The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-05-08
New Turn in Jordan Case
May Save Condemned Man
NEW TRIAL TO BE ASKED
Willis A. White Of Maynard, Mass, Placed
in Worcester, Mass, Asylum To-day.
a Raving Maniac Requiring Four
Men to Restrain Him.

Boston, May s.--Willis A. White Of
Maynard, the insane juror in the Chester
Jordan murder trial, was to-day COM
mitted by Judge Keyes to the Worcester
asylum. He raved and shouted while in
the court room today, and -four men
were required to hold him. General Bart
lett, Jordan'a attorney in the murder
trial, is prepared TO petition Judges
Stevens and Bell for new trial for
his client on tho charge OF numbering
his wife. Honora Jordan, on which charge
the jury found him guilty in the first
degree recently.
If General Bartlett's petition Is re-
fused, he win carry the case to the su-
preme court on the grounds that Juror
White has eben insane for years Jor-
dan was iubilant to-day and declared,
They never win put me IN the electric
chair
Juror White was declared insane yes
terday by Dr. Frank U. Rich, who has
been the White family physician fol
twenty years. He not only declared
White insane at present, but that he was
insane during the Jordan trial and had
been insane for a long time before. White
became violent yesterday afternoon and
last night was placed under charge Of
special officer.
Dr. Rich said that eh met White at
the post Office yesterday morning and
was called to the house in the afternoon.
White was about town during the fore
noon and conyersed with acquaintance
on various topics but his mind invariably
reverted to the various phases Of the
Jordan trial Many townspeople recol-
lect that since he returned from his du-
ties in connection with the murder ease
he has dwelt upon the narrowing detSils
continually and at times IL seemed as
though some Of the incidents which had
arisen during the course Of the trial
could not be driven from his mind.
White stated yesterday morning to q
friend that he thought his duties as q
iuryman has fatigued him greatly, but
that since returning hom he was feeling
mueh better
About n00ntilna he appeared at the
home Of selectman Arthur f. Walker,
to whom Whites peculiar conversation
made It apparent that his mind was un-
settled.
Seleetman Walker persuaded White to
return to his home, promising to accom-
pany him White appeared to be labor
ing under the impression that on account
Of the verdict of the jurors some harm
was to befaIl him, and that several men
were on his track seeking revenge.
DR.. Rich was called to the house in
the afternoon because Mrs. White had
informed the board OF selectmen that
something must be done to protect her
from her husband; that she feared he
would do her injury. DIR. Rich was ac-
companied by Selectman Walker. A
test of Whites mental control was At
once made.
They brought up the Jordan case, and
said they understood that the jury had
arrived 1T d verdict within 20 minutes
Of their retirement, but that they stayed
out long time for the purpose Of fool
ing the public,
White went into frenzy, declared
the charge to be false, without one word
of truth in It, and he ordered the callers
from the house Soon he became calmer
and wanted to kiss the hands of the doc
tor, and then got down on his knees to
kiss his feet.
According to DR. Rich, Waite's insanity
is not Of an epileptic nature, but has
shown itself ia a generally unbalanced
mind, and by such symptoms AZ con-
staHt praying and singing. Whites wife,
says the doctor, concurs in the belief that
her husband has not been right mentally
for long time.
Mr.. White is a prosperous farmer and
cattle dealer and lives with his wife and
son.
Whites View Of the Case.
Whites view Of the Jordan case right |
after the jury was released was as fol-
lows;
Twelve men, eleven Of whom were
as capable and as good-hearted men as
it has ever been my pleasure to meet,
sat in the jury room during all those
hours, and considered every bit of evi- I
dence, traced the life Of Chester S. Jor
dan from the time Of his birth, handled
the exhibits, and then returned a verdict /
Of guilty in the first degree.
No IL men ever went over evidence
more thoroughly than we did. The re-
sponsibility that lay on Jour shoulders
we never forgot. There were pitiable
scenes enacted ii the jury room during
those III hours. Men paced the floor,
with tears running down their cheeks
and wringing their hands. Yet their
duty was manifest, and they did it.
Time does not fly in the jury room.
Rather does Il linger as if every minute
was 10th to give way to the next. The
tension is great, the awful sense of
between another human being
and death Is omnipresent Yet the evi-
Hence must be weighed carefully and i'm
partially. Foreman FELTON, OF Marlboro
was the right man in the right place.
He, time and again, supplied the
links for which be cought in the complete
chain Of evidence, which we must have
before we could conscientiously convict.
The discussion was carried on with
! learned to love and ad.
mire some Of my fellow jurymen. And
feel sorry for Jordan / wanted TO
shake his hand. but he had been taken
away.
+ shall 20 to Cambridge some time
This week and try and see Jordan. and
i l can, shake his hand.1 I