Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-03-14
ROBERT FITT0N DEAD
Most Picturesque Figure in Ver-
mont Courts in Years.

Collected Insurance to the Amount of
100000 from Nine Fires-Stranee
Case at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
for Perjury.
Robert Fitton, the most picturesque
figure the Vermont criminal courts
have known in many years, died re-
Gently in New York city. A telegram
was received by his son in Proctors-
ville saying that the body would ar
rive there on a certain date. No name
was signed to the telegram. When
the body arrived, it was identified by
the son and f. G. White, the postmas-
ter at Cavendish, who, as sheriff, had
arrested Fitton several times. Sew
eral men who had known Fitton could
not identify the body, but Mr.. White
proved conclusively it was Fitton's by
showing a deformity on one foot which
he described fully before a careful
examination was made.
An autopsy had evidently been per
formed on the body. The skull had
been removed for an examination of
the brain and then replaced by skill
full surgeon. How Fitton died is not
known in Cavendish, although one re-
port is to the effect that he suffered
from brights disease, and that the
end came when he fell over a railing,
striking upon his head.
Robert Fitton was at one time a
prominent wooden manufacturer at
Proctorsville. His mill was burned
and in all there were nine fires on
property which he owned or with
which he was connected. Fitton testi-
fed a few years ago in court that he
had received $4,000 to 100000 from
insurance companies. but it has been
stated that the aggregate sum was
much larger. He was blacklisted by
the insurance companies for years,
and in one case when he owned the
wooden mills at Cambridgeport in this
county. he got the policies written by
Brattleboro agent, and before they
could be returned rejected by the COM
panies, the mill burned. The Cam
bridgeport mills were ablaze before
the agent got back to Brattleboro with
the policies.
Fitton was always able to prove by
witnesses that he was not in town
when the fire occurred. One of his
| employees. named Hutton, was under
suspicion at the time of the fire in
Cambridgeport. Fitton and Hutton
had a row at Bellows Falls, in which
| the former was knocked down. That
night Hutton was found in the canal
at Bellows Falls, and the story spread
| that Fitton knocked him in. intending
murder to prevent "peaching." Fit
| ton started with a great flourish to
collect testimony for suits of SANDER
| It was afterward suspected that the
| Bellows Falls fracases were arranged
| to attract the attention of detectives
Fitton was one time accounted to
| be worth 100000. but he lost large
sums in speculation in Wall street
| Twenty years ago he was political
power in Cavendish. carrying eau
cuses repeatedly for candidates whose
cause he espoused. He went through
bankruptcy twice, the last time for
| $4,000.
The companies contested the pay
ment of the insurance after the Cam
bridgeport fire, but the case went into
the United States court. where it was
| finally settled, Fitton receiving SIG,
| 500.
In a fire at Ludlow, f. c. Wheldon
plumber, who afterward lived in
Hinsdale, said that the fire might
have resulted as a result of his (Whel
don's) carelessness. After the insur
ance cases were settled. Fittor
brought action for damages against
| Weldon on the strength of the lat
ter's affidavit. The affidavit was writ
ten by Fitton and simply signed by
| Wheldon. Wheldon pronounced tho
signature forgery. and the affidavit
was ordered to be kept by the clerl
of the court. Fitton, knowing that hf
must secure it, made out writ of re
| plevin. cut the name of a justice q
the peace from an old writ, and pasted
it on the new one. He got an office
to serve the writ on the clerk Of thu
court. under pretence of desiring
copy of the affidavit. He forcibly oh
tanned possession of the original
jumped into a carriage. drove hur
riedly to the railroad station. and tool
the first train for Canada.
He was arrested in June. 1887, while
on a visit to Walpole, N. H., and wa
surrendered to the sheriffs of Wind
ham and Windsor counties. When ar
rested he surrendered the stolen aft
davit to the court. The charge agains
him was forgery perjury and con
tempt of court He was placed unde
$4,000 bonds on the charge of perjury
He forfeited his bail and skipped t.
Canada again. During the next tire
years, he made secret visits occasion
|