Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-03-22
ROBERT FITTON DEAD
Most Picturesque Figure in ver-
mont Courts in Years.

Woodstock Jail, died recently ii
New York city. A telegram was
received by his son in Proctorsville,
saving that the body would arrive
there on certain date. No name
was signed to the telegram, When
the body arrived, it was identified
by the son of E. 6. White, the post
master at Cavendish, who, as sheriff,
had arrested Fitton several times.
How Fitton died is not known Il
Cavendish, says the 3rattleboro
Phoenix.
Robert Elton was at one tim a
prominent wooden manufacturer al
Proctorsville. His mill was burned,
and IN all there were nine fires on
property which he owned or with
which he was connected. + itton
testified a few Years ago in court
that he had received $4,000 to
Sioo, 900 from insurance compd.
MES, but it has been stated that the
sup was much larger.
The companies Contestod he
payn,m ~ the Insurance after the
Cambriigepolt fire, but the case
went into the United States court,
where il was fiuully settled, Fitton
receiving Sos 500,
He was b!acklistcd by the insur-
ance companies for Years. and in
one case, whcn he owned the wool
en- mills at Ca,nbridgeEort, in Wind
ham county, he got the policies
written by R,attleboro agent, and
before they could be returned reject
ed by the companies, the mill
In Il nre at Ludlow, l.. e. WHEEL
don, ii plumber, who afterward
lived IL Hlnsdae, said that the fire
might have resulted as result Ct
his CIV heldon's) carclessness. After
the insurance cases were settled,
i'itton brought action for damages
against Wheldon on the strength Of
the latter's affidavit. The affidavit
was written by Fitton and simpl,
signed by Wheldon. Wheldon pro-
nounced the signature forgery, and
the affidavit was ordered to he kept
by the clerk Of the court. FIFTEEN,
knowing that he must secure it,
made out writ of replevin, cut the
name of IA justice of the peace from
an old writ, and pasted it on the
new one. He got an officer to serve
the writ on the clerk of the court,
under pretence of desiring a copy of
the affidavit. He forcibly obtained
possession of the original, jumped
INTO a carriage, drove hurriedly to
the railroad station and took the first
train for Canada.
He was arrested in June, 1887,
while on visit to Walpole, N. II :,
and was surrendered to the sheriffs
of Windham and Windsor coun-
ties. When arrested he surrendered
the stolen affidavit to the court.
The charge against hun was for
gerry, perjury and contempt of court
He was placed under $1,000 bonds
on the charge of perjury. He for
feited his bail aud skipped to Can-
ada again. During the next three
eals he made secret visits occa-
to his home in Proctors
Vile. The house there was SUR
rounded in July, 1890, by Sheriff
Lowell of Springfield, and a posse
of eight deputies. When Fitton
looked out and saw that resistance
was useless, he shouted from an
upper window, "Boys, why didn't
YOU bring regiment If you had
whistled for me last evening, |
would have come down." He was
lodged in Jail at Woodstock at this
time. He again secured bail, but
forfeited it and became fugitive.
Cases against Fitton came up in
the United States court, and he was
brought to Brattleboro for hearings
two or three times. Owing to tech
nicalties he secured his release so
that he could eturn to Canada.
But after the United States count
had given him his freedom, he con-
tinued to come into the state, and
was finally arrested at White River
Junction. He made a desperate
break to get across the bridge into
New Hampshire, but was tackled
and overpowered. when only three
rods from the boundary line. He
was tried in the Windsor county
court and sentenced by Judge Row
ell to a term of IL years imprison-
ment on the charge OF perjury. He
served five years in states prison,
and was then pardoned conditionallv
bv Gov. Grout. He then went to
Cavendish and Immediately skipped
to New York
Fitton's wife, who was the daugh-
ter Of President Hill OF the Proctors-
vile bank, and an estimable woman,
secured divorce. There are three
children. After Fitton was par
doned, he was married again in
New York, and it is supposed that
he second wife orwarded the body
% Proctorsville. Fitton had worked
IN New York the last five years as a