The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-19
HARRIS CASE WILL
REACH JURY On
MONDAY
Verdict Expected Without Any
Long Delay.
THE ARGUMENTS ARE SHORT
General Expectation That the Verdict
viii Be Not More Than
Manslaughter.

The rebutta evidence in the case
of Thomas Harris on trial at Manches-
ter for the murder of Oscar Turner on
the night of April II, was completed
early this forenoon and the arguments
were begun at 10 o'clock. States At
torney Meagher made the opening ar
gument for the prosecution and spoke
for nearly an hour He was followed
by F. C. Archibald for the defence 1t
was the understanding this morning
that Mr. Archibald's argument would
conclude today's session, of court and
that the arguments of Mr.. Batchelder
and the attorney general, to be fol
lowed by the Charge of Judge Water
man would be delivered Monday morn
ing.
In its rebuttal testimony the state
placed on the stand Arthur Merchant
who testified that he had a long ac-
quaintance vita Oscar Turner and
that he always considered him a quiet
and peaceable man. Frank Moon was
recalled and denied that he made the
remark as testified by Mrs. Harris
that he was going back to the village
and that il he saw Turner he would
throw him in the river. Sheriff Fred
Godfrey identified the coat worn by
Harris at the time of the arrest and
testified that piece of the cloth now
missing was not torn out at that time
George Leonard testified that Tur-
ner was quiet and peaceable mar Sc
far as he knew, and the young mans
mother, Mrs. George Leonard, testified
that he was at home every night be
tween 8 and 10 o'clock when not work
ing at a distance and that ne was a
good, upright boy, never quarrelel
and never gave her a eros word in his
life. She did not often see him with
other men. Exceptions were noted ON
the admission of Mrs. Leonard's t65
timony by the defence and the state
rested at 9;45.
Mrs. Harris was recalled and testi-
fed that she did not do any sewing on
the coat while in Jail but that she dio
sew rent at the home of Stephen
Pratt.
States Attorney Meagher's argu-
ment was a concise demonstration or
the case as maintained by the state
He vividly pictured to the jury the
scenes of the night of April II and of
the following morning and pointed out
many alleged discrepancies in the ties.
timony of Mrs. Harris. He called at
tention several times to the fact tnat
Mrs. Harris from her own testimony,
had passed on ahead of her husband at
the time of the meeting with Turner
and that Harris had no occasion to de-
fend her. From the testimony of Net
tie Halves he pointed out the possib
ility that tne body of the young man
"HS thACNh iiibO int liver. ne dt-
tions of Harris, in hiding the tools to
which he had a perfect right mas
much as they had been given him by
stephen Grady, showed concusively
that there was an attempt to cover up
misdeed. Mr.. Meagher spoke slowly
deliberately and convincingly and at
the close of his argument was warmly
congratulated by his fellow attorneys
for the excellent maner in which he
had portrayed the case of the state.
I'ne defence rested shortly before
O'Clock Friday afternoon and the
state began its rebuttal testimony by
putting upon the stand Daniel T..
Bates of Pownal who testified that he
had known Oscar Turner for several
years, that he had worked for the wit
ness and that he considered him a
quiet and peaceable man.
Robert Potter of Pownal testified
that he had worked WITH Oscar Tur.
ner and had always found him quiet
and peaceful.
AT this junction Attorney General
Sargent announced that the respon-
dent had rested the case so much
sooner than was expected that the
states rebuttal was not ready and he
asked for an adjournment till the fol.
lowing morning.
IL was during the indirect examina.
tlon of Mrs. Harris Friday afternoon
That the incidents of the night of