Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-06-22
CROWLEY MURDER CASE.
Opening Evidence in tho Trial of Mc-
Doweli.

DOwell.
MANCHESTER, June 14.-Tho Mcdowell
murder trial began to-day, jury being
empaueled after taking considerable time.
The first witnoss for the State testified that
he was with Crowley, the murdered man,
the day previous to the murder They went
to South Shaftsbury, four miles distant, in
the forenoon and returned in the afternoon.
Crowley had a bottle Of whiskey and drank
once. He was badly intoxicated and could
not walk home, so rode most of the way.
Ho stopped awhile and became nearly So
Der so he could walk, stopped at German
mattison's at 8 o'clock in the evening,
Crowley went out with Mcdowell and was
found at l O'Clock lying in the road insen-
siblc with a bad bruiss over the eye and
scalp cut. He was takon into the house and
lived till 2 a. M, not becoming conscious
A doctor was summoned but did not arrive
before Crowley's death.
MANCHESTER, June 15.-In the Nc
Dowell murder trial to-day the States
witnesses showed that James Mcdowell and
John Crowley lived together alone in
shanty. Both were at the house of German
Harrington, half milo from the scene OF
the murder, from to the evening before
the murder. They left the house together
He said Crowley wanted to spar with
him but he refused; that Crowley picked
up a stone to throw; that he had done him
up and that they would find him corpse
at the turn OF the road. He said he had
had trouble with Crowley, who asked him
to go back after his pipe.
lie returned without it when Crowley
picked up a stone and throw 1t at him. He
said he had fixed him SO he would throw no
more stones and wanted man to go to
Glastonbury and see how Crowley was. He
said he would have to stay in the woods a
while lie stayed in the house oil night
but left in the morning.
MANCHESTER, Vt. June 16.--In the Nc
Dowell murder case case to-day, DR.. Day
of Bennington testified to the autopsy on
the victim, Crowley. He found a cut
through the cheek into the mouth, a la
corated cut under the eyebrow, one over the
| eyebrow, a confusion Of the face, apparent
| y made with the heel of boot, and long
wound through the scalp above the ear to
the bone He showed a comminuted frac-
ture of the skull. The wounds were made
with blunt instrument and undoubtedly
caused death almost Immediately. Some of
the wounds might have been made in fall
ing on a sharp stone.
Several witnesses testified that they ex-
amned the ground, but found no stones OF
any size within several feet of where Crow
| ley lay. Several witnesses testified as to
what Mcdowell told the night after the
murder. He said he had trouble with
Crowley. Crowley wanted to fight aud
tried to hit him with stone, but he had
done Crowley up. He said he would give
himself up and called at several places.
! Ne "a al han It,fn ms hat
Crowley was dead he started for the woods.
The state evidence was closed and two
witnesses for respondent testified that
Crowley was drunk on the afternoon of the
murder, and used threatening Language
At D O'Clock he had sobered soma and couiC
walk alone, but stag yered some,
MANCHESTER, VT, June 19.-The ovid
ence in the Mcdowell murder case CLOSED
to-day. Witness for the defense testified
that Crowley was in store in South Shafts
busy the day Of the murder, intoxicated
and talked considerably about Mcdowell
lie said Mcdowell claimed TO be the hes
man but he didn't believe it, aud he nigh
give HIM Il chance to try 1t on the way
home. Two witnesses testified that Crowie,
was quarrelsome towards them.
physician testified that the, scalp wount
might be caused by falling on stone. De
fence sent witness to Giaston bury aud b
producsd in court several stones as large a
a mans fist, taken from the road wher
Crowley lay. In rebuttal several Stat
J witnesses testified that Crowley was no
) 9uarrelsome when intoxicated The cos
was ably argued on both sides and will &
: to the jury Tuesday noon.
McDowell Jury Disagree.
MANCHESTER, June 20.-The jury ha
disagreed in the Mcdowell murder case i
the degree of the crime. and has beeu dis
charged.