Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-08-10

The trial of Frederick Eastwood of
Greenfield. Mass, charged with the muir
der of his brother-in-law, Frank Fem of
Middlebury. on the night of Aug. IA,
1899, opened in this village on Tuesday
last before the Addison county court,
Judge j. NJ. Tyler presiding. The case
had been adjourned by common consent
of counsel from the December, lS99.
term of the court. The state is repre-
sented by F. l. Fish, W. II. Bliss. and
F. B. Deberville: the defence by Y. w.
Moloney and j. b. Donoway.
The court convened at the court house
at 10 o'clock in the forenoon. The day
was stormy one. and the anticipated
large attendance was not realized.
Owing to some delay, it was nearly II
o'clock when Eastwood was brought in
to court. Sheriff Chapman and Deputy
Sheriff Cobb went to Waterbury on
saturday last and brought him down on
the evening train. He seems to have
suffered little in body or mind during his
confinement at the state retreat for the
insane, if appearances count for any
thing. 1t would be difficult to recognize
in the stout. well-groomed, Intelligent
looking man IN the prisoners seat one
capable of committing deliberately the
crimes charged at the door of Eastwood.
The preliminaries of the opening of
court were quickly disposed of and the
work of securing a Jury taken up. Much
of the rest of the day was consumed in
this work, but II men were selected after
- had been examined. 1t was diff ,ult
to find any who had not heard sufficient
of the facts to form an opinion as to the
guilt of the prisoner. The following
men were selected, and their character
and prominence insures that whatever
verdict they bring in will be in accord
ance with the evidence presented 10
them: John =. Kenyon. Ferris burgh ;
Edward Field, Panton; Eugene L. Mar
tin. Granville; a. y. Baldwin, Moukton
Ridge: b. ). GOodale, Waltham; b. w.
smith. Addison: Moses DePoutee, New
Haven; Rollin Flint, Hancock; II. f.
Wright, New Haven Mills; Wallace G
Larabee, Shoreham; a. G. Ninton, Han
cock: Fred W. Fisher, Addison.
Before the instructions of the Jury by
Judge Tyler, Attorney Fish outlined
what the state expected to prove by wit
nesses. As evidence of the premeditated
character of the crime. the states evil
dence would tend to show that Eastwood
| had held hostile feeling toward his wife
and h,r family previous to the shooting
Ii would also show that the respondent
had made careful preparations for the
crime IN that he had written a note to his
step-mother and enclosed with it check
for his trunk and s., all of which he had
left in his Satchel at her house. The
court then adjourned for the day.
When court was called to order We'd
nesday morning. delay was occasiOned
and it was not until Q 80 o'clock that the
business of the day was taken up.
The first witness called by state was
Frank c. Dyer of West Salisbury He
testified that he was at the depot in his
village on the afternoon of Aug. II when
the 3 p. m. train passed through and saw
Eastwood get off. Later had some con-
versatlon with NJ. NJ. Dowd, the station
agent, which Dyer overheard. East
wood said he had made a mistake in get
ting of there and asked how far il was
to Middebury and East Middlebury.
Said he would walk there. as he had
made a ID fool of himself by getting
of Attorney Moloney cross-questioned
witness at some length and succeeding
in confusing him somewhat on hi,
former evidence.
Peter Trudo. who worked on railroad
testified that Eastwood passed him or
the track going toward MiddleburY. at q
]
Mrs. Cherilla Eastwood, stepmother OF
Eastwood. was next called. After de
scribing the life of Frederick Eastwood
as has heretofore been gwen in the REG
ISTER, she came down to the night o.
Aug. II. She said Eastwood came to hel
house on Seminary street, Mddleburv. "A
about O'Clock in the evening. After
greetings he remained with her abou
one hour. taking supper. He cOnverseC
almost exclusively about witness, he
health, etc. He had a black satchel
which he left with her, wher about
O'Clock he lett the house without sayn'
where he was gong. She told him Z
, come back; that she would finish he
work speedily. She did not know any
thing about shooting until told by Mr.
Piper. The officers came to her hOus
and took EastwoOd's satchel. She hal
opened il. Found trunk check. note ad
dressed to herself and s. in cash therein
The state tried to draw out that East
wood had expressed hatred for tn
Fenns, but Mrs. Eastwood could recal
no statement on his part to cOrroberat
this. She said that he had frequentl
said the Fenns were not friendly to hin
Mr.. MolOney cToss-eXamined witnes
as to appearance of respondent, with OF
ect of bringing out his physical cond
tlon at the time. She noticed no odOr Q
liquor. Respondent had remarked tina
he had been sick said nothing about SUI
stroke. After little more redirect e1
animation. witness was excused
NJ NJ. Dowd, station agent at Wes
Salisbury, was then called. His evdenc
was much the same as that of Frank {
Dyer.
l.. o. Allen, livery stable keeper, wa
then sworn. He had known Eastwoo
for about seven years; latter had ha