Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-12-23
ARE NOT GUILTY.
Ssery Brothers Acquitted on
Charge Of Matricid0.
Judges Charge Fair One ana
Helped Largely in Verdict--Evi.
dence Was Only CirCumstantial.

Dedham, Mass, Dec. 2l.-The trial of
John w. Scery and Joseph II. Seery,
brothers, charged with murder in the
first degree, in causing the death of their
mother, Ellen, by criminal assault, was
ended last evening, the jury, after being
out nine hours, returning verdict this
morning of not guilty i'm each case.
The only persons in the room when
the verdict was announced, beside the
prisoners. were the court, Sheriff Capen
and his deputies, District Attorney Har-
ris and Mr.. Schulz his assistant; Coun-
sci Groenhood, representing Joseph
Seery: Judge Grover and Lawyer Jen-
ney, representing John w. Seery. and
the newspaper men. Clerk OF Court
Cook, after the prisoners had been or
dered to rise, asked the usual question
of the foreman of the jury, whether the
verdict had been reached. The latter
replied that verdict of not guilty had
been found in the case of each de-
fendant. The court then ordered the
discharge from custody of the prisoners.
The defendants received the verdict
calmly, to all outward appearances, but
in conversation after their release both
gave evidence that they were very much
affected When asked If he expected
such a verdict. Joseph replied that he
had felt confident that, If justice was
done, there could be no other verdict.
Before they left the court room they
received many hearty congratulations
from their counsel, officials of the court
and the others who had been in at
tendance upon the trial. Immediately
after leaving the court house they went
to the Jail for their personal effects. and
then left for Hyde Park, where they
have relatives. in company with their
counsel Mr.. Jenney.
The men have been in Jail since last
July, but Notwithstanding their close
confinement are both in good physical
condition.
The closing day of the trial was de-
voted to arguments, the charge to the
Jury being completed by Judge Sheldon
a few minutes after o'clock.
The summing up for both sides was
eloquently done, and from legal stand
point was an able review Of the evidence
in all it's bearing for or against the de-
fendants. The charge to the jury, as
is customary in capital cases, included
a concise review of the responsibility
resting upon the jury, collectively and as
individuals, and upon the verdict to be
reached. One strong point brought out
in the charge was, as expected by the
courts ruling at the time the defense
opened it's case that II the government
maintained that Mrs. Seery died as the
result of criminal assault, only one
of the defendants could be found guilty.
and 1t was incumbent upon the jury to
determine IL one or the other was guilty,
and, If so. guilty beyond reasonable
doubt The charge was considered by
both sides to be ably put.
The Seery family lived in East Ded-
ham. and the alleged assault occurred
in their home last July. The trial opened
on Monday, Dec. II. the jury being inn
panelled the following day. The evi'
dence was entirely circumstantial. and
the governments witnesses did not agree
In many particulars on facts that would
show that the assault was committed as
alleged. The trial was not marked by
any special features, except the ruling OF
the court that the government cOult
hardly maintain that Mrs. Seery was as
saulted in the manner alleged by both
sons, and therefore only one could b.
convicted as charged in the indictment