Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-01
THE VERMONT PHOENIX BRATTLEBORO FRIDAY, OCTOBE
W1NDHAM COUNTY COURT.
Verdict for Defendants in the Dover
Dog Case---Seaman Wetherell Goes to
PrIsOn for Is Yenrs.

Prison for is Years.
Toun Of Dorer as. Hooker II. Win
chester and Charles h. HdyneS The
evidence on the part of the plaintiff tended
to show that on the nights of Aug. 80 and
Sept. 3, I, and 8, 1896, five different tlocks
of sheep kept near Dover Centre were at
tackled by dogs 20 sheep being killed and
others injured; that the sheep were all
bitten through the neck aud flank in uni
form manner as if the work was done by
the same dog or dogs that the dogs were
frequently heard while at their work, one
of them having a sharp yipping bark and
the other heavier and louder bark; that
the bark of the dogs owned by defendants
answered the same description; that on
the afternoon of Sept. 9, parties watching
in d. G. Starkey's pasture in which the
sheep were killed the night before saw
some dogs chasing sheep, although at not
near enough range to describe the dogs
that soon afterwards dogs were seen chas-
ing sheep in an adjoining pasture and one
of the dogs was shot and killed and the
other wounded; that the dog killed proved
to be the property of defendant Haynes
and the wounded dog the property of de-
PENDANT Winchester; that after thosa dogs
were disposed of no further damage was
done to sheep in that section of the town
of Dover; that at first the defendants Of
fered to pay the damage incurred but af-
terward refused to do so.
The evidence introduced by the defend
ants was to the effect that they were neigh
bors living in Wilmington near the Dover
line, but some two or three miles from the
scene of the depredations; that their dogs
were trained for hunting foxes and other
game, but had never been known to modest
sheep, although accustomed to being
among them; that the dogs were hounds
and had the slow and heavy bark peculiar
to that species, and entirely different from
the bark of the supposed sheep chasing
dogs; that on the afternoon when the
Haynes dog was killed both dogs were seen
in pasture near by running back and
forth with noses to the ground as if on the
track Of game; that on Sept. s two strange
dogs which had the same bark as described
by witnesses for plaintiff were seen chasing
sheep in the same vicinity; that after de-
PENDANTS dogs were disposed of more sheep
were killed in the nearby sections of MARI
boro and Wilmington and nearWest Dover !;
that on the night of Sept. when the last
| sheep killing was done both dogs were at
! home at the time when plaintiffs testi-
mOny showed that dogs were among the
| sheep.
The Winchester dog now owned by a
! Westminster man was an important wit
ness for the defence, being produced in
court and allowed to bark as he was taken
down the court house stairs, evidently for
the benefit of the jury. At $3.50 o'clock
Friday evening the jury returned a verdict
for the defendants.
G.. T. Davenport ard Fits for plaintiff
Waterman, Martin a Hit and o. +. But
terted for defendants
Court was not in session Saturday and
Monday. Tuesday the case Of State VS..
| Frank Norcross of Brattleboro was tried
by jury. This case came into court on
an appeal of Justice VIM. S. Newton fin
ing respondent $50 for illegally transport
ing liquor from the Ellis brewery to the
lunch and pool rooms kept by J. A. Gould
and w. NJ. Adams in Brattleboro village.
The evidence produced by the state was &c
the effect that respondent for severa
months in 1896 took empty cases from the
parties named, carried them to the brewery
on the island, and when filled with larger
beer brought them back again, knowing, OF
having reason to know, that the beer wa:
to be disposed of in violation of law. Ne
evidence was submitted by the defence
Verdict of guilty.
States Attorney Robb was assisted by
c. G. Fits; Geo. b. Hit for respondent.
The trial of Watson S. French was SCI
for Tuesday morning but he asked for {
continuance on the ground that his coun
sci, j. X. Batchelder of Arlington, wa
unable to be present this week and tina
his principal witness, George b. Kirwan
was sick and unable to appear Contin
uance was denied and French was ordered
to appear Wednesday morning, but failin!
to do this his bonds were called and de
cared forfeited. John T. Kaine and W
NJ. Adams are his bondsmen.
Michael Lillis, William Reynolds AM
Charles Rogers each plead guilty of gran,
larceny and were sentenced, Lills and Rey
nolds to three years and Rogers to tw
years, hard labor in states prison.
Seaman q. Wetherell was sentenced t.
states prison for 10 years for the crime o
rape and three years for adultery.
In the cases of state VS.. f. A. Willard
jr., and state VS.. freeman Lazelle, State
Attorney Robb entered nolle prosequi.
John b. w. Coombs, the Westminste
fire bug, who was confined in Jail on a
old Indictment for arson found agains
him in 1889, was allowed to go on his ow
! recognizance in $500 and forthwith too
his departure for Massachusetts, where h
hopes that the shoe trade taught him a
Windsor will secure him work. 1t is III
derstood that the state prison officials ha
confidence that he would redeem himse
if he had a chance and urged that he /
e released.
D The suits of B. NJ. Adams VS.. insuranc
e companies were settled this week and it
:, expected that the suit of Perry VS.. We
0 mont Machine company which began tn
n morning will be the last civil jury cas-
: The remaining criminal and court busine:
: is not expected to last later than the mic
:, die of next week.
$ The court was not in session on Thur
g day on account of the Valley Fair.
IL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.