Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-08-12

The deep interest in the safe blowing
and bank robbery in Newfane last Friday
morning was shown Monday by the crowd
ed court room at the preliminary hearing
before Justice c. e. Skinner of that town.
All the available space was occupied.
The majority of those present were resi-
dents of Newfane but n good number
came from surrounding towns states
Attorney A. +. Schwenk of Brattleboro
appeared for the state and r. G. Bacon
of Brattleboro for the respondents.
j. F. McCarty, who was arrested In
Brattleboro by Chief Police Hall Fri
day morning on suspicion of being one Of
the bank robbers was arraigned first,
in the Windham county court house.
The other respondent, the man who was
shot in the arm by George Batchelder, was
not in condition to be taken to the court
house, so he was arraigned in the jail
while confined i'm bed. Breaking and
entering was the crime charged in each
case. Justice Skinner held each respond
ent in $500 bail for his appearance he
fore the grand jury at the september
term of the county court Neither eX-
poets to be able to furnish bail.
McCarty pleaded not guilty, and states
Attorney Schwenk at once had several
witnesses sworn. i. \. Dewitt treas
urer of the bank told the story of what
he saw, describing the condition in which
he found the bank soon after the robbery.
George Batchelder told of the part which
he took in bringing down the man who
appeared to be acting as sentry for the
robbers at work in the vault and safe.
His story was substantially that told in
The Phoenix last week. Deputy Sheriff
b. C. Eager's testimony was in regard to
the tracks left by the robbers in their
flight from the rear of the bank to the
wooded hill to the west. The wounded
man collapsed after going short dis
lance, and his trail ended in pool of
blood. From that point there was tracks
of at least two persons
The testimony of Leslie Stratton, n
Willamsvile meatman, was to the effect
that about 8 o'clock on the morning of
the robbery he saw n man walking rapid
ly in the road in Williamsville toward the
WillamSville station, which is located be-
tween Newfane and West Dummerston
and is the first station south of Newfane
toward Brattleboro. He was positive that
the respondent was the one he saw. Miss
Gertrude Cain, who is employed al
Rogerss Inn in West Dummerston, tes-
titled to seeing the respondent at the
West Dummerston station Friday morn
ing.
1t should be stated here that Mr.
Schwenk. on learning of the affair, start
ed for Newfane on the mixed train out OF
Brattleboro at $50 a. m. This train
waited at West Dummerston n few min
utes for the southbound passenger train
and while waiting Mr.. Schwenk stepped
to the platform. He saw a man at the
ticket window buying n ticket and i'm
mediately became suspicious Of him. He
asked Miss Cain, who was waiting for the
passenger train, If she knew him. She
replied that he was a stranger. Mr.
Schwenk asked Randolph Knight, station
agent, if he knew the man and Mr.
Knight replied that he did not, that the
stranger wanted a ticket for Boston. bu
| that he, Knight, could not sell ticket fol
| Boston so he sold him a ticket for Brat
tleboro. Mr.. Schwenk tried to telephon,
| from West Dummerston to Chief Hall bu
the line was busy so he waited until h,
got to Newfane. Miss Cain testified tina
| that the prisoner rode on the train from
| West Dummerston to Brattleboro.
| Joseph Martin of Brattleboro, tickle
clerk, first saw the respondent on Thurs
day afternoon before the robbery Tn,