Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-15
FITT0N RELEASED,
G. r. Walter and Two Others
Also Get Their Liberty.

Fitton's Notorious Career and Ills IL.
pIoIts in windsor and Windhsm
CountIes---His Buildings Burned S.y.
ersl Times.
Gov. Grout has released condtiopaYv
from the state prison Robert Fiuon n
Cavendish, Charles T. Walter Of Lyndon
Philip Morsey Of Derby and Philip BeIari
Of Burlington.
Morsey was sentenced for two years AID
has one month longer TO serve: Belsrl
was an equal associate with two other, In
a crime for which they were sentenced Ny
the county court five years each. while la
was sentenced by the supreme court for 10
years: his term by the release is made the
same as that Of his two associates WaI.r
was sentenced for FIVE years and had oua
more to serve Ftton was sentenced by
the state court June l, 1891, 70 10 Years
imprisonment for perjury and two years
for attempting to break Jail and had four
years more to serve. Walter is now on a
farm owned by his wife in West Burke.
He forged the name Of Col. 7. &. Fletcher
and others TO the amount Of about So
600
Walter was a native Of East Burke. and
a graduate Of Bates college. His wife was
the daughter Of the late Dudley Hal.
wealthy resident of Lyndon. Walter was
at the head Of the St. Johnsbury Repubi.
can company, ran a daily paper, was
member Of the Republican state committee.
and cut a wide swath in newspaper and
financial circles. At the time the forge.
ries came to light he went into bankruptcy.
with abilities of 100000.
Fitton was at one time a wealthy manu-
facturer, said to be worth 100000, and he
was also factor in politics, with the power
to carry caucuses in Cavendish "a he
pleased. He obtained notoriety through
the frequent burning Of his properly. Il
is said that he had eight dff-re set, Of
buildings burned, and he obtained many
thousand dollars in insurance money, the
insurance on one Proctorsvile factory being
So 600. He was blsckisted by the insur.
ance companies. but he induced a Brat,le-
bOro agent 10 write policies to the amount
of $4,000 on his mill at CambridgepOrt.
in August, 1888. The factory was burned
the following day. One night a week
later J. NJ. Hutton, superintendent OF the
Cambridgeport factory, was thrown into
the canal at Bellows Falls by an unknown
| person. He passed through the floodgates,
| but had a wonderful escape by being caught
on rod connected With one of the mills.
! 1t was supposed that he knew something
about the origin of the Cambridgeport fire,
and that an attempt had been made 10
| take his life.
! One Of the exploits which added to Fit
| toms notoriety was abstracting papers in a
case in which he was concerned from the
! Windsor county clerks office. This led to
contempt Of court proceedings against him.
Fitton had the reputation at one time
| 90 haf 10
He went through bankruptcy proceedings
twice, but after his discharge he paid 100
cents on the dollar to his old employees and
other creditors in Cavendish. This action
served to continue his popularity in that
| town.
The charge of perjury was brought
against Fitton in connection with paper
which he induced C.. z. Wheldon, a tin
smith, to sign. A shop at Proctorsville
owned by Fitton and occupied by Wheldon
was burned. Fitton secured the insur-
ance. Wheldon had signed a paper show
ing that Fitton could not have set the fire.
Fitton brought suit for damages against
Wheldon, and the affidavit which WHEEL
don had signed was introduced as evidence
Wheldon claimed that the affidavit had
been changed after he signed it and the
court believed him. Fitton was indicted
for perjury, but he forfeited his bail of
$1,000 and fed to Canada. He remained
there much of the time for two years, &C.
casionally making visits secretly to Proc
torsville. While there he was arrested
and taken 10 the Woodstock Jail.
Several months later announcement was
made that he had been released, his bail TO
the amount of 500 having been furnished,
and that the proceedings against him by
his father-in-law were TO be dropped and
that his wife was to be allowed u divorce,
Fitton TO leave the country.
Fitton appeared in the public eye next
in what appeared to be a diamond swind-
ling affair at the Bratteboro House. He
had the audacity to give bill of sale in
his own name. A short time afterward he
was arrested in Troy, n. Y, charged with
stealing watch and moneS from a Young
man in Bennington. He consented to come
to Vermont for hearing, which was held
at the Brooks House in Brattleboro before
Judge Wheeler Feb. y, 1891. He was dis
charged and given day in which to leave
the state. Fitton did not leave the state
however, and was again arrested. He at
tempted to secure his liberty on habeas cor.
pus proceedings, but failed, and was SEN
tented and taken to Windsor. He is said
to be in poor health.
The discharge of the four prisoners is
conditional upon their good behavior.