Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-06-23
GuiItu Of Iail Breaking.

county court at Mluulepury oatuiuey,
June II. Judge ]. II. Watson took
two minutes In which to charge inc
Jury. No arguments were offered by
The state or by the defence. II re-
ouired hut six minutes for the jury
To find a verdict OF guilty Meantime
Mccormick was arraigned and plead
ed guilty to two counts on a charge
OF forgery and was taken back 10
jail. This case developed sensational
testimony during the trial Friday,
June 16. Mccormick set up the de-
fence that he did not break jail as
the doors were open and he simply
went. away. II appeared from the
testimony, that John W. ketcnum,
who is serving seven years term
for completely in the wrecking OF tho
Verrennes Farmers National bank,
and who was recently transferred to
the Addison county jail at his own re-
quest for roomier quarters, has peen
allowed peculiar liberties In the jail.
He was said to have served as turn
KEY In the Jail. to have had the run OF
the prison and the attendance OF
valet. and to have admitted visitors
and let them out. Deputy Sherin
Cobb, who has been the jailer for 81
years, admitted that ketchum nau
admitted or released prisoners When
asked to do so by Mrs Cobb, but said
that he had never had key 70 the
iail in his possession ana that Tue
prisoner had always been accompanied
Nv an officer. He said that Ketchum
| is handy about the place and thor,
oughly familiar with Jail work ana
that he has Just written and pub
lished a book of returns for deputy
sheriffs. The valet" was Henry Da-
Wis a native of Malta, who came 10
Vermont with soldiers from the Phil-
;nnines and became acquainted with
Ketchum at Burlington where he was
n United States prisoner. On ms
release. Sheriff Cobb said, ne came 10
the iail for work and renamed tw2
days. Ketchum accused the BOY OF
forging his name to ~ cheek ana
Davis was arrested but the case was
| mol pressed. While at the jail DAVIS
did errands for Ketchum. Sheriff
Cobb testified that the door to the
iaiI could be opened with wire and
| that he kept the keys in bureau
drawer. He showed wire which ne
found in the Jail which he thinks was
the article that opened the door ON
! or prisoners later swore 1t was the
same wire that opened the first door
and that the second door was opened
with a key made of piece OF broom
| handle. Several prisoners testihed
that Mccormick tried to induce them
| to testify that Jailer Cobb let him
out for money consideration, threat
ening them If they did not.
The engagement of Miss Frederick
r. webb, only daughter of Dr. anu
Mrs. w. Seward Webb. and Ralpn
Pulitzer. son of Joseph Pulitzer OF
the New York World. Is announced
| Snecial Commissioner G. c. Rain
boots of ottawa and Commissioner j..
| r. BAYLOR of Washington are In Al
burg re-surveying the boundary me
between Vermont and Canada TINS
week. Iron monuments will be re-
placed by granite.
| Reports given at the meeting OF
lthe Grand lodge Of Masons at Bur-
llington last week showed that the to-
tai number of members in the state is
i1.135: the losses by death during the
wear numbered 1870; the net increase
| amounts to 232 The number of lodges
owning buildings is thirty -four, val
lued at $500: the total value OF prop
ertv being s156,205. walter E. Ranger
| of Montpelier was elected grand mas
ter.
AT a hearing in the bankruptcy
case of Charles f. Bell of Swanton
at ST Adams last week. Mr.. Bell
who for the past year has been con-
Quoting a second class license liquor
store, testified that all three of the
license commissioners Of the town OF
Swanton. A. B. Bellows, A. l.. Asel-
time and William Smith, had at var
lious times got intoxicating liquors
from him for which no money was
paid.
The house and barn of Chester ,.
Elmer near Middlebury We're de-
stroyed by fire Thursday night, June
Is. A week before, fire was discovered
in two places in the house and she1
and the prompt assistance of neigh
bors saved the buildings. Mr.. Elmer
advances the theory of spontaneous
combustion in opposition to the sus-
picion OF incendiarism, though offer-
ing no explanation for two hres III
different parts of the house occurring
simultaneously. He carries about 81
600 insurance.
Ami S. Armstrong, carrier on d
rural free delivery route from Enos-
burg Falls. was arrested and taken 10
darlington Monday, June 10, on
charge of completely in bringing into
this country six Russian Jews, in
violation Of the national immigration
laws. Several months ago Charles y.
Burleson. who lives just over the line
in Canada on a farm owned by Arm
strong, and Ernest Broe OF Soutn
Franklin were arrested on a similar
charge and at a session of the United
states court held at Windsor last
month they pleaded guilty, and were
fined 500 each Armstrong furnished
bail of $3.50 and was released pending
trial at next term of court.
William Sheehan. aged 80 years,
committed suicide by drowning III
the river at Fair Haven saturday
night. June II, the body being found
SUNDAY morning. Sheehan left ms
home about IL o'clock Saturday mght'
saying that he was going to the par
Der shop, and later in the nlght Wneii
he did not return, his people started
searching party, as they feared tnat
he might do himself some harm. hav-
ing been suffering from nervousness
of late. The mans action undoubted-
ly resulted from overstudy at the Rut-
land Business college. from which ne
expected to graduate this month. he
was for IL years connected with the
First National bank of Fair Haven,
being teller of that institution when
he resigned a year ago. He leaves
mother. four sisters and brother.
The seventh annual school of in
struction for health officers opened at
Burlington Monday evening, June ~,
under the direction of the state board
of health with an attendance of about
100 health officers from different parts
of the state. The opening session waS
sa,o,oa ~ laymen not a technical /