Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-21
TRIED TO CLIMB
WALLS OF ROOM
eloof Went through Many Queer
Stunts while at the
Hospital.
WATCHERS NOT IMPRESSED
Thought Patient Was Shamning
When He Declared He Saw
Snakes and Devils Jump
ing Out of Posts.

The testimony in the !loot case Thurs
lay had to do mainly with llnofs actions
While at the Mary Fletcher hospital after
he had shot Officer Christophcr Miles at
II Ward street on the morning of June 49,
1911, ana then tried to Kill himself Ac-
rording to the officers WHO were put in
charge Of l'loof at tine hospital TO see
that hc di1 not try TO escape, tho re-
snoudout went through many peculiar
stunts. Not tho least of these was his
determination 20 complete an imaginary
Job Of electric leNt wiring In his room
~ the hospital According to one Wit
noss, floof woull jump ont Of bed many
trlos dGrinS tn" day and try to climb up
the sides ~ the wallis ina an effort to reach
nu imaginary wire and would fuss for
lorg periods NJ "a time twisting and turn
linz a fixture that did not exist except in
the patients mind If the testimony of
these witnesses is correct. i'loof also
complained of seeing devils and snakes
jumping out of the vcranda posts and
Tho patient also enjoyed standing up in
bed and pretending to fish over the side,
Thcse and many others were tho antics
orformcd by rloof while at the hospital.
l1t the witnesses for the state testified
opinion all Of ploof's alleged decisions
were not genuine.
At no time during the trial Thursday
did it develop that Ploof prcmeditatcd the
shooting of Officer Miles. although the
prosecuting officers sought to bring out
tho fact that p,oof knew the burlington
police had = warrant for him on cu"ys-
of threatening to shoot his wife and was
therefore not unaware that the police
uieht give him trouble.
Tho events leading up to tho shooting
If Miles were brought ont in detail Tnurs-
lay. rioof. II appears. had not lived
with his wife for three years prior to the
shooting. on the night of JUNG Il. ac-
rording to the evidence. Ploof had trouble
with his wife and is alleged to have made
threats on her life. She complained to
the police and warrant charging f'loof
with breach of the peace WAS ISSUED. In
tn" meantime P,oof had gone to Mallctt-
hay and was trying to get to Grand Isle
md thence to Flattsburgh. The evidence
disclosed that Ploof came back to BUR
lington on the morning Of the shooting
for tho purpose uf getting his clothes and
some money and of leaving burlington
for good. rloof. it seems. planned Ia
jump ont IN" window of the Ward street
honse If he was SURPRISED while makinl,
rrcpa ratlons to leave the city. and 1t was
the sudden appearance of Miles on the
scene with the warrant that led to Ploof 3
loss Of nerve and his sudden determine
ton 10 shoe. Miles and then kill himself.
Joseph Fruc, WHO lives about milo
from the Heinoherg bridge, testified tina,
he met iloof the morning Of the shooting
and as lac was driving towards I}urling-
ton he as.iei Plnof to ride. lie said ploof
did not say anything to him although
PiOof rode on the seat with him.
H. J. Bray, of the police department.
who was on guard over Iloof at the
Mary Fletcher hospital produced some
notes Of his conversations with Plocf IT
tho hospital
state what Ploof said to YOU reEardin,
tho warrant that was out against him. %
"Ploof said Chris read the warrant To-
me. ! knew they had ono out for me g
Did Ploof make any further statements
to YOU" asked Attorney Billiard on cross
examination.
YES"
Does the states Attorney know VIVA,
those statements Were?'
Yes"
DOt'BTED PLOOr"S ACTIONS
did You observe Ploof~ actions Will,
You We're on guard ut tho hpspital:'
Eyes"
what was PIoofs appearance when yoI
first got 10 tho hospitals
"IIc looked tho same as usual cXccp
that u" watched nc all the time Unit
he heraiu, uconS,,iptte'
What do You mean ly unconscious ."
II mean deliiious
IBID you have any doubt about his
being dolirious?"
~ did at the time"
"lIaNo you changed Your opnio,
since that time"
no, ! sin have tn" Same opinion.
If.rOF'S ANTICS At HOSPITAL,
"lrd Ploof try to get out Of be,
while YOU were thore?"