Of next
week. Among the cases to be heard are
eight petitions for divorce
From II O'Clock this morning until near
ly this afternoon nothing was done, as
witnesses and lawyers were expected from
the north on the mail train, but did not
arrive. The court began business at $40
and the first case taken up was that of
David Lepp vs.. Mary Ann Lepp, for di-
vorce. The ground on which the divorce
was claimed was or desertion. The bill