The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-10-12
DWIGHT H. CUTLER
ON STAND TO-DAY
Defence Will Be Mental Irre-
sponSibility. As Outlined
BY His Lawyers To-
days Testimony By The
Prosecution.

Ray Mullen today ilnconcernedly
faced the first witness in the case which
accuses him Of murding Fred Batehelder
in Barre on March I6, 1906, and the
trial of this most remarkable case IS
now well started in Washington county
court. The outlining Of the case and
the drawing of the jury occupied yester-
day afternoon. When the court and
the jury filed into the court room
promptly at nine o'clock, twenty Wit
nesses for the prosecution we're shown
in. The jury III whose hands rests the
fate Of the accused young man. is as
follows:
d. b. Bisbee Of WaitsfeId
Y A. Dillingham; Of Waterbury.
Warren Dudley Of Middlesex.
II. J. Eaton of Northheld
Lee Lane of Marshfeld.
John Mobus Of Warren.
Fred Murray Of Montpelier.
r. NJ Pray Of Woodbury.
W. n. Putnam Of Cabot
Frank r Tcwksbury Of Worcester
Ii. G. Ward Of Duxbuy.
j. W. Sleeper Of Waterbury.
Former States Attorney jackson and
Attorney W A. Lord outlined the case
yesterday afternoon, the former for the
prosecution and the latter for the de
Tense. Attorney jackson said that the
State was going to show that Mullen
came to Barre on February ~, 1906,
from Newport. Claiming to be A nurse,
he secured board at the nurses home
Of Mrs. Clara Page of jefferson street,
Barre, and that he roomed with Roy
Sykes in the house OF d. II. Cutler
ON the same street; that q short time
before Batchelder was taken sick, Mul-
len took two sandwiches from the bu.
reau and gave one to his roommate
Sykes, and Kept the other himself;
that each ate his sandwich and that
soon afterwards Sykes was taken sick
but later recovered: that after this in.
cident Mullen repeated it with Batehel-
der, and that the latter became very
i'll, dying some hours later Of arsenieal
poisoning.
The State, said Attorney Jackson. is
also going to show that Mullen said the
respondent died from arsenca poison-
ing, and that he must have eaten some
chocolates which contained the poison,
that Batchelder did eat some chocolates
at the home Of Miss Cunningham In
Montpelier, and that none Of the others
who mad eaten was afflicted with Illness
The State il further prepared to prove.
he said, that Mullen bought arsenic at
drug store in Barre and tlat the re
spondent said that he bought the ar
senic to stuff birds; that spoon found
in the sick room held traces Of arsenic
that the examination Of the stomach
and intestincs Of the dead man showed
that he had swallowed at least twelve
grains of arsenic
Iii outlining tine ease Of the defense.
Attorney Lord said among other things.
that they were prepared to show that
there was insanity in the blood relations
of the respondent; that he was deeen.
crate as well as. an epileptic and men
tally irresponsible. This shows that the
defense OF The accused man will be in.
sanity. The defense has had an alienist
from Boston examine Mullen. aud his
report will be introduced at Che proper
time. There will also be a report from
the state insane asylum In relation to
the mans insanity
Dwight H. Cutler was the first wit {
ness I'd take the stand at the opening
Of court this morning lie testified that
he resided at 81 jefferson street, Barre,
and that Fred Batchelder came to his
place TO room on December "a 1905.
having employment with the hardware
and plumbing firm Of G. w Averill &.
Co. and that he had known said Batch
elder for long time aud that so far
az he knew had been in rugged health.
Mullen came to his house and secured
room on February ~, 1905, having
been introduced by Mrs. Clara Page.
where Mullen first applied, claiming to
be trained nurse, and especially fitted
TO do massage work.
Mr.. Cutler testified that Mullen first
secured n room in the upper story al
the house. and later when there was 4
vacancy he was permitted 70 move down
one fight and share a room with Roy
Sykes.
The witness then went on TO tell
the circumstances connected with the
illness Of Hatchelder, that he was taken
sick between two and three o'clock on