Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-04-15
ELaoY kENr CONVICTED.
Found Guilty Of Murder In the First
Decree Last Week.

DeQree LAST WSeN
The Jury in Rutland county court in
the case Of State VS.. Elroy Kent, charged
with the murder OF Della Congdon, re-
ported q verdict of murder in the first de-
gree at 8 O'Clock Saturday morning.
Miss Ccngdon was a deaf mute about \
AZ years old aud was killed at East Wal
Iingford last July, being dubbed to death. /
Kent escaped from the state insane hos
pital at Waterbury two weeks before the
murder and finally was captured at Pitts /
field, Mass.
Ernest II. O'Brien, one of Kent's coun- |
sci, says be will petition the supreme
court for 8 new trial. Acknowledgement
J. q. Sargent was deeply touched at the
severity OF the verdict. Kent appar-
emily was little concerned.
The trial was resumed Monday of last
week, the second week opening with the
state still putting in evidence.
The first witness, Isaac L. Stewart of
East WaIlingford, testified that short
time before the murder a stranger, whom
he afterwards picked out Of line Of ten
prisoners at the house OF correction as
Kent, went to the witness house and
asked for work in the bayfield,. Like
other witnesses he said that the supposed
/ Kents hair looked much lighter last
summer than it does now.
George Congdon, a brother OF the muir
dered woman, was the next witness. He
said that his sister would have been AZ
years old lest February had she lived. He
identified the bloody stick found lying
across the woman's throat when the muir
der was discovered as a splitting gauge
that his dead father bad used.
Edward Brown of Wallingford testified
to finding the inscription, "E. Kent,
July %, 19OS,n cut in the barn OF the
club house in the woods Of East Walling-
ford.
The remainder OF the afternoon was de-
voted to the introduction of evidence by
the state to prove an alibi for Frank Rog
ers, a farm hand, arrested on suspicion
soon after the crime, but later released.
Deputy Sheriff A. W. j. wilkins testi-
fed that he had known Kent for fifteen
years, having arrested him for some old
offences. Kent told him that while con-
fined at Windsor prison before being sent
to Waterbury he played crazy so he
would be transferred to the asylum where
, there was more chance to escape.
He testified to finding the initials, E.
K.," in various places during the chase
for Kent after the Congdon murder. Kent
afterward told wilkins that he had been
in these places. but denied that he had
been in Wallingford.
l DR.. Don ID. Grout, superintendent OF
the Waterbury asylum, wGs called by the
defense Tuesday. The trend OF his testi-
mony was TO Offset that Of Z. NJ. Taggart,
the cheesemaker, whom kent's counsel
has tried to connect with the crime, Tag
CART having stated that Doctor Grout
: tried 10 prevent him from identifying
Kent at the asylum. Doctor Grout was
permitted to state only what opportuni-
? ties he had given Taggart to identity
T Kent. He swore that W hen Kent escaped
; from the institution he wRs smooth shaw
en-. All the East WsIlingford witnesses
Z testified that the "strange'' man they saw
z st East wsllingford wore a mnstsche.
There was another pathetic scene in the
Z court room during a recess Tuesday when
. Kent's aged mother and his seven-year
g old brother, Perley, talked together for 6
y short time. The mother had not seen hel
i son for seven years and said that he ha6
u changed so that she would not have
known him. The respondent gave this
u boy a coin to overcome his shyness and
e devoted the remaining few minutes O
e tbs interview to inquiries about members
'e OF the family. He had evidently heard
nothing from home in years.
Ex-State's Attorney Robert A. Law
q renee testified that he could not find il
y either Rutland newspaper any mention
q between July 10 and July "a of Kent
= escape from the asylum. This was givei
in connection with the criticism which
D. has fallen on DR.. Don d. Grout, the su
:, perintendent, for not making a CREATE
i effort to catch Kent, who got away JUL
"a 10.
E. DIR. W. L. Wasson, one Of the assis
ie tants at the Waterbury asylum, testified
d that while Kent was there he often talket
n to imaginary persons and seemed to hav
7. Authorizations. He testified that the re
= spondent seemed to be unable to carr,
y the train of the thought in long sen
tence. The witness said that he believes
"a Kent to be Of unsound mind but did no
OF consider him insane, characterizing hin
~ as a mental imbecile.
" Other asylum attendants testified as {
&c Kent's peculiarities.
ne John j. keenan,, the Bennington muI
% derer, who escaped from Waterbury " III
ne Kent last July, was put on the stan an
described the trip before his capture.
OF DIR. ID. A. Shirres Of Montreal, an in
"a sanity expert, testified in rebuttal for tn
ne state. He said Kent was not insane, bu
was born with an unsound mind. II
re thought Kent might have an insane in
IS pulse " hich he could not control.
OF States Attorney j. c. Jones made tn
90 opening argument for the prosecution, f
n II. O'Brien and John ID. Spellman for tn
er defence, and Attorney General j. G. Sal
gent closed for the state. Judge Water
VS. man followed with his charge to the jury
m who took the case late Friday Afternoon
ly
Granite Sheds Burn.
Fire destroyed the stone sheds owne
:. by Bianchi & Son and occupied by tn
" World Granite Co. at East Barre til
a, morning of April 5, and the opinion
- that it was of incendiary origin. TIL
- loss on building and stock is estimate
- at near 100000, with insurance OF Sc
~ 200.
he n 90 = " SIsoopereu . niue Ai''