Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-11
THE LINCOLN TRAGEDY,
Smith G.. Davis Is on trial AT
Middlebury


Charged with Causing the Death OF "'ss
Dorn Cushman at Lincoln August IL
Iss,---the story Of Davis's Flight, AR
rest and Alleged Confession
Over $50 witnesses have been summoned
TO appear at the trial of Smith u DAVIS,
which opeped in the Addison county court
at Mlddlebury Tuesday. de Is chargeu
with causing the death OF Miss Dora L.
Cushman in Lincoln Aug. 18th last. Henry
r Start is the presiding Judge. state
Attorney Frank L Fish of Vergennes and
VIM. H. Bliss of Middebury appear tor
the prosecution, while Smith Is defended
bv F. w. McGettrick of St. Adams.
The indictment names Davis as principal
and Herbert d. Poland alias H. ID. smith
of White River junction, but formerly OF
Lincoln, and DR.. Hiram 5. Joslyn, retired
dentist of Bristol, as accompces' IL
charges that Davis killed the girl 10y the
use of instruments and drugs, that Poland
furnished the drugs on Aug. and gave
personal assistance, and that Joslyn FUR
nished and used the instruments
Dora T. Cushman, the l5-year-old daugh-
ter of DR.. and Mrs A. j. Cushman OF LIN
coin, robust girl, disappeared from her
home about three on the afternoon OF Aug:
! IA and on the following morning her dead
body was found in a secluded spot, W rods
| from the house.
The body lay upon its back, on a steep
! incline, concealed by evergreens. ferns and
| berry bushes near brook. Under her
| head had been placed an apron, over her
| face lay sunshade hat, and by her side
| berry pail and cigar, six of which brand
! Smith G. Davis had purchased at a store at
the previous afternoon. There were no
marks of violence sufficient TO cause death,
nor did anyone witness the tragedy.
The autopsy performed by Prof j. H..
Lindsey of Burlington showed that the
girl was strong and well developed: that
there was wound over one ear, at first
mistaken for bullet hole; that ferns and
aves were lodged in the clothing and i'm
bedded in the flesh that there were slight
bruises on different portions of the body,
and that the clothing was torn.
The report of the chemist, Prof. Edwin
j. Bartlett of Dartmouth college, was TO
the effect that there was not enough EVIL
dence to Justify the conclusion that death
was caused by acute poison, but noted Ger
tain abnormal conditions, induced, perhaps,
by the use of drugs,
During the search for the body 1t was
learned that Davis had fed, having been
seen by at least five persons running from
the scene of the tragedy, and 1t soon de
veloped that he mad met Miss Cushman IN
the woods, the meeting having been ar
ranged bv William Brittell recently under
arrest as an alleged accessory before the
fact Davis, 1t was learned came back &c
the village at f. got a check for $50 and
bought six cigars.
He cashed the check in West Lincoln
and hired boy 10 drive him to Bristol, on
the pretense that his people were i'll and he
must reach home at once. He then went
to New Haven Junction, where he boarded
"a train for Rutland, and on arriving there
he had his mustache removed and changed
some of his clothing, and then went Il
Manchester y. H, To see an uncle, George
II Butterfield, to whom he made an alleged
confession.
In substance Davis is alleged 10 have con
fessed that he was responsible for Mis-,
Cushmans physical condition. that he haC
procured drugs of Or Norman Henry,
a travelling medicine vender, then in Lin
coin, and surgical instruments of DR.
Joslyn.
From Manchester Davis secretly went L
his fathers home in Montgomery, wher,
he was arrested on the Thursday following
and confined in Nergennes Jail. Later OF
he had two hearings and his bail was fixed
at $1,000, in default of which he was com
mitted to Mlddlebury Jail.
Henry and Joslyn, implicated by Davis
confession, were soon after arrested. AT
ter confinement of several weeks in Mid
dlebury Jail Henry was released without I
hearing, while Joslyn was released on bail
} Joslyn's hearing developed the facts tina
Davis had been seen at his house that Jos
lyn had recently bought surgical instru
ments in Bristol, that paper wrapper, OF
which was the word 'Joslyn,' written il
pencil, had been found in Davis trunk, anC
that Davis had bought pills III Bristol
William Brittell, whose conduct during
tine search had aroused suspicion, was re
, tanned as a witness, being confined in tn,
> Bristol lookup. He was later arrested a
an accessory. At first he denied all knowl
edge of the affair, but finally made state
ment duplicating Herbert d Poland.
Brittell said that on Aug he went t,
Warren and met Poland, who gave him
bottle containing a reddish liquid, and said
, "Give this TO DAVIS and tell him TO give i
TO her in alcohol sings The bottle wa
duly delivered, according TO Brittell.
. Later on Brittell was released without
hearing, but his evidence is a material par
of the states case In due time POLAND
was arrested and held in default of bail
Some days after the trag dy two bottles
were found in DR. Cushman's house. One
. plain four -ounce bottle contained abou
an ounce of a mixture of drugs, while the
other, a cologne bottle contained a small
quantity of poisonous oil The latter il
. thought to be the one Brittell brought t,
Davis from Poland.
Besides the physiological exhibit plans
photographs, cigars, packages etc, tn,
state has a large number of letters founc
in Davis trunk and written by Miss Cush
man also some letters written by Davis
which were found in Dr. Cushman's house
The question of the admissibilty and iden
tification of these letters promises 10 be on,
of the knotty points in the trial as a cour
of chancery has recently decided that I
persons private papers are not subject /,
seizure or publication by agents of the gov
eminent. The trial promises 10 be Ions
and extremely interesting one.
BOY Killed by Train.
Charles Gordon, II, was found manglec
IN frightful manner near the station a