Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-22
Mrs. Florence PeIletier.
SUPERIOR COURT.
William Gavitt Changes Plea to Guilty
Sentenced to a Year in Jail.

Fridays session of the superior court
was a comparatively short one, as
there was no trial and the short cal
endar list was brief.
1t had been expected that the GRIM
inal case of state VS.. William Gavitt
would be tried before a jury and the
jury had been summoned, but an
agreement was effected between the
states attorney and Attorney Thomas
J. Kelley, counsel for Gavitt, whereby
Gavitt changed his plea to guilty, and
as result there was no trial.
Gavitt was charged with assault with
intent to murder, but by the agree
ment he pleaded guilty to assault with
intent to i'll, which is not as severe a
charge.
A brief outline of the case was Civ
en- the court by the states attorney
Work who lives near Williams Cross
ing with an axe. The assault occur
red on the 24th day of September.
Work came home and was of the opin-
ion that Gavitt, who worked for him.
had not cut a sufficient amount of
wood and thea Gavitt had invited him
outside to look at the woodpile and
then hit Work with an axe States
Attorney Searles told the court that
Gavitt was man IS years old and
that he had agreed with, the attorney
for the defense to accept a plea of
ommend a year in Jail.
Attorney Kelley spoke briefly for the
accused abiding to the fact that he
he was a veteran Of the civil war and
said that he was without relatives
aside from a brother who was in no
position to assist him in any way. He
told the court that there was some ey
idence in the case that had not been
brought out in the lower court as Mr..
Gavitt had not told his side of the
story and that it was possible that the
assault had been committed as an act
made that claim. He thought that the
recommendation of the states attor
ney was just one, however.
A Year in Jail.
Judge Ffolcomb said that. it was a.
pretty serious weapon to use, and that
it would have to be shown pretty
clearly that it was absolutely neces-
sary for a. man to use an axe to pro-
tect himself from an attack, but con-
sidering the mans advanced age he
would accept the recommendation and
sentence the prisoner to year in jail.
/. No Cases Assigned.
No cases were assigned for trial, as
none was ready and there We're no
short calendar matters ready for ar
gument.
Divorce Granted.
The uncontested divorce of George
L. Brewster against Sadie A. Brews-
ter, both of this city. was then heard
and the decree granted, The divorce
was claimed on the ground of deser-
ton. Attorney P. J. Danahey appear
ed for Mr.. Brewster. Mr.. Brewster
testified that they were married May
rs, 1899, and that she left him June
IL, 1901 He said that he knew of no
reason for her leaving and told of writ
ing her, asking her to return to him,
but she had paid no attention to his
letters or entreaties. He said that he
was supporting her and that they
were keeping house at the time she
left his bed and board He returned
from work one day and found her
gone. Evidence along similar lines
was given in testimony by two other
witnesses. Judge Holcomb then grant
ed the decree.
Sterling Juror Excused.
The jury was called and nineteen
responded to their names. F. P. Fen
ton of this city, A. J. LathroD OF
Brooklyn, d. f. Eddy land George
Butts of Woodstock had been excused
Robert J. Sherman of Sterling was
not in attendance because of an injury
sustained Thursday by a fall that
sprained an ankle so badly that he
could not walk. He was excused for
the term.
Court was adjourned until Tuesday
morning at 10 O'clock, when the civil