Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-03-03
A Strange Incident.
J ohn Elphinstone, Foreman of
Slack'S Stone Shed, Claims lie
Was Assaulted.

What in larger place would be
termed a mock trial took place in the
Washington town hall Thursday after
noon before Asa Pepper, justice of the
peace. The story of the trial is rs fol
lows: For the past few weeks John
Elphins one has been acting as foreman
of the Slack Granite works at Washing-
ton and by his action it is alleged much
dissatisfaction has been created among
The workmen. Wednesday afternoon
two workmen, William Reed and Will
liam Carney, went to the shed in com,
pany with John Manson, another cutter
Reed demanded from Elphins one a bill
of his time and rcproved the foreman
for tellin" that Reed had failed to make
his pay. Then came the fracas which
| Thursday was related in court. Reed,
Carney and Manson claimed that FL
phinstonc hit Reed first, while the fore
man asserted that he made no attempt
to strike the other parties, but that
Carney and Reed gave him several
blows, the last being at the hotel
Wednesday evening Constable W. f.
Worlhley secured the assistance OF a
score of guardians Of the peace and sur
rounded the house where Reed, Carney,
Manson and William Gamsby We're
spending the evening. In true western
stvle these men were all placed under
arrest. the two former for breach OF
the peace for assaulting Elphins one, IL c
other two for intoXication. The four
were locked in one room at the hotel
for the night. Thursday morning
States Attorney Hale Darling of Chelsea
arrived to take charge of the prosecution
with the assistance of "JudSc DlcAey'
The four respondents secured w. w.
Lapoint of this city as counsel ana ON
his arrival it was decided to have the
eases of Carney and Reed first and to-
ce,her. A jury was demanded and just
as the names were to be drawn from
the box it was decided that Mr.. Wo. lh-
lev wus IA state witness. Then the de-
fence strongly protested against sucn
action, but the state representative
would not give way, but the court said
if Worihley was to be witness he could
not draw the jury. Then the state de-
cided not to use him us a witness and
the drawing proceeded. The first panel
summoned We're c. w. Huntington,
George Flint, e. W, Stanley. +. M.
Seaver, p. o. Huntington. G.E. Bohon-
nan and when they came together, sea
ver was excused for business reasons,
p. O. Huntington was excused fpf hay
ing expressed an opinion, and Mr.
Bohonan said he bad heard Elphlnslo &c
talk about the case aud tell how he was
struck, but in spite Of protest from the
defence he was allowed to serve. he
new men added were Fred Hayward and
II. A. Whitcomb. After the general
question had been put by the defence If
any of the jurymen had anything to do
with the case none of them responded
and lust as lhey were about to he sworn
Mr. Lauoinl asked Mr.. Flint ii he was
NOT one of the mnn who hal assisted i'll
the arrest and he answered "yes." Ihis
settled him and Y. l.. Walker took his
nlace. Then the dance commenced.
The men were being tried for a breach
of the peace but the states attorney
gained permission of the court to show
bv Elphinstone that the men were intoX-
icated, TO this Mr.. I.apoint objected
on the Ground that if admissible ot amy
stauc of the tria! it could only be after
the respondent had taken the stand, but
| fins was not cOIlSlNtltN, HCltHCI w t3
Mr.. Lapoint permitted TO follow a pro-
per cross examination of the witnesses
on this point, and owing to such treat
mcnt he asked no more questions of the
witnessed aud made no argument, Reed
and Carney conducting their own case
with the framing ofquestions for then
by Mr. Lapoint. The case went to the
iurv at 80 o'clock and it was neatly
ten O'Clock when they returned will
the following verdict: Carney "No
Guilty." Reed "('uilti of simple as
sault,' Justice Pepper imposed a tint
of S. and costs on Reed; he appealed
to county court, W. W. Lapoint goin:
bail. The cases against Manson AM
Gamsby will be heard next week Thurs
day. As result of the tracus 1t is re
ported that Il new foreman will be SC
cured at the Slack Granite works.
And Nnsv ~ r'r-~s ~ 'o;.i"a.
C,ovoland March s. : Suatial to TIL