Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-12-19

gued strongly against the motion, but
the court thought that under the circum-
stances the case had better go over, and
so it went. This disposition of it filled
the large audience with intense disgust.
There being nothing more ready to come
up, recess was taken to Tuesday morn
ing at 10 o'clock.
At that hour the court came in and
considerable business was transacted in
short time. Counsel for NJ. 7. Butter
field and Frank Forest applied for sep
arate trials, the respondents having been
jointly indicted for assault. This was
granted. Then there arose squabble
among the counsel as to which of the
parties should be tried first. Judge Start
at length referred the question to Mr..
Wilds as the representative of the State
in these cases, and Mr.. Wilds set Mr..
Butterfeld's case for trial on Thursday
morning, to be followed Immediately by
that of Forest.
Several respondents were then called
upon to plead. They were the following
John Simon of Panton, charged with
simple assault. Respondent pleaded gull
ty and was fined $40 and costs, with an
alternative sentence to the workhouse.
The fine and costs were paid.
Lindorph L. Caswell of Ripton, in
dicted for grand larceny in the stealing
of one eve sheep, of the value of $40, on
Nov. 10. Respondent pleaded not guilty,
and bail was fixed in his case temporari-
ly at $50, in order to give him chance
to procure af1idavits warranting con-
tinuance.
Benjamin Merritt of Bridport indicted
for bigamy. Plea, not guilty. Merritt
, has lived in Addison, Weybridge and
Bridport, and took Weybridge girl
across the lake into York State and mar
ried her there while having another wife
7 living in Bridport. This was in 1889, the
first marriage having been in 1885.
Eva Heustis, or Lucia, the Weybridge
: girl whom Merritt is alleged to have
taken bigamously to wife, appeared in
court with a young child in her arms,
but apparently did not know what was
going on or what to say to the indict-
ment charging her with adultery in hav-
ing married a man whom she knew to be
already married. 1t was taken for grant
5 ed that her plea was not guilty.
r States Attorney Bliss then announced
that the respondents whose cases had
not been disposed of must be prepared
for trial at this term, unless good cause
: for continuance could be shown.
t The case of State VS.. Norman Gotta
1 was next called, and after considerable
1 time had been spent in securing jury
its trial was begun. The remainder OF
| the day was spent in taking the testi
: monv. which was all got in. Mr.. Bliss
: while Mr.. Ballard represented the re-
: spondent. Gotta was indicted for assault
! with intent to kill upon Stephen Bates
u city sheriff of Vergennes, on the 4th day
of last July. The State claimed tina
5 Gotta had been mixed up with others in ;
street brawl on that day and warran
for his arrest was issued; that the war
\ rant was given to Mr.. Bates to serve ant
'fNhe went to the house of Gotta for tina
o purpose; that Gotta refused to open tn
door and the officer therefore forced al
<, entrance, whereupon the responder
1t struck at him with an axe, threw flat
IS iron at him and struck him on the hea
Al with another, the force of the blow bein
is greatly diminished because Cota's arr
ID was caught by N. G. Norton, who ha
+ accompanied Bates to the house; tina
e. the respondent was finally arrested afte
further struggling and resistance. Flo
I'd the defense it was claimed that Gotta ma
lie been drunk and did not know what h
IN was doing at the time; that Bates bur:
t. the door open while Gotta was asleep an
of had not demanded admittance; that Cot
had not had or seen any axe and had L
tn intention of killing or assaulting Bate
la The evidence for the defense on the maj
,e, points was confined to that of Gotta hin
d, self His wife and young boy sat wit
ID. him in court part of the day.
Ir. Court convened at o'clock Wedne
|e- day morning, when the arguments we
made and the greater part of the day W;
10 taken up with them and the Judge
We charge, the case going to the jury at
ice o'clock.
lr- State VS.. John Carasaw was next b
IN gun, after brief recess, and the renal
IN der of the afternoon was occupied wi
Irt the taking of evidence In this case IL
in charged that Carasaw, a strong color
it'll man, some three or four ears ago a
ed. saulted one Adolphus Happy on the W
he anda of the American House in VI
,od gennes with intent to commit robber
Happy and Carasaw had been out carou
en- ing together and somewhere about
on, o'clock at night Happy started for
af- American House, where he was to put L
rVbara Caracau iS allana1 RI ha ya nnur