The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-28
Ray Mullen Told Court He Is
Sane at Present
GIVEN A HEARING TODAY
He Also Denied That He Gave Aruenic
to Fred Batchelder OF That He
Was Responsible for His Death
as Charged.

Ray Mullen, the professional nurse
who was acquitted Of the murder Of Fred
Batchelder in Barre four years ago on
the ground Of insanity, made his try for
freedom to-day in hearing before Judge
Butler III Washington county court At
Montpelier He denied on the stand that
he had given him anything to cause his
death, although be admitted that Batch.
elder died ii bis lMulIen's) arms and
that they had been together previously.
In the trial Of the case, the state tried
TO show that Mullen gave Batcheder a
sandwich containing arsenic.
The prisoners side Of the case was
heard tms forenoon and the petitioner
for release was the chief witness. He
made s good impression on the stand in
personal appearance and answered the
questions put to him clearly As i basis
for his petition he declared that he IS
not now insane Since being ia coniine-
ment, Mullen has been compelled to leave
of the use Of intoxicants and morphine,
and he says he has now no desire for
either. His counteuauce is clear and he
Is somewhat more Aeshy than when COM
mitted.
To-day he confessed that lie was for
merly not only greatly addicted to intox-
icants, but that he took great quantities
Of morphine. having acquired Tho latter
habit when he became nurse and was
required to 90 a long time without sleep
ing, Mullen said he was accustomed 10
take from eight to twelve grains daily,
and that sometimes in hard cases of
nursing he had to 60 fifteen days without
sleep
After this he made his denial that ne
had given arsenic or anything else 10
cause the young mans death The young
men roomed in the same house on Jeffer
son street. and he Mullenl went and
did what be could as nurse for Batch
elder when the latter was sick. Batch
elder died in his arms, 90 the witness
declared.
Attorney General Sargent asked Mui-
len II he was not the nurse who attended
a Dr. Bogie John Currier Of North Troy
and a RAILWAY niail clerk Of Newport
AL of whom died under suspseinus cifcum.
sianrss, and the witness admitted that
he did attend them. but that he patients
were unconscious when be was called.
As a proof Of the trust placed in him
at the state prison where he has been
confined latterly, Mullen said that the
prison physician allowed him to handle
drugs and give medicine to the inmates
and that at one time be was handed
eight tablets of iodine
DO you mean to say that the prison
physician gave strong drugs into your
keepingl inquired the attorney general
Yes" was the response.
What would be the effect If the drugs
were given to anyonef"
Serious the prisoner answered.
The prison physician was later called.
ne is Dr. f H. Mc0uen He admitted
that Mullen had been great help in
attending the sick at the prison and
That at times he had handled several
tablets Of eodine, but not more than
four or five. and II administered they
would not have had a very serious efv
Tect
Other witnesses were summoned for
he Young man. Dr.. o. P. Powers Of
Swanton said THAT aside from drinking
heavily Mullen showed no Irregularities
when he knew him. Rev. A. +. Ford,
.he prison chaplain, said Mullen didn't
lct insane ali the prison and was model
prisoner. Warden Merton II. Loukes tes-
ified to much the same, and DR.. r. f.
Nelch Of Franklin spoke Of his aequaint-
lnce with Mullen when he resided in his
ticinity.
This afternoon the state will put on
Dr. Harry Mitchell, superintendent of this
insane asylum at Taunton Mass. Supt.
,. d. Grout Of the Vermont insane asy-
Inn and DR.. vi. s. Wasson Of the sama
Institution who viii testify that Mullen
S dangerous man TO be at large.
When this case is disposed Of. the cast
( James Mikales, who was recently ac,
Iuitted Of the murder Of Mrs. G. G,
Iiascott Of Barre. last July. by reason ot
insanity Will BE brought up to determine
ne sanity Of the young man At the
resent time.