Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-11-17
FOUND CARTRIDGE
RIM IN THE ASHES
Witnesses Tell Of Mrs. Averill :
Plea to Husband to Call
Shooting an Accident.

st Adams, Nov. 1o.-The trial Of
Yrs. Frank c. Averill on the charge
shooting and killing her husband,
continues in Franklin county court
with undated interest to tho public.
'rowds attend and the trial is the
principal topic Of conversation on the
streets and elsewhere
MIS-. Thomas Richards Of this city,
VINO was at the home Of her father,
Frank Wells, the night of the shoot
ing. was on the stand in the afternoon
and her testimony proved important.
She said she heard Mrs Averill tell
her wounded husband to tell them IL
was an accident at least three times
rs she bent over his body as II lay
on the porch outside of the Wells
house, and to the witnesses question
ss to how the accident happened, Mrs.
hVerill said that she and Frank were
out In the field and he was teaching
her to shoot. He fell and the gun
was discharged and shot him"
In the cross-examination an effort
was made to show that i'll feeling ex-
listed between the Wells and Averill
families, but the witness did not say
the improper conduct of her two
brothers toward the three year old
daughter Of the respondent. the wit
ness said she knew nothing about IT,
She said that she did not hear Avcrill
say anything while he lay on the
porch.
Arthur Averill. son of the de-
ceased man by former marriage, who
lives In Fairfield. was called to the
stand He said he did not see his
father before his death but came here
Saturday expecting to attend his fu-
neral. but when he arrived at the
house he could not get in.
SAW BLOOD ON FLOOR
John Bird, a neighbor. testified to
going to the Wells house and seeing
AVerill lying on his back on the
porch with Mrs. Averll leaning over
him. He said the wounded man had
on shirt but was not dressed. The
witness helped carry Averill into the
Wells's kitchen and later he and his
wife went to the Avcrill house to get
some bed clothes. He said the screen
door was open but the inside door
closed. His testimony co-incided with
that of his wife as to the disturbed
condition of the kitchen, hall and bed
room, and streak Of blood and
water was plainly visible from the bed
room door to the outside kitchen door.
Samuel steinhour of Hghgate, sec
ca o1usin Of Mr.. Averill. and at whose
house the little Averill girl Is being cared
for at present, was called to the stand.
He said he went to the Averil house at
eleven o'clock October q, but found no
one there. Later he got in and to the
question. did you take up the gum"
replied no" His testimony lasted only
five minutes.
Myra Bird, who testified several days
ago, was recalled and was asked, did
YOU see anyone touch the gum to which
she said no." and she then was asked
II she had touched the gun and she made
the same reply. no"
FOUND CARTRIDGE RIM.
s. w. Shelters. who is a resident Of the
Averill neighborhood. the next witness,
said he was called to the Wells house
after nine o'clock the night of the shoot
Ing. found Averill lying on the porch with
his wife bending over him. He stayed at
the Wells house only short time that
night but long enough to try to stop the
flow Of blood from the wounds. He heard
no conversation. being somewhat deaf.
The witness. who was officially appointed
carotaker of the Averill house after the
arrest Of the woman. said that he was
sitting the ashes from the kitchen stove
and found n rim Of cartridge but found
no other cartridge about the place.
This rim is undoubtedly from the shot
gun and this was the first time any men
ton had been made Of 1t in any Of the
testimony. The rim correspondent with