The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-03-08
MURDER
THREATENED
Domestic Trouble in the
Hicks Family.
SARGOOD CASEEVIDENCE
Jack Doyle Tries to Throw Entire
Blame for the Trouble
upon Mrs. Hicks.
SARGOOD ASEEVIDENCE

In his testimony in the county cour
in the Sargood-Doyle poisoning case
Monday afternoon John Doyle who
was the first witness for the defense
testified that he was 4S years old.
His testimony tended to throw the
entire blame of poisoning the two colts
on Mrs Sanford Hicks, who according
to Doyle, had frequently said that she
did not want the colts in her barn.
A good portion OF the testimony he
gavedid not vary much from atgiyen
by the state. de said that he never
had any trouble with Blair but con,
sidered him one OF his best friends
aud he assisted him in caring for the
colts when they were sick.
Soon after they died he told Hicks
that Blair's colts we're dead and asked
him if he knew it. Hicks replied "no"
but if they we're his horses were proba-
bly, poisoned to. Mrs Hicks who was
iu the room spoke up mo your hor-
ses are all right
He further testified that Hicks and
his wife quarrelled especially when
she was drunk. He had heard him
threaten 10 break his wife's neck He
also swore that he had heard Hicks
tell her that if heeyer came home again
and found her intoxicated, or found
intoxicated men there with her, he
would murder her.
On one occasion when she was drunk
Mrs Hicks said to her husband, "You
killed your first wife but you won't kill
me if get the first chance At this
time there were two men in the house
with her. Hicks wentior an axe to kill
one of the men, but Doyle says that he
stopped him. Mrs Doyle heard the en-
tire conversation that passed.
Mrs Hicks had frequently shown
him marks and bruises which she said
had been caused by her husband. She
is Hicks second wife and their first ac.
quaintance, it is said, began through
matrimonial advertisement. Before
her marriage to Hicks she was fore
lady in department store in Troy,
This morning the examination of
John Doyle was continued.
He testified that he had always de-
MED having any knowledge of any
thing connected with the poisoning of
Blai7's colts.
Mrs Hicks came to the jail door one
day and called for him. He met her
at the door had quite a conversation
with her. She said to him 81 am sorry
that you we're arrested, but "you must
not go back on me" ''You wont will
you. Don't tell any one that came
here. {"
F. C. Archibald for the prosecution,
then took Doyle in hand. The exami-
nation that he gave him, Doyle will
probably always remember.
Doyle became so confused that he
crossed himself repeatedly. Mr. Archi-
bald read some OF Doyle's testimony
before the grand jury showing that it
was entirely different from that he
gave here.
Referring to the Cambridge fair in
cident he said that he did not know
Nash until recently, and about FIVE
minutes afterward, that he remember
ed that at the time hesaid, Don't say
anything about that matter here before
that fellow" He said he had often
taken drinks with the detectives.
Mrs Eastman testified to giving Mrs
Hicks washing solution containing
potash.
Douglas Eastman testified to quar-
rels between Mr. and Mrs Hicks and
threats on the part of Hicks against
her life.
G Bonn, frequenter at Sargood's
saloon and intimate of his, tried to
show that Mrs Hicks actions pointed
to her guilt. Be was with Sargood at
the time it is claimed Sargood placed
the poison in tie cups, but did not see
any suspicious.action on his part.