The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-12-09
Washington County Court.

Washington County Court.
Following is a resume of the testimony in
the case of State v. Briggs and Bancroft;
Harlan w. Kemp said: l live at 80 School
street, nearly opposite the house of Joseph
Poland. On the night of the Sd of last
July | went home about half-past nine; i
sat on the piazza with my wife. Somewhere
between ten and half-past ten, l noticed
body of persons, men or boys, or both, COM
ing up School street; they blew horns and
fired some fire crackers; about fifty people
in the crowd. The explosion indicated to
me that they used giant fire crackers; from
ten to twenty were exploded in the road in
front of Mr.. Poland's; the crowd stayed
there about three minutes or less; then pro-
ceeded across the street diagonally, towards
LOOMS street. | last saw them about oppo-
site St. Paul street. About eleven o'clock
| heard similar noises. / looked from the
window and saw the party coming down
School street. They went to Mr.. Poand's
yard, threw fire crackers all around and
blew horns; this lasted about five minutes.
Could not identify any individual in the
party. | attempted to telephone to the po-
lice, but could not get them. On the morn
ing of the 4th, went to see the scene of the
demonstration; there were windows broken;
one or two broken chairs on the porch; the
| floor of the porch was burned in places; the
yard was covered with burned and exploded
fire crackers, etc. a small picture was broken
in the house.
Joseph Poland: Went to bed early on the
night of the Sd; was walked up by terrible
! noise horns and fire crackers, at the out
side of the front of the house; it was a
terrific noise; it ceased, and soon afterwards
| it was renewed, worse than before; the ex-
plosions seemed like cannons, almost. Next
morning the yard was covered with debris
and the damage was done, as shown to Mr.
| Kemp and stated by him. Vines on the
side of the porch were torn down and de-
| ~,.t,, . .N,a Al.
| lor had the glass broken; it was needle
work heirloom.
A. G.. Stone: On the night of July 8, Mr.
Bancroft purchased four boxes of large
crackers, the largest size, five in box; he
paid me a five. dollar bill for them; he also
| purchased smaller sizes of fire crackers and
| some Chinese crackers.
| Daniel +. Clark, clerk in the postoffce: On
the night of July 3 last, left that place about
nine; walked up and down Main street,
and round on State street; at ten o'clock
was at Stones corner; there was a crowd
there; the only ones | remember were Mr..
H.. r. Bixby, now dead, Mr. Bancroft and
Mr.. Briggs (the respondents, and o. ID.
Clark. There were with Inc Mr.. Lindsey
and Mr.; Knapp, fellow postal clerks, and
stood facing Mr.. Bixby, and were talking
to him. Bancroft said to Bixby: 81 will
see that they are fred" Then Bixby
handed Bancroft bill, and Bancroft went
into Stones store, and when he came out
he had bundle under his arm; Bancroft
and Briggs then went up Main street. near
Bailey's feed-store they met a crowd and
stopped it; Bancroft talked to the man at
the head of the crowd Mr.. Bancroft and
Mr.. Briggs then walked at the head of the
crowd and went up Main street, crossing
over to School street; the crowd stopped
near Mr. Poland's house aud fired some
large fire crackers, and blew horns, that
was all; then the crowd went further up
School street; after they started up School
| street, | went home. Could not tell any
other person in the crowd but Briggs and
Bancroft In cross-eXaminaton, witness
said he did not see either of the respondents
at the Poland house; did not see either OF
them after the crowd left Main street and
went to School. Witness was only a
| lOoker-on at the demonstration in front of
Mr. Poland's; stood on the opposite side of
the street he and his friends had tried TO
purchase horns, or squawkers," but Mr..
Stone was all out of them.
Willard Lindsey: Was with last witness
on the night of July 3; saw the respondents
outside Mr. Stones store at the time re-
ferred to by Clark saw o. ID. Clark and
John W. Peck outside the store there. Saw
Mr.. Bancroft and Mr.. BiXby in conversa-
ton; don't know what was said; Briggs
| stood near them; BiXby handed something
to Bancroft and he went in the store; when
he came out he had a bundle under his arm
he and Briggs then went up Main street, fol-
lowed by the crowd. Witness said he did
not know where Bancroft and Briggs were
when the crowd crossed the road. The rest
of the story of the witness was about the
same as that told by witness Clark. Wit
ness saw no more after the crowd had left
Mr.. Poland's, he went home after the
crowd had gone up School street
George A. Knapp: Works in post-ofiice
i went with the last two witnesses that even
ing; saw Bancroft in Stones store; don Z
know what he purchased. Witness described
the crowd going to Poland's as stated
above, did not see the respondents with the
| crowd we-MCClure and followed be-
hind Clark and Lindsey in the rear of the
| crowd.
Frank II. Mcclure told about going
with Knapp and corroborated what the lat
| ter witness had testified TO; did not recog-
niZe Briggs or Bancroft in the crowd AT
| Poland's house This witness saw the
crowd go back down School street, he at
the time standing on the corner of School
and LOOMS street
Mrs. Il. ID. Hyde: Live on LOOMS street
saw the crowd on the night of July 3, he
tween 10 and II o'clock; did not see them
on School street | cannot see School street
from my place. the crowd stayed on
Loomis street about fifteen OF twenty min
utes, then turned and went directly back
down Loomis street; there was a large
crowd, between thirty and forty; did not
recognize anybody in the crowd. At this
point the state rested its case, and the de-
fence was commenced.
A. G. Stone recalled by respondents; On
the night of July B. Mr.. Bancroft made two
purchases at my store; the first was some
firecrackers and torpedoes to take home tc
his little boy; while Bancroft was occu-
pied in this, some one called him to the
door, and said Charley, step here min
ute He stepped to the door and imme-
diately stepped back and handed me five
dollar bill and said, "Give me that worth
of large crackers" handed them to him