Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-03-30
Hearing in the Case of State VS..
Fred M. Hunt.

Hearing in the Case of State VS..
Fred M. Hunt.
Mention was made in our last issue of
the arrest of Fred NJ. Hunt for larceny
and abduction. The case was heard by
Justice Benjamin Mossman on Tuesday
afternoon, States Attorney Miles and +.
w. Baldwin for state, f. f. Alfred of
Newport for respondent. Hunt was
raigned first on a plea of grand larceny.
1t was alleged that he had taken a saw
ings bank pass book, belonging to John
L. Twombly, issued in the name of his
daughter Eva, and had without Twom-
blys consent or knowledge drawn out
sum of money from the Passumpsic Say
ings bank which belonged to Mr.. Twom-
bly,. Mr.. Twombly testified that on Oct.
7, 1887, he made a deposit of money in
the name and interest of his daughter,
Eva Twombly, receiving therefor cred
it at the bank and a bank pass book. Af-
ter that, from time to time, he made other
deposits until his credits at the bank
Mar. IL, amounted, with interest, to
$46.15. The pass book remained in his
possession until sometime early in this
month, when he discovered that it had
been taken from his house, and its where
abouts could not be aScertalned. On the
10th inst, Mr.. Twombly went to St.
Johnsbury and learned from the teller of
the savings bank, Mr.. Adams, that the
book was in his possession, and that the
money had been drawn out on an order
from Eva Twombly by some young man
who gave his name, in a receipt written
in the pass book, as III. Z. Merrill. The
money was drawn out on Wednesday,
March IL. The book was exhibited in
court together with the order purporting
to have been written by Eva Twombly.
The name, II. +. Merrill, was plainly and
well written. Mr.. Twombly testified that
he had given his consent to no one to
draw the money, and knew of no one by
the name of H. f. Merrill. Mr.. S. c.
Adams of the bank testified that the re-
spondent, Hunt, came into the bank on
the afternoon of March IL, and presented
the pass book of Eva Twombly, with her
OIQCI duO uShCO W oldh Oub NiAoe hiShNJ
she had in the bank. After obtaining the
signature of Hunt, "H. F. Merrill" he
passed the money over and received the
book He recognized Hunt as the man,
Merrill, who drew the money, stating
that he noticed the good looks, the cloth
ing and the moustache of the man, and
that afterwards at Barton, Mar. 20, he
saw and identified the same man.
The state put in no more evidence and
the respondent made no defense. The
lawyers discussed the law briefly and the
court bound up the respondent under
$500 bonds.
The first case disposed of, Hunt was
taken Oh a second charge, that of kidnap-
ping or abduction, on the plea that he
beguied the girl away from her home and
took her to Rock Island, p. O., where she
was afterwards found and taken to her
home in Barton.
Mrs. Jennie Ray of Rock Island was
the first witness used. She testified that
she kept house on Rock Island and some
times had bOarders. She identified Hunt,
the respondent, and stated that he came
to her about March s and engaged board
for his wife, who was to be sent to her
house shortly afterwards. On Friday,
Mar. 13, Hunt came to her house with a
woman whom he introduced as Mrs. Mer-
rill, his wife. He called the woman his
wife and she called him her husband.
Merrill remained till morning, when he
l. h0 Rrc laff
remained at the house of Mrs. Ray till
Sunday, March %, when Mr.. Twombly,
having got clue to the whereabouts of
his daughter, went to Derby Line and en-
ployed an assistant, who soon found that
there was a strange woman at Mrs Rays.
Mr.. TwomblY testified to the fact of
the departure of his daughter, which oc-
CURED on the 18th, when she took the
cars on the pretense of going to Lyndon
vile. Later he made search for her and
finally went to Rock Island and found
her as above related. He compelled her
to return home with him. He testified
that she was in a feeble and almost dis
tracted condition and was under the care
of a physician. A postal card, purport-
ing to have been written by a lady in
Lyndonville, inviting Miss Twombly to
go there on the Friday when she left
home was also shown The card
was a forgery, and the prosecution
believed and claimed it to have been
written by Hunt. Among the personal
effects found in the valises of Miss Twom-
bly, when apprehended were several en-
vel opes written in various styles, but ev-
identity written with the same hand and
pen directed to T. M. Hunt, Barton, A
tag in one of the valises bore the name
''Merrill." There was other evidence
and hand writing which tended to show
that the card inviting the girl to Lyndon
vile and the hand writing on the envel-
opes and valise tags were all written by
Hunt. The parties crested" and only
brief arguments were made by the law
vers. The court considered the evidence
sufficient to bind the respondent up and
set his bonds at S12OO. He was taken to
Newport and placed in Jail.