Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-06-29
COUNTY COURT.
HENRY G. MULLINGS, Al
LEGGED FORGER, CAPTURED.
Deputy Sheriff Farr Found Him
in Huntsville, AIs.-Csroline
Rogers Will Case Still
Before the Court

When we closed our report last week
the Caroline w. Rogers will case.
which had been begun on Tuesday fore
noon, was still on trial and it held the
boards until Saturday morning, when
the jurors were excused until o'clock
Monday afternoon.
There followed then an episode in the
criminal department, with Henry G.
Mullings, formerly of Bristol as the
principal character. People in Addison
county will not forget the sensation
made two years ago last fall when it
was learned that this popular life insur-
ance man had somewhere got lost in
the shuttle and was not to be found in
Bristol. Mullings had been supposed
to be doing pretty fair business in his
life insurance line and had travelled
quite extensively over the county in
its pursuit. 1t was thought by some
people among his friends that he was
flying quite high on his various excur-
sions about the county, but until he
dropped out of sight so suddenly every
one thought that his business must be
sufficient to keep him agoing. Through
some information by wire from travel
ing salesman who used to live in Bristol,
States Attorney Russell discovered that
Mullings was in Alabama and early last
week he detailed Deputy Sheriff George
S. Farr of Bristol to go to Alabama and
see what could be done. Mr.. Farr read
lily found Mullings in that state in the
city of Huntsville and Mr.. Mullings
consented to come back to Vermont
without the formality of requisition
papers. Mr. Farr, with his prisoner in
charge, arrived in Middlebury last Fri
day Afternoon and after an interview
with the states attorney Mullings was
placed in Jail over night.
The specific charge on which Mulings
was arraigned in court Saturday morn
ing was on an information which States
Attorney Russell had prepared charging
him with the forgery of note for $500
which was discounted at the bank. 1t
was explained by Mr.. Russell that the
original note was good but that Mullings
had forged renewal note to cover the
genuine one when the latter was about
due.
Mullings was arraigned in court Sat
urday forenoon and pleaded not guilty
to the information filed against him.
II 70 Of u
ings, but spoke up promptly and with
good strong voice when called upon
to plead. James B. Donaway of Mid
dlebury appeared as his counsel On
the question of bail, which Mr.. Dona-
way thought would be ample at $500,
the States Attorney thought $1,000 would
be about right and in his remarks stated
that he expected to file several other
informations against the respondent
for other similar offenses of forgery.
Finally the court placed the amount of
ing and Mullings was remanded to the
custody of the sheriff and taken back
to jail Much sympathy was expressed
by those who knew the circumstances
for his wife and three young children,
who have been living in Bristol ever
since the disappearance.
When this matter had been disposed
of for the time being, a recess was at
II 80 o'clock taken until o'clock Mon
day afternoon.
At that hour court recommended and
work on the will case was resumed with
the evidence for the proponents of the
will still going forward and all the
afternoon of Tuesday was taken up with
the cross-examination of Rev. George
w. Bailey by Lawyer G. S. Palmer for
the contestants.
The evidence in chief for the propo.
nents of the will was all got in by the
middle of the afternoon Tuesday after
having taken up the time of the court
for full week and the proponents then
rested their case.
| The contestants at once opened their
side of the case with James w. Adams
= of Lawrence, Kan, one of the two
brothers of the late Caroline W. Rogers.
who are contesting her will, as the first
witness on the stand. 1t is now appar-
ent that the case will take up all of the
rest of this week and very likely part
of next, as the testimony is not all in
as we go to press and the arguments
of counsel are likely to be of consider
able length on each side, unless limited
by the court.