The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-08-29
SUPREM Z COURT.

Supreme court met on Tuesday to rem.
der decisions on cases heard at former
terms. All the Judges ere present. The
following decisions were handed down:
William Samson vs. Jasper A. Rouse,
from franklin county, decree reversed.
Cause remanded. Costs to bs decided up
on by Chancellor In court below Decision
by Judge Watson.
Plimiugton Daggett VIZ. the Champlain
Manufacturing Company from Rutland
county. Judgment OF county court affirm
ed. Decision by Judge Thompson.
julius O. Grifli h, administrators Of Royal
L. Sawyer vs.. TIE New England Telephone
and Telegraph Company for Rutland cOuu-
ty. Judgment aifi tmed. Decision by
Judge Start. This decision Is of much inn
portance to Telephone companies as It in.
wolves the vital question of necessary appa
rstus TO prevent llghtning from entering the
telephone.
Rutland Railroad Company V. r. Chat
fees Sons, from Rutland county. Pro
forma Judgment reversed and cause re-
mandeu. Opinion and decision by Judge
Taft.
Samuel Howard vs. Jed. p. Clark et AL,
from ChitteDden county. Decree reversed
and cause remanded Opinion d deci-
sion by Judge Watson.
John j. Allen vs.. Clarence D. Gates ct al,
from Chittenden county. Decree reversed
and cause remanded, with mandate. De-
cision by Judge Watson.
The common seller cases OF Chittenden
county State vs. Taft and Safe vs.. Nc
Cune which have been Of 80 much interest
all over the State were continued for argu-
ment with instructions and advise from
court as to grounds OF argument.
In re Barre Water Company, from Wash
ington county, judgment reversed and cause
remanded Report to be- recommitted for
new assignment Of damages.
Hattie Kidder vs. Harry w. Bacon, SLAM
der, from Washington county, Judgement
reversed and cause rtmanded. Decision by
Judge Tyler. In this case there was a ver-
dict IN the lower court for the plaintiff to Ie-
cover 81 ,2166 damages for slander. IL
will be retired In Washington county court
next March term.
State vs. George II. Smith, from Washing.
ton county. Opinion by Judge Thompson,
deceased, and read by Judge Stafford.
Judgment that there was no error in pro-
cedure in lower court; that the respondent
takes nothing by his exceptions and that
sentence be pronounced and execution is
sue. The respondent was sentenced to not
less than six years and not more than seven
years at hard labor in State prison at Wind
sor.
This case has caused much interest, az
Smith was popular deputy sheriff living
in the City OF Barre. He on July 8, 1899,
accepted a bribe from Mrs. Clementine BIZ
anchi with the promise that he would pre-
Nou1 any lulbuoI ldlu upon uoE pldCo. Wullo
in the act of accepting the bribe he was
caught by Sheriff Graves and W. A Lord.
State vs. Cherries Duherty, murder, from
Washington county. Motion for new
trial denied, exceptions overruled and judg-
ment on verdict ordered. The clerk was
instructed by Chief Judge Taft to ask the
respondent whether he had anything to say
why the sentence Of the law should not be
pronounced upon him. He replied, "I
don't know as | have. | think L have a
right to appeal my case from this court to a
higher court-the legislature" He was
then sentenced by Chiet Judge Taft to be
hanged in the State prison at Windsor on
the second Friday in March, 1901, between
the hours of one and two o'clock. The re-
spondent WAS also sentenced to hard labor
until the last three months, when he is to
be kept in close confinement. The prison
er took his sentence very coolly.
Among the prominent lawyers present
from out of town were A. A. Post and Col
A. A. Hall of St. Albans, and Seneca Haz
slton of Burlington. Sheriff Graves an
nounced final adjournment at 1890.