Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-15
WELLS TEST|F|ES
IN OWN DEFENSE
Very Nervous at First but Soon
Controls Himself and Calmly
Denies Guilt.


st. Adams, May 13.--The feature to-
day in the trial of julius Wells on the
charge of killing his little son by
poisoning, which is being held in
Franklin county court, was when the
took the stand in his own
defense. At first he was very nervous
and much affected. his voice being
broken by sobs, but this lasted only
n few moments. His counsel. Warren
r. Austin, asked; Now, julius, did
YOU poison that child?' He replied
calmly: mo. ! did not
In the course of the testimony he
said he still thought his wife innocent
and denied that he ever told any one
that he thought that she committed
the deed. but he had said that If she
did 1t was when she was insane. He
also denied that he ever told his wife
to commit suicide to save him and
he said he had done all he could to
clear her after she was arrested.
There were suspicious in his mind
of the Fishers, he said, and the rea-
son he gave for this was because they
had brought some meat to his home
which was placed In the barn and be-
came covered with dirt, Afterward 1t
was cooked and eaten and the children
became sick and vomited chunks of
meat He told about buying the poi
son for the rats. how he prepared it
and put it in the cellar.
The respondent was on the stand
from 1915 to three o'clock except for
the noon recess. The court room was
crowded at both morning and after
noon sessions
TREATED CHILDREN KINDLY.
Among others on the stand to-day
was Charles Bouchard, the husband of
niece of Julius Wells, who said that
julius always treated his children
well.
Peter Luman said he saw Mrs. Wells
after her arrest and he said she told
him she could get out of Jail by swear
ing it on her husband AM added that
she couldn't do that because he knew
nothing about 1t. \ letter received by
Human was read to the jury. The
witness also said that Wells was kind
to his children.
Mrs. Charles Fredericks. who was
| in the room with Mrs. Wells at the Jail,
said Mr.. Wells was there about flve
times At one time he showed Mrs.
Wells a letter. He did not bring Mrs.
| Wells any oranges.
| Augusta Wells, the 1G-year- Old
daughter of the respondent, told of
the house being entered by burglars
as her mother said. She had seen her
mother show her father some pills,
which he had thrown into the fire.
She described the day that the chill
dren became i'll and said her father
never showed any partially with the
children and appeared to love them
all. She told of the rat poison. but
didn't know where the box was kept
| 1t was about 1915 O'Clock when Mr.
Wells took the stand He wept as h,
told of the day the children were i'll ans
died. He told of the burial of the chill
dren in Milton and said Doctor Lap
told him he thought the children died o
ptomaine poisoning. He said that 10
Wells told him that he would go to tn
house oftener but was afraid she woul
have him arrested and 10 minutes afte
this Mr.. Wells was arrested From tina
the witness got suspicion that 10
r
DID NOT THINK WIFE GUILTY.
, He testified to telling his mother Mrs
, Pariseau. that she could not stay at hi
house all the time for 1t was too har
for his wife. He said he was trying t
save Mrs. Wells for he did not think he
guilty. He denied having told Rose, tn
detective. that his wife had confesse
= no I'm bn a do
/ IS toe, ausc she was crazy.
He testified that his house had neve
! been robbed by burglars, that he did nc
abuse his wife, and that he did not war
Lillian Moody to board with them bt
l cause Of the extra work He said he di
e not take Mrs. Wells any poisoned orange
! or any paris green, The first he kne
t about poisoned oranges was when tw
n were shown him which, Mrs Wells SAT-
e We're brought by Lena Fisher He sai
. that Mrs. Wells told him she put the po
l son IN the fruit and that her brothe
y Julian. brought her a syringe from Blu
; lington. Julian denied this to the wtnes
: He told of Mrs. Wells writing letters
t herself which she had asked him to ma
n and he did. Witness said he had n
It written a letter for Is years. Did son
= writing in jail for detective and tn
g was offered as a standard of his han
y writing. The witness told in detail of Il
y purchase of the rat poison, Its distrih
ton in the cellar and its disposal. /
= said he never saw the tin box or ra
with paris green on them until produc
In court. He did not know Mrs We
was going to act crazy.
THOUGHT SHE TOOK MONEY.
\ He told of the disappearance OF vario
, sums of money at his home He thong
Mrs. Wells got the money and then to
Ithc burglary story. He told the insu
ance agent at the time the children di'
) that Mrs, Welss mind had been wron
He testified he had never had a seer
conversation with Mrs Wells at the ia
He said he was friendly with his motht
Mrs. Pariseau, who owned a house al
some furniture.
At three O'Clock the examination
IA