Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-12-15
FALLS.
A Mock Trial.

]. II. Blskley Declared Not Gu,t,v
striking Testimony which Tendsd q,
show strange Results from "TaIL,ng
Life Insurance"
The mock trial by the Young Mems Climb
Tuesday evening was greatly eniovad b..
an audience Of about 90. The charge vs.
for intoxication against j. Il. Blaklev. r
D. Ryder acted as Judge, w. c. Belknan
was counsel for the prosecution and Geo
A Weston for the respondent w q
Smith was constable His testiuov,,.
showed that he found the prisoner last
Thursday in his boat near the north end ~
the canal in an intoxicated, or "paralyzadp
condition, although it was a question wbatb-
er his situation was caused by LIQUOR or nv
his disappointment because he had No.
been able to make the engine of the boat
work during the past summer. +. T. Nav
ell testified as to seeing the condition of the
man at the time of the arrest. aud of as
sisting the constable in getting him ont of
the dangerous condition in the boat IT
B Davis also met Blakley a short time ne
fore he was found, and rehearsal his wild
talk regarding fearing Belknap was de-
termined to support Haskins for Congress
and as to its taking those who attended
the Fish and Game League banquet at Bur-
lington so long to recover from the effects
Of the Bass ale, and many other good
points of local nature.
The defence showed by the respondent
that he was subject to dizzy" spells and
that he hsd one that afternoon while call
ing upon friend to discuss the state and
district political outlook; that the friend
gave him some cordial" which seemed 70
make him feel more dizzy and he remem-
bered no more of the afternoons transac-
tons DR.. Hill testified as TO being called
to treat Mr.. Blakley during the evening
and finding no signs of liquor, and that he
was sure he had not been intoxicated. He
testified as an expert" in drunkenness.
having had considerable experience. f
l. Walker testified he saw him that after
noon and did not consider him intoxicated.
that men he frequently talked to on life
insurance often became suddenly dizzv.
and he always took them out at once and
had them examined, and with the best of
results" Ed. Guild also saw Blakley the
afternoon in question aud he was not drunk.
and he had been into the bank upon bust
ness every day since then.
The evidence throughout was full of
pithy points, particularly in the cross ex-
sminstions, and the audience we're kept in
a roar of laughter all the evening When
it came to the arguments and the charge of
the Judge large number of citizens, ire
spective of their connection with the case
we're roasted in a good -humored way, caus-
ing uproarious laughter.
The jury consisted of E. c. Fairbank. D.
N. Thayer, Miss Capron, L. L. Weather
bee, George Brace and Everett Chapman
Their verdict brought in at late hour was
mot guilty, and they also found the "cor-
dial was nething more harmful than
raspberry shrub, that the empty bottles in
the boat had contained liquid air, with
which Blakley had tried to run his boat,
and that the condition of the respondent
was due to the gas" he had received from
the insurance agent with whom he had
been talking.
The general sentiment was that the even
ing proved as entertaining and enjoyable
as any debates held by the club, and GER
tainly the reference, the next day to the
large number of local hits showed the close
following by those present.
The committee appointed by the club for
arranging details for the next debate to be
held in two weeks was E. L. Walker, DR..
Miner and F. E. Newell. They have
chosen as the subject, Resolved, That
England is Justified in Waging the Present
War in South Africa" The speakers on
the affirmative side are 70 be DR.. Kirkland
and Edgar Guild, while upon the negative
side are DR.. Miner and another one to be