The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-22
Testimony To-day Largely
as to the Respondents
Grand List
CONTINUANCE
TO NEXT FRIDAY
Irvine A. Norcross Accused
Of Misrepresentation
in Purchase

Only five of the witnesses summoned
by the prosecution in the case of State
vs. Irvine A. Norcross had been heard
in city court to-day when Judge Ii. w.
Scott adjourned the hearing until Friday
morning. The case is a criminal action
brought by States Attorney j. Ward
Carver against Norcross on an allega-
tion that the respondent made misrep-
reservations of security in purchasing
Little Six" automobile from H. +. Cut
Ter, local automobile dealer, last July.
Norcross was arrested in Manchester,
n. H., last Wednesday by Deputy Sher-
iff Walter L. Bixby of East Barre. In
the local court on the following Friday
he furnished bonds of $1,000 for his ap-
pearance at the hearing today. He
retained Z. r. Davis, who appeared as
counsel at the forenoon hearing.
Owing to the enforced absence of
States Attorney Carver, who is i'm New
York the state was represented by s.
Hollister Jackson. The witnesses were
Fl. f. Cutler, who described the provisory
clauses in the deal with Norcross, Dep
uty Sheriff Bixby, Charles T. Pierce,
village clerk of Hardwick, who testified
to the respondents grand list, V. W.
Rand, first constable of the town of
Hardwiek, who told OF levying taxes
on the respondent after April /, and
II. L. Burnap, whose testimony relative
to Norcross list tended to corroborate
that of the village clerk. Several times
the counsel for the defense interiected
exceptions to the testimony of wit
nesses on the status of the respon-
dents grand list, claiming that Norcross,
as vocational trader, might transfer
property at any time between April l
and July 26, the date when the misrep
resentation is alleged to have been made.
The court admitted it, however, as mega
tive testimony tending to show the
whereabouts of farm, ten cows and
two horses mentioned in the mortgage
given by Norcross to II. F. Cutler.
The courtroom was crowded with spec
tators when III. f. Cutler was sworn as
the first witness. He testified that Nor
cross came to him some time in July and
proposed to purchase one of the Little
Skies Respondent was given a free |
demonstration and then the two began
To talk business. Briefly, the respon !
dent offered to pay $400 cash and Sc
cure the remainder, some Ss75, by Civ
ing a mortgage on ten cows, ranging
in age from 5 to years, and valued
at $40 EACH black mare and black !
horse. He said the cows and horses |
were on his farm in Hardwick, the wit
ness continued. In the end the mort
gage and notes were executed before j.
Ward Carver, notary. The mortgage
was admitted as exhibit one and the |
note for the first payment of 500 was
marked exhibit two and admitted.
Continuing, the witness testified to GO
ing to Hardwick later-in company with |
Deputy Bixby. They met Norcross' at
the hotel. The former demanded pay
ment on the notes, or the cows, horses
and automobile. The respondent, Nor
cross. laughed, the witness went on,
and said he would be down the following
week with the money. Norcross showed
them the auto and upon being ques-
toned as to the whereabouts of the
security he said the cows and horses
had been moved TO Cabot. Witness fur
ther testified that he inquired around
the town as to whether Norcross had
the property mentioned in the mortgage
and met with replies that he did nor
possess the property.
In the cross-examination, the witness
stated that the deputy sheriff demanded
the face of the note less S400. or SS95l5,
when the two called on Norcross in
Hardwick. Asked if the respondent
designated his Hardwick property as a
place or farm when the sale was first
discussed, the witness replied that he
,alled ii farm. Asked if the respond
mt did not say he had moved the cows
and horses to Calais, the witness re-
Deated his testimony of direct examina-
lion to the effect that he said Cabot.
Charles L. Pierce, the village clerk,
,aid he had known Norcross 10 years.
he had examined his village list without :
discovering any levies on a farm, cows !
n horses. He had also inquired of the 2
own clerk, Effie Waldron, two weeks I
lgo as to any payments on such prop I
,rty being recorded on the town grand |
ist. She had discovered none. he said. I
Ie further testified that Pierce had I
,illage list of SO. i
Deputy Bixby testified to accompany /
ng Cutler to Hardwick Nov. I. He made t
Exhaustive inquiries as TO Noreross' prop e
rty and found no one who knew where \
he cows, farm and horses were located. t
Asked in cross-examination if he de-
handed any specified sum of Norcross,
he sheriff replied in the negative. Asked
f he heard the witness, Cutler, testify, n
s to his (Bixby'sl demand, the witness
tated that he didn't hear all of Cut !,
er's testimony. =
V. w. Rand, first constable, said he J,
lad known Norcross some time. Last 7
week he had occasion to investigate .
Sorcross' property status in the town !,
nd village. He didn't find that be =
wned two black horses or 10 cows and :
e knew of no farm, replying to the
uestions of the prosecution. H. E. Bur :.
ap. lister, said he had made out the :,
espondent's list last spring. 1t didn't :,
ontain any entries referring to cows =
r horses of the kind described in the U
mortgage. a