The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-05
To Show That Heath Could
Not Have Shot Himself
STATE RESTED ITS CASE
Samuel Richardson Used by DR.. B. H..
Stone in Last State Evidence to
Act Out the Part of Victim
in Vermont Tragedy.

in the case of Florence NJ. Dodge. who
is on trial in Essex county court for
the murder of William Heath. rested
this morning after demonstration had
been made by a living model in front
q the jury for the purpose Of show
ing that Heath could not have commit
ted suicide. The demonstration was
made by DIR. b. H. Stone Of Burling-
ton upon Samuel Richardson, man
who is about the same size as was
Heath.
The widow of the victim was a wit
ness, about whom the greatest interest
has centered Mrs Heath said she
lived in Dalton, n H., and was the
widow Of the man for whose death Mrs.
Dodge is being tried for murder. She
testified that she was at home, Sept.
II, the day of the shooting, and that
when she received word of the affair
over the telephone he drove to Lunen-
burg, arriving there some time between
] o'clock and l30 o'clock in the after
noon. After saying this, Mrs Heath's
voice broke, and it was feared for
moment that she would be unable to
continue her testimony, but she wiped
her eyes and again secured control of
her voice. The widow said that she
did not Sc the defendant that day, but
that on the following day she visited
Mrs Dodge's home and had long
conversation with her about the shoot
ing
Mrs. Heath said that she asked Mrs.
Dodge who owned the revolved, to
which question the witness testified,
Mrs, Dodge replied that it belonged to
her. Mrs. Dodge also said that there
was no one in the house at the time of
the shooting besides Heath and her.
self Mrs Heath also testified that
Mrs. Dodge stated that all the outside
doors OF the house were fastened
Upon cross-examination counsel for
the defense asked in several ways
whether Mrs. Bell, the daughter of
Mrs. Dodge, was present during this
conversation Mrs, Heaths replies were
all in the negative. Mrs. Heath had
regained her composnre when she was
allowed to leave the stand.
Time of Shooting Fixed.
The time of day that Heath met his
death was determined approximately by
the testimony of NJ j Mann, Boston
& Maine railroad conductor, who was
questioned about the times that trains
passed the Dalton station. A train
passed the Dalton station, said Mann,
at ;49 a, M, and it was the whistle
OF the engine of this train tHat James
Wainwright testified earlier in the day
that he heard at almost the same time
that he heard three shots fired, and
which he afterward discovered caused
Heath's death Mann determined the
time that the train passed the station
and whistled from train dispatcher's
sheet which he exhibited in the court
room
The Search for Suspects.
The search of the neighborhood for
any possible suspicious persons or per
sons after being informed OF the shoot
ing of Heath was testified to by
Elbridge Cardee, painter, who lives
about 20 rods from Mrs Dodge's house.
He said that he first entered Mrs.
Dodge's home with Mr.. Bell, and no.
lived that the casing in the bedroom
in which Heath had met his death had
been prepared for vanishing
The witness testified that after look
ng into the bedroom he searched the
for any suspicious char
lcters. Cardee said he went down the
road toward lancaster, N H., and
hen took long walk in a southerly
but saw no one
Mrs Edna Hurlburt OF Dalton, N H.,
sister OF Mrs Heath the widow Of
he dead man, stated that, accompanied
" the Rev James Richmond, pastor
il the Dalton Congregational church,
he went to Mrs. Dodge's home when
informed of Heath's death and met Mrs.
lodge She stated that during her con-
ersation with Mrs. Dodge the defend
mt said that the revolver which caused
ieath's death was her property
At this point Cardee was recalled and
vas questioned whether it would be
ossibie for his mother to appear in
ourt and testify Cardee replied that
is mother could not be present, as she
as been i'll for thre years and it is
impossible for her even to leave her
ome.
But few moments were given to
llfred Morrow. who assisted the under
aker in preparing Heath's body. Nor
ow said that while working on tho
ody of the dead man he noticed that
Ieath's hands were stained with paint
nd varnish Repeated questioning
rought forth no further statement, and
Iorrow was dismissed
FILLING THE OLD CHANNEL.