The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-15
THE RICE TRIAL.
Evidence Chiefly Admissions to Officers-
Hard Fight In Defense.

Evidence Chiefly Admissions to Officers
Hard Fight In Defense.
a The county court yesterday took VI
the case of State Y. Chas. d. Rice O
Bellows Falls, formerly of Brattlebort
where he was in the employ OF Drs
Holton and Conland Rice is charged
with adultery with Stella Green the
girl convicted last week of statutor!
infant tide, but is not accused OF be
ing in any way accessory to the latter
crime. About an hour was consumed
in getting jury because the Green
case had been tried before one jury IN
the presence of most of the other.
The first witness called by the state
was Ed Stapleton, baggage master
and police officer Of Bellows Falls who
testified that he had known Rice for
some time. That he had seen him and
Stella Green together several times, IN
August. '94, on Canal street at ! or 2
O'Clock in the morning. He said that
on this occasion Rice had his arm
abound Miss GREEN'S waist. Cross
examination elected the fact that they
were walking along and IN the road
when he saw them. He also testined
in direct examination that no went
with Officer Thompson on the occasion
of the arrest of Rice on the morning
of June p, which was the same day
of the arrest of the Green girl. Ssid
he called Rlce::and told him man, his
wife and two children wanted 10 De
taken to Alstead which Stapleton
frankly admitted on cross examination
was not true. After Rice had been
arrested and while he was being taken
to the lookup Stapleton said he admit
ted having been intimate with the
Green girl. Said he didn't believe
she had had child but if she had it
was his and he wouldn't deny it." A.
H. Thompson, chief police of Bellows
Falls, also testified to having seen
Rice and the Green girl talking to-
gether in front of the bank building
in Bellows Falls where Rice's hack
tande was. He also testified to nav
ing made the arrest and OF the admls-
sion which he claimed Rice made on
the way to the Jail in about the same
language Stapleton had used. His
cross examination brought out the fact
that Rice was himself on the police
force about two years.
A. H. Bissell, grocer of Bellows
Falls, testified that he had seen Rice
and Stella Green apparently talking
together on the street near Bissell's
store. AS this did not appear to prove
the crime of adultery the defense did
not cross examine.
Landlord Moseley gave testimony sub
stantialy, like that of Mr. Bisseil.
Henry Beoumond, who it will be re-
membered raked the baby up from the
rock in the canal. was called and
asked to repeat the grewsome tale
The defense upon learning that the
state purposed in this way to show
that child had been born at once
admitted it. This naturally shortened
the case as several witnesses had been
summoned to testify ON this point.
William H. Talyor, gardener OF
Bellows Falls, said he had seen Rice
and Miss Green walking along the
street arm in arm and that Rice had
at one time told him she was his wife.
Mrs. Wilson. where the Green girl
worked, testified that she supposed
Stella was unmarried. The next wit.
ness, Geo. Spaulding, barber, of
Bellows Falls, said he remarked to
Rice last spring that Stella was good
looking girl and that he wouldn't
mind being intimately with her him
self. Rice in answer said he had been
and intended to be in future. Thomp-
son was recalled and testified having
seen Rice coming from the direction
of the Green girls room at the Rock
ingham hotel. The state here rested.
Lewis C. Lowell, for whom Rice
worked at Bellows Falls, was called in
behalf of the defense and said that the
md haf,ra tho
with Thompson and
Stapleton he wanted Rice not to talk
with either of them. The states at
torney attempted to show in cross ex-
animation that Lovell's testimony
could not be credited because of some
thing which Rice had done for him
which rendered him under peculiar
obligations to Rice. 1t finally APP
peared that Rice had transported as
hackman few cages of beer which
was the occasion of the states attorn-
ey's righteous indignation and it
further appeared that part of the beer
was for the very officer who had tes-
titled. Rice was prosecuted at the
time for transporting this beer which
it now appears went to the very men
who caused or were instrumental in
the prosecution.
This closed the evidence in the case.
States attorney Fits opened the case
for the state followed by Chas. III. !
Robb and II. ID. Ryder for the de-
Tense. F. A. Bolles closed for the
state. Judge Tyler's charge was brief
and the case went to the jury about 9
o'clock The jury after being out all
night returned at 10 a. m. this morn
morning with a verdict of guilty.
The case to come on today is that
against Freeman Lazelle of Dover for |
writing threatening letters. Next in
order is the Ellis Baker rape case in
Putney, in which the defense is said
to have retained T. W. Maloney of
Rutland and prepared to fight hard