The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-05-03
RYDER HIS
OWN WITNESS
Claimed Girls Death Was
Self Inflicted
INTRODUCED LETTERS
Which the State VIII Compare with
others-Entire Week Occupied by
Case at Close of Which Court VIII
Adjourn Until May 81.

The case against DIR. ]. NJ. Ryder,
who is charged with having performed
criminal operation upon Miss Iva
Martin Of Proctorsville who died in the
doctor 5 Office last October, has been re-
ceiving the attention Of county court
since last Friday with the exception of
Monday and Tuesday when some d.
vorce cases were heard. II now looks
as if the ease would 90 TO the jury
late tomorrow. Court will adjourn at
, the close of this ease until May 81
as Judge Taylor is assigned TO sit on
the supreme bench. DIR. Ryder was on
the stand in his own behalf until this
morning and claims that Miss Martins
death was due TO self.inflicted injuries.
In support of this claim he introduced
several letters purporting to have been
written by Miss Martin to the doctor.
State S Attorney Bacon is having these
letters photographed today in order to
compare them with other letters from
Miss Martin that are in evidence. DR..
Gillette of Springfield was on the wit
ness stand at IL clock today. Among
the witnesses who will testify for the
defense is ex.Medical Examiner Har.
ris of Massachusetts who was brought
conspicuously before the public just
previous to the execution of Tucker,
the Massachusetts murderer.
A greater part of last Thursday was
taken up in arguing whether the case
should be continued on account of the
illness of Gilbert Davis of Windsor,
one of the counsel for the respondent.
Mr.. Davis s associates claimed that he
was suffering with tonsilitis while
States Attorney Bacon argued that
there was some doubt as to whether Mr..
Davis could not attend to the duties.
Finally 'lunacy commission of fou1
physicians was sent TO examine the
counsel from Windsor and it finally re-
ported that he was really unfit to ap-
pear in court. The case began when
court convened last Friday morning,
State s Attorney Bacon and ]. G. Sar-
gent of Ludlow representing the state
and A. Z. Cudworth, c. H. Williams,
G. H. Thompson, F. B. Pingree and
Henry D. Yeaton. the lastnamed of
Boston, representing the defendant.
The morning was spent in selecting the
Jury and it was not until the entire
panel with the exception of one name
had been exhausted that II good men
and true were selected.
In opening the case for the state Fri.
day afternoon Mr.. Bacon told the jury
that he expected to show that DR.. Ry-
der on Oct. 80. 1906, was guilty of
causing the death of Iva Martin of
Proctorsville by using some instrument
unknown to the state in an attempt to
perform a criminal operation. Mr.. Ba-
con set forth the details of the journey
to the doctors s office, the conversation
of the principals and the circumstances
of the death of the girl in the Doctors
apartments. The first witness was Elliot
G.. White, an undertaken, who was call
ed upon to identify the death certif-
cate signed by DR.. Ryder. Miss Veda
Holland of Proctorsville, who accom-
panied Miss Martin to Bellows Falls,
was the next witness and testified
about the details of the trip and the
circumstances connected with her COM
panion's death. She said that Miss
Martin had told her that she was in
trouble and that DR.. Ryder was going
to help her out. Miss Holland testified
that when she was called into the doc
tors office and was told Miss Martin
was dying the doctor appeared very
much excited and said she must lie
about the matter "to save your own
neck and mine, too"
Fred A. Strong, Bellows Falls hack
driver, testified about taking the girls
from the depot to DR.. Ryder's office,
saving that neither the doctor or the
girls attempted to conceal their ar
rival or destination. Bernice Graves
of Keene, n H., who had visited at