Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-08-03
ADDISON COUNTY COURT

|The June term of Court came 10 an
end Friday afternoon, when Sheriff Olin
y. Smith, OF Addison, declared it ad-
journed.
The term has been - not bic one.
1t started on Tues lay, June and
closed on Friday, July 81.
There was one case tried by jury last
week which deserves more mention than
ordinary. 1t is the case of State VS..
Walter Clark, a 10-year.old lad who was
charged with placing distractions on
the railroad track near Ferrisburg last
November.
The story of the case shows several dis
crepancies that should have been given
more weight than were allowed them. On
November II, 1905. two railway ties
were found laid across the track and
suspicion pointed to young Clark as the
author of the deed. When accused of
the act he acknowledged himself guilty
but implicated two other lads. He sub
sequently corrected this statement and
was placed on trial; Charles l, Button of
Middlebury acting as his counsel. On
cross-examination of the witnesses for
the State, who were all railroad EN-
| ployees, it was shown that the half mile
Of track Immediately north of North
Ferrisburg station was a favorite short
cut for residents of the Town Line road,
while the highway between the Town
Line and the station was usually in a
miserable condition, with the result that
the railroad was habitually used by
pedestrians. 1t was also shown that the
neighborhood teemed with boys of the
mischievous age and that officer Bushen,
who was working on the case. had
looked into the matter no further than to
obtain Walter Clark's confession. The
State!lhaving rested, Judge Miles held
that there was no evidence to support the
case except the confession of the reepon-
dent, and that the confession had been
obtained by. Officer Bushen by promises
made by the latter to the respondent.
The court held that the confession had
been improperly received in evidence
and instructed the jury to find the re-
spondent mot guilty." an instruction
which was welcomed by the jury. So
impressed were the jury with the general
good character of the lad that purse
was made up and fine suit of clothes
was purchased for him. 1t is needless
to say that Walter went home one of the
happiest boys on earth.
The last case tried by jury was State
VS.. Jessie Grover, of New Haven, who
was charged with being the owner of
hound which chased and mangled a deer
in New Haven on the 10Th day of May
last. States Attorney Russell prescott.
ed for the State and w. w. Rider of Bris-
tol, represented the respondent. The
case was concluded with a verdict of
guilty. Subsequently the resp ondent
was fined s. and costs, but he took an
appeal and furnished bonds.
After the jury had given in their ver-
dict in this case they were discharged.
Foreman NJ. E. Sprague of Wey bridge
extended the thanks of the jurymen to
Judge Miles for the kindness which he
had shown to them during the term and
Judge Miles replied that the sentiment
was fully appreciated.
The time of the court from Thursday
afternoon until the final adjour nment on
Friday afternoon was taken up with
minor court hearings, motions, etc, of
little interest to anybody except the
parties Immediately involved, and when
the court rose for the term on Friday
the docket had been pretty well cleaned
up.