The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-11-22
TRIALOF DOHERTY.
Resume OF the Circumstances That Led
Up to the Crime.


der Of Fred Murphy at Bolton Falls Feb
ruary IS last, was commenced in county
court at TWO O'Clock Monday afternoon, Hon
John II. Watson presiding. An extra panel
Of jurors had been summoned from which
to get complement Of twelve men, and
the tedious process Of polling ia in progress
as we 20 to press. The State is represent
ed in this trial by States Attorney Richard
A. Hoar and w. A. Lord. E. II. Daavitt
aud Frank Pumley are conducting the de-
fence.
The circumstances which led up TO the
present tribunal in Washington County
Court, when man stands on trial for his
life, are bs follows Charles Doherty and
Fred Murphy were last February in the
employ Of Contractor Ward at the Bolton
Falls dam. Murphy's home was in the
northern part of the state Previous to
commencing work for Contractor Ward he
had been employed at the State Hospital
for the Insane at Waterbury. Dohety for
merly lived in MoTrsvlle and Stowe.
While there he became acquainted with
girl named Julia Rock Through his in
strumeDtality Miss Rock came, about a
month before the tragedy, to work at j. e.
Pixley's, where Doherty and Murphy
boarded.
circumstances tended to show that both
Doherty and Murphy were enamored of the
Rock girl. Bad blood had existed between
these two men for some time. On Saturday
February 18, they quit work at five o'clock
When they reached the Plxlev boarding
house they had an alteration over the
Rock girl which eliminated in Doherty
drawing a revolver and shooting Murphy.
The ball entered the left side under the arm
pit and was taken out on the right side.
Murphy lived for several weeks and finally
died at the Mary Fletcher hospital in Bur
lington.
After the shooting Doherty drew what
money was due him, walked to Waterbury
and boarded a freight train for Montpelier
Junction. In the meantime Sheriff Graves
had learned of the tragedy and telephoned
the police of Montpelier to look out Tor
Doherty. Officers Wood and Demerritt
started out 10 look for the man, and in
short time had him in custody. When
arrested he was walking from Montpelier
junction to Montpelier. A revolver with
two empty chambers and a small sum II
money was found on his person The re.
spondent is thirty.three years old, and
unmarried He has two brothers and a
sister, who live in Berwick, Me. Murphy
was twenty-five years old.
To newspaper correspondent, the day
after the tragedy, Julia Rock made the
following statement: II am eighteen } ears
OF age and my home is in MUfristown l
came to Mr.. Pixley's from Montreal, where
/ had been working. | have known Fred
Murphy about two years and have been
engaged to him over a year. / never knew
Donerty before he came TO j. e. Pixley's to
boasd. never spoke to him three words
in my life. He never made any advances
to me or tried TO. | deny all the newspaper
accounts which have been to the contrary"
preliminary hearing in the case was
held at Waterbury before Justice j. A.
Burleigh at which occurred the exciting
episode Of an attempt to rescue the prison
er from the hands of the officer, for which
Randall Blodgett Of Waterbury has since
been indicted by the grand jury.
Doherty was bound over to await the
action OF the grand jury and was lodged in
jail at Montpelier. He was indicted in
September for the murder of Murphy, was
arraigned in court several weeks ago and
pleaded not guilty. His long confinement
has evidently agreed with him. As he
came into court this afternoon he was the
picture of health.
Several important witnesses for the State,
who were examined at the preliminary
hearing at Waterbury, were allowed to go
on their own recognizanCe. In the prepar-
alton for the present trial States Attorney
| Hoar has been to a great deal of trouble
! and expense in serving subpRuas on these
witnesses. The trial. without doubt, will
last two weeks and probably longer.
No such popular interest centers in the
! trial of this case as has characterized muir
! der trials in Washington county in recent
years. During the four weeks the Marsh
| BuzZell and Brewster trials were in prog
ress the court room was constantly packed
with spectators, sometimes neCessitating
stationing an officer at each door, to admit
only those who had business in the court
| room. But very few spectators were in
court today, and no large crowds are OK
pected throughout the trial.
Sheriff Graves, with his usual thought
fullness, has made provision for the news
paper men who are to report the trial, pro-
viding tables, etc, near the witness stand.
A preliminary statement to the jury was
/ 10 tlau ~, ,f .ta H.
w. A. Lord, before the process of polling
the jury was begun
When court adjourned at FIVE O'Clock
Monday evening twelve men were in the
box but the right of preemptory challenge
had not been exercised by either side
Benjamin Bean of Faysfon, who has been
in attendance as juror since court opened
in September, was excused for the term
He was drawn for the case now on trial
In his examination he admitted that sew
era weeks ago, while visiting at East Mid
dlebury, he stayed in room about five
minutes where two men were discussing
the Doherty case. They knew he was a
juror in Washington county, and he did no
ask them to desst. Judge Watson inform
ed Mr.. Bean that his conduct was an in.
fraction of his oath and summarily dis
missed him from further service this term
Sixteen additional jurors were summon
ed Monday evening, in anticipation OF ex
hausting the panel OF fifty already in at
tendance. The right OF premptory chal
lenge was repeatedly exercised, and th
work OF polling other jurors called wen
slowly on.
Shortly before eleven clock jury salts
factory to both sides was secured, and tn
oath was administered to them.
The name, residence, occupation ant
age of the twelve men chosen ia az follows
Henry Smith, Cabot, farmer, 81; Harry K
Burnhsm, Woodbury., merchant, 81; M. s
Haines, Lower Cabot, farmer, 56; w.
Wilder, Waitsfeld, painter, co. w. b
Lance, Cabot, feed store, 2S; John Birtel
Montpelier, janitor, 80; Martin Pembroke
Middlesex, lumberman, &c. ID. G. X. Hunt
Worcester, farmer, 81; George w. Chaplin
Waterbury Center. farmer, 30; IL. +
J Worcester, Roxbury, farmer, SO; Leonard I
, Lull, Montpelier. painter, b8; s. w. Cole
, Marshfield, farmer, 80, Twenty-nine jur
ors were excused, either for cause or Of
: challenge before satisfactory panel wa
secured.
AT the request OF counsel on both side
t the jury was, this afternoon, taken Il
teams by Sheriff Graves TO the scene of th
+ tragedy States Attorney Hoar and e. II
, Deavitt went along as counsel. Judg
} Watson cautioned the of1icr asand also tn
jurors that they were simply going here I