The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-04-17


possession OF Sheriff Graves In the "bul
G sse." and had no connection with the Mi
Ter case. They were sent to Burlington by
mistake.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Philip Smith, the architect, was rec Alled
and testified further in regard to the plan
he had made of the locality in which john
sons body was found.
#. II. Hall Of the undertaking firm OF
Johonnotts ~ Hall described finding john
sons body, its condition, and the disposi-
tiou that was m ade of 1t. Wedge and But
tel fly assisted in taking the body from the
water. The clothing was wet and muddy
AMI Mr.. Hall could not describe IL. In the
dead mans pocket he found little change,
sent to the dump" after 1t had been kept
four or five weeks. Later tried to find the
clothing at the d imp but could not.
In the pockets OF the dead man Mr.. Hall
found pint bottle partly filed with white
| liquid. In washing the body he found a
cut on Johnson's head, aud discoloration
on the back. He assisted the physicians at
| the autopsy.
Oughtney Jangraw one OF the aldermen
| OF the city OF Montpelier In 1900, was called
On hearing that body had been found In
| the river In June last, ne went with OH ier
Whittier to the scene. A hat was found
there and was given to the witness by Sher-
| if Bancroft. He identified the hat in court.
When he saw II last June 1t was not In such
a battered shape as 1t is at thu present time
| Took the hat to his shop where 1t remained
until Sheriff Bancroft took 1t.
Chauncy Murray who resides on the city
farm, described the location OF the dump.
He burned every thing that would burn
there some time in August OF last year.
Gould Identity nothing that was burned.
Oscay Lindsay also testified to burning
the refuse at the city dump some time /
June.
Heman Dole told OF taking the cloth !
taken from Johnsons body to the dump.
DR.. 9. K. Chandler was called Wednes-
day afternoon after the JOURNAL went to
press. With DR.. A. B. Bisbee he made an
autopsy, June IL, last, on the body OF Major
Seth johnson. Mayor Brown, Alderman
Jsngraw and Frank Hall were present. A
bloody, frothy mucous, indicated death by
drowning. A cut, four inches long, was
| found on the back OF the head. Indications
were that this wound was made before
death. The lungs were distended and gave
evidence Of death by drowning. Notwith-
standing the scalp wound, which was evil
IDENTIFY inflicted before death, the doctor
gave 1t as his opinion that the death Of
johnson was caused by drowning. The
wound on the head must have been m ado
by SON blunt instrument. Whether it was
caused by blow or fall the dUctor was
unable to say. At the request OF relatives
OF the deceased the doctor made a second
examination OF Johnson's skull three
months after his death but found no evil
dence of the skull being crushed.
DIR. A. B. Bisbee corroborsted the state
ments made by DIR. Chandler. and gave 9
minute description of the autopsy.
Mrs. FL. b. Wedge testified chat on thu
Monday morning following circus day sh,
| saw something on the opposite side OF the
river from her clothes yard something tina
looked like old clothes which in the after
noon she saw removed as the dead body o.
Johnson.
Mrs Maud Emerson testified to living IL
an adjoining house to Mrs. Wedge and t.
having seen the object on the other side o
the river along the same line as Mrs
Wedge.
THURSDAY MORNING.
The court room rapidly filled shortly at.
ter nine o'clock and has been crowded dur
ing the day. The Jury box on the westerly
side OF the room has been crowded with l.,
dies, several of whom have been presen
since the trial opened.
Joseph Perkins was the first witness
called this morning. Msjor Seth johnson
lived in one OF his houses on Kent street
Saw Mr.. Johnson on circus day, June
do certain chores for witness that night
Did not see him alive again. Saw his bod,
at the undertaking rooms of Johonnotts
Hall the next Monday afternoon.
Jesse King, Montpelier barber, saw
Seth johnson on the morning Of circus day
in the shop of the witness. Saw johnson
again that afternoon on Main street
Thought he had been drinking at that time
johnson was perfectly sober in the morn
ing.
his lifetime, worked near him. Saw John
son on the street the morning Of circus day
An arrangement was made at that time Il
get keg Of beer, to be taken to Nichola
hill. The beer was taken there by johnson
on his shoulders. Burt Tanner, Bruce Nc
Veagh, Owen Russell, the witness, JOSEPH
Pecue, johnson, and others, eight or min,
in all, went on the hill together. Tn
crowd "chipped" to pay for the beer. Wit
ness bought some tin cups for his share.
Witness said that johnson brought dow
the empty keg from Langdon hill abou
eleven o'clock that morning and placed i
in Gisborne's shop. Said johnson hat
drunk Saw Johnson on the hill again a
sell, Bert Tanner, Pat Conley and AL Blan
chsrd were there with a one-fourth keg o
ale. johnson and Miller came up anG
Johnson said Miller was all right and was
an old friend from Northfied and SAID
give him what he wanted and he johnson
would pay for it. johnson exhibited
handful OF change-perhaps two dollars II
all. Both men drank freely and when the,
left the hill Miller was sober but johnson
was drunk 80 that he fell and rolled dowI
the hill some IS or 20 feet. His hat fell of
and he rolled.over it. Witness identified ha
exhibited in court. Got up and straight
ened out his hat which had been crushed
Last saw johnson when he was near Taylor
street bridge on the ward six side. Miller
was with Johnson trying to persuade hin
to 90 home. When witness and Al Blanch
ard entered the bridge Miller and johnson
had passed along until they were opposite
the second house beyond the gas house
This was the last time that evening that
witness saw Miller and Johnson. The time
was about half.past seven.
Ia the cross-examination the witness was
questioned in regard to Johnson's condition
at the beer party, morning and evening
Said he was drunk in the evening but moi
| in the morning. Defined drunken state as
that in which man is unable to walk and
has to cling on to the grass in order to hang
| on.
Bruce McVeigh testified that he first saw
johnson on the morning OF June 8, 1900, on
the corner of Maine and State streets
johnson asked the witness to chip with
some other fellows for keg OF beer and
| IL ~. A.