Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-12-15
THE COUNTY COURT.
still Grinding Along on Jury Cases o
Some Interest. \l

Still Grinding Along on Jury Cases of
Some Interest. Nj
Our report of county court news last
week closed with Wednesday. The
court convened Thursday afternoon at
o'clock. The proceedings were opened
with the mol pressing of two cases in
which the respondents were charged with
illegal fishing. They were Leonard Gage
and Henry Orcutt, both OF Bristol. j. w.
Page of Bristol and w. IL. Bliss of Mid
dlebury were counsel for the defence.
The cases were mol pressed on the recon-
mendation of States Attorney Fish, who
stated that he was in doubt about being
able to get verdict for the state if the
cases went to trial.
The first jury trial of the term fol-
lowed. 1t was that of State VS.. Len O..
Allen, the charge being assault on M. Il.
Butterfield on the night of June 80 last.
A great deal of interest had been worked
up in this case, as there was plenty of
ground for a division of opinion. 1t will
be recalled that both men were acting as
hack-drivers that night and got into an
alteration near the town hall. Butter
field was found unconscious on the side
walk, with his head badly battered up.
Allen admitted doing the deed, but
claimed self defen ;e. The case In court
occupied all of Thursday and Fridays
sessions. The defense brought in con-
siderable evidence to show that there
was much bad blood between the men,
owing to friction between them in their
business. The ground of self-defense
was apparently well established, as the
jury found a verdict of mot guilty"
The jury's report was read at the open
ing of court on Saturday.
I..,l Co., 81,
December term. Four indictments were
found against Frederick Eastwood,
charged with the murder of Franklin
Fem at Middlebury last August. The
first indictment charges Eastwood with
killing Fem. The other three allege the
attempted murder of Ida Eastwood, wife
of the prisoner, Mrs. Marietta Brown,
Mrs. Eastwood's mother, Mrs. Inez Fem.
wife of Franklin Fem, and sister of
Mrs. Eastwood, being named as the
victims.
The session of Saturday forenoon was
short one. The case of state vs.. Mary
Metz was called. The charge was lar
ceny of Sl3 worth of dress goods from
the store of Chamberlain Foot IL Co. in
Vergennes in August of last year, to
which charge the respondent had pre-
viOusly entered plea of not guilty.
She was brought into court, withdrew
her former plea and pleaded guilty. She
was sentenced to serve II months in the
house of correction at Rutland, TO be
computed from the time when she was
committed to the Jail here on the charge,
which was about three months ago
Len O. Allen, who was arrested un-
der an Indictment reported by the grand
jury on Friday charging him with the il
legal sale of intoxicating liquor, ap-
peared in court and gave bail in the sum
of st00 The case was set for trial at
O'Clock Monday afternoon. Judge Bliss
represents Allen in this case, as he did in
the Butterfield matter.
Charles Sears, Lincoln young man.
entered plea of guilty to a charge of
assault and breach of the peace and was
fined 500 and the costs of prosecution
with an alternative sentence.
One Fred Perkins, alleges to be of
Middlebury, was arrigned for stealing a
horse and wagon from l.. o. Allen last
summer. His plea was not guilty and
his case was set for trial Monday after
noon at 2 o'clock.
Fred and Alex Fuller of Addison were
indicted by the grand jury for the burg
larry Of the Reef Bridge creamery aud
made plea of not guilty. The case was
set for Monday afternoon.
Harriet Hepburn was the last respond.
ent for the day She said she was not
guilty of having stolen pocket book
valued at ST and $50 in currency from
James Lathrop of Lincoln a few weeks
ago This case, too, was put down for
o'clock Monday afternoon.
In the case of George Barrows OF Yer
gennes, charged with illegally dealing In
intoxicants. States Attorney Fish ex-
pressed a strong doubt of being able to
secure verdict upon trial and on his
recommendation mol pros. was entered.
Adjournment was taken to Monday
afternoon at 2 o'clock.