Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-06-13
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Orange County Court.

Orange county court began It's June
term Tuesday, June 4, Hon. George NJ.
Powers, presiding Judge, and Hon. Cyrus
u. Lathrop of Willlamstown and Horace
White Of Topsham, assistant Judges. A
call OF the jury calendar showed that OF
the y cases set, hut ten were for trial
and two OF these have since been taken
from the jury list. The case OF Calista
X. Jones OF Bradford vs.. Frank II. Hall
and Others OF Montpelier, which had
been given right OF way from the second
days assignment, whose trial was expect
ed TO take week, was settled ON Monday
Just before term began and left several
cases unprepared for first day, or even the
second.
OF the is grand jurors called, II re-
sponded, Moses l.. Brock OF Newbury
having been excused. Ex-Judge Will
liam Paul OF West Fairlee was drawn Az
taiesman and afterward appointed fore
man, Wallace w. Swan OF Tunbridge,
who was first appointed, having asked to
be excused. OF the "a petit jurors sum
moned, but 26 answered, several having
been excused.
Thursday morning was begun the trial
OF Harry Morton by his next friend VS..
Edward A. Fits. Plaintiff was from
Randolph and defendant farmer i'm
Brookfield. The action was for alleged
malicious prosecution in having joined
the plaintiff with three other boys as de-
fendants in private suit for assault and
battery, which Mr.. Fits brought in be-
half Of his elder son, Andrew, in Novem-
Der, 1905, the Morton boy then insisting
that he was not guilty OF any assault and
declining to participate in the settlement
of the suit against the four boys that
took place some time after action was
brought. This litigation is an aftermath
OF the proceedings OF the once locally no.
torious "Iodine cluh,n which fiourished
in Randolph High school in the fall of
1905. Young Andrew Fits was solicit
cd and even threatened to he made q
} member, but did not wish to Join. He
: persisted in his. refusal and tried to fee
J when he was met on the street one after
noon just after school, but several caught
J held OF him and dragged him TO the
horsesheds OF the Christian church,
!; where they tried to strip off his clothing
and lay him on pile of wood, which
they called the cooperating table, and
then daub iodine on his body. He resist
! ed forcibly but was overpowered, little
, iodine rubbed on his hand and he was
, allowed to 60, but with the threat that
: he would afterwards receive another ''in-
: itiation." His testimony in this case was
: that Harry Morton led ON the other boys
r and furnished the iodine from bottle in
his pocket. This was contradicted by
young Morton and tive others present al
the imitation" though Eli Fits, q
younger brother, corrohorated Andrews
story. The trial ran into this week, the
{ case not closing until Tuesday. j. ID
! Denison and r. M. Harvey for plaintiff
c Darling and Wilson for defendant.
. The jury in the Fits case rendered q
b verdict for the defendant.
: The grand jury Tuesday forenoon re
4 ported 10 true bills and seven not found
0 The next trial was that of Alexander
a Mcdonald vs. John Daniels, apt, ,-an sc
o tion of general assumpsit, David C. Co
7 nant for plaintiff and Frank 5. Williams
i for defendant. The next cases in ordel
: for trial are Willie Magoon VS.. Georg,
! Burroughs, apt, (trover); G. S. Melend,
vs.. George Westinghouse, (assumpsit) ant
/ Albert e. Magoon VS.. Moses III. Magoon
/ (slander).