Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-03-25
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
rs. TRIAL Of wuEe Reynolds, charged
ts ,ss murder of John Edwards on the
.,,5t offbe May caucus in Kingston,
y. .st for 10. september term OF court
ge.i,ssli county. The grand jury had
n..,,ss am Indictment against him in
~. ,1,q. wHsIa had passed the inter-
..n,o, fine Boz fgI, bail being refused.
M osWs tha. E0Iiln Spencer had under
..I.s t9 defend H.m produced a marked
,,,s..iau. 70 meant not only that be
r,r5 haze taa benefit Of strong counsel,
s,ttbaf tbe defence would be interested
ma earnest .a spirit, personally, as we'll
professionally
Wbsu the ease was called, every daily
..r.pspsr Boo Vermont and several city
gBpaI.. ba1 selected representatives
wsssnI 10 urash full reports, spiced TO
IN The fastrs of readers certain 10 con-
anne them with avidity. The court
,,5r vas thrauged with people. 1t
.smsi as 80 lHa entire population Of
gIog.t1a we're present While sentiment
favored WuNr. 70 was generally conceded
,ssf las and evidence would determine
lhe outcome.
oy5t guilty. vas Reynolds plea, in
answer % tha Indictment.
The state. attorney, an old and sue
.ss.i8l lawyer Of long criminal practice,
s.si the greatest care ia the selection OF
tbs mry. So person who had formed an
opI1Ioa not susceptible to change by rea-
son Of evidence was accepted. No resi-
sent Of Kingston took a place on that
ay. After I0ag disputation, the state
succeeded in 01legt.ng OF, by the courts
ruling. all who had actively supported
Spencer TO the recent political canvass.
The connection of Spencer with the de-
Fnce the state established, would tend
bprejudice such jury man in favor Of
BIZ client. Spencer fought this hard, but
va orerfuled The defence, on its part,
rejected sll talesmen who had taken a
pronounced stand against Spencer. Thus
Il happened EH8t the jury as finally
drawn was a body OF colorless individu-
as considerably inferior In mental make
Up and stamina 90 the common average
The states attorney, in outlining his
case, promised 60 establish the fact OF a
homicide, clearly within the legal defini-
ton Of murder Then he called his first
gitlsss, one OF the surgeons v no per-
formed the autopsy. To his crucial
question,
"Hog, in your professional opinion,
DID John Edwards meet his death?''
The reply was,
by ganshot wound, the charge Of
hucSshot periorating the heart and other
vital organs, producing hemorrhage,
Rom which death ensued instantly"
Then the state established the possess
sion Of the hrearm by Reynolds. and
proved that ammunition, including buck
shot. had been purchased by the respond
cot the very day OF the shooting.
There followed evidence tending to
shoS the angry and reyengeful state Of
Wilkes mind on The night OF the shoot
'g, and the threats he had made against
ihs victims father The court overruled
spencef's objections to this line OF evil
deny and admitted it.
Then followed the story OF the seren-
ade' told by the surviving participants,
Who made the affair seem much like
boys lark. Not one Of them went to the
house that night armed with anything
more deadly than a hali-dozen over-ripe
eggs These were thrown, they swore,
Dol az Reynolds or bis wife but in the di-
isc'Ion OF the door, with the mere inten-
you OF decorating it,, but Wilkie threw
open The door al that moment and hap
Ptnel 10 admit the missiles to his domi-
als None Of the party attempted to en-
w 'ne house, or had any intention OF so
oo,ns' All except young Edwards stood
y 'ne highway, not on Reynolds prem
Ns Inc lad was merely an interested
g'''a'of He took no part whatever in
ne Grenade, bat stood leaning against a
uS Just inside Wilkes yard. It was
sls'e mat he received his death-wound.
N,s'h Of the witnesses gave as their
Vpllon that Reynolds from inside could
lll ald See young Edwards, knew who II
bis identity.
D. los was the gist Of the states case.
aguia spencer in his opening statement,
.-nI''sa The shooting Of Edwards by the
Pou1ent, bot asserted that il WAS done
s- lu.i extreme revocation and stress OF
',U'I'ent' following day calculated
'u,a'lflng the nerves Of man like Rev
I'u' that tha circumstances of the
S I,,o,'ng clearly Indicated no knowledge
wv. Ius victim Identity; that the offence
80 tne 'ntan. and generalization that
ss,ss''y'siil0 m.raur; that the respondent
- -. no motive Tor killing young Ed
S -l', tnai 10 Hhs his purpose to defend
'l, DDS family and home from &
.,us Oh night marauders whom he had
49, 49, TO Tear were about to do harm tC
A.. person and domicile, and that, In
lug AN weapon into the darkness, b,
n, 5 go human form at which he aimed
eu''enarssd The gun as warning, L
s u.sn ava fbe iutruders.
,., lsu.ef A7a seen from the outset q So
. wv obstacle Zoo the presentation Of BIZ
m ,,.-.uee. Tic one person whose testi
t,gi5 would receive the most weigh
p. -'l 4ot be improved as a witness Mrs
S,i l'gll'. By rule Of evidence, mani
NAY 10 testify In behalf OF her bus