Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-05-25
DEFENSE RESTS IN
THE BOYD TRIAL
New Evidence Made Acquittal
on Ground of Self-Defense
Less Likely.

Brattleboro, Vermont. May o.
While It looked decidedly like a YER
dict for acquittal on the ground of self
| defense in the Boyd murder trial at New
fame Friday and Saturday, the evidence
introduced by the state to-day in re-
Auttal was of the kind that the jury will
have to analyze with extreme care in
order to get at the bottom OF tho affair
The sixth day OF the trial Of Frank ].
i5oyd of Wilmington for the murder Of
John Potter OF that town began this
afternoon and the Jury plainly showed
the stress under which 1t had labored
over Sunday, one OF the hottest days ever
recorded in May al the county seat
Though the trial has been on only six
days. the jurors. unaccustomed TO close
confinement in summer weather, arc
plainly suffering from the heat
The first witness brought on by the
State when 1t continued its rebuttal this
afternoon was George NJ. Scott of Halt
fax Center. whose testimony was intro
duced to impeach the testimony of George
Hayden. witness of the defense. Hay
den testified Saturday regarding an as
sauit made upon him by Potter. and
Scott testified to the truth and veracity
of Hayden being below par.
Charles Leonard of Halifax testified
that Hayden was below the standard in
truth and verncitY and at this point
| there was n BIT of n smile displayed up
! IN the faces of the spectators when Leon
ard said that his reason for believing
| that IaYden's reputation for telling the
truth was not good was because Hayden
was unable to buy liquor at certain time
| In the town of Corain, Mass, a nearby
hamlet.
Alva y. Fairbanks of Halifax testified
that he believed IIayden's reputation for
| telling the truth to be below par and
| Milton Dickford of Yves. Halifax. though
he had not known Hayden for IL years.
was Of a similar opinion as the other
witnesses
The prosecution sprung it's frat
real surprise on the respondents at
torneys when states Attorney Frank
| T.. Barber called Attorney q. Z. But
terrified Of Wilmington as a witness.
From the testimony Of Mr.. Butter
field it was at once seen that the al
| legged statements made by members of
| the Boyd family to Mr.. Butterheld on
| ter in the sugarhousc We're evidently
made with the Impression that the
persons making them believed they
| We're talking to an attorney who rep
resented their interests instead of to
a representative of the States att0r-
ney.
Mr. Butterheld said that Clara
Grimes, the sister of the accused, and
| Walter Boyd. the respondents nephew,
came to his office in Wilmington VII
lage on April u. That Mrs Grimes
said that Potter came to the BOYD place
on the afternoon of April Il and said
| he was going to settle up his account
with Frank ]. Boyd. That she urged
| him not to go to the sugarhouse: that
he did go, and that Walter Boyd fol-
lowed him; that walter Boyd return
| ed from the sugarhouse and reported
| all is we'll; that n few minutes later
Frank Boyd came running to the house
| saying that he guessed he had struck
! Potter harder than he intended to and
| killed him. When Attorney Butterneld
was put under roSs-eXaminatiOn, he
! said that Mrs. Grimes had told him
moro than he had told to the court.
hut no attempt was made TO have him
give further testimony.
DR. l.. r. Page testified TO examining
Boyd on April II and finding a red spot
on the respondents elbow and a scab.
lut no marks upon the mans hip. Archie
| Curtis. a constable testified to being
present when Or. Page made the ex-
animation ard his recollection of marks
upon Boyd was substantially as testi-
ned a nv page