Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-29
TELLS HIS PART
IN THE TRAGEDY
Goodrich Claims That Rounds
Jumped or Fell into the
River at Bolton.
DENIES he PUSHED NEGRO
Witness for the State Testified
That Respondent "Twitch-
ed" Unfortunate Man
Into the Water.

on a charge of manslaughter, took the
stand in his own behalf Thursday after
noon and, with pale face, related to the
jury his part in the events that led to the
drowning of Sam Rounds, a negro, at
Bolton, on April 10.
The appearance of Goodrich on the
stand gave the first inkling of what his
defense was to be. According to his
story, Rounds either jumped of his own
accord fell into the river and was
drowned
Witnesses for the State earlier in the
day had testified that Goodrich had
grasped the negro in n shoulder and body
hold and "twitched" him into the swift
current of the river before any of the
other members of the section gang knew
what was happening.
Goodrich claimed his defense that the
negro was only led down to the river to
'scare" him and that just as the bank
was reached the negro gave him Good
rich push so that he did not see how
the negro came to fall into the river.
The respondent stuck to his story that
ne had no hand in "twitchng'' the negro
Into the river, in spite of sharp grillng
by Attorney-General r. E. Brown.
James Sweeney and Henry McCabe.
who had already pleaded guilty to man
slaughter in connection with the negro's
death, were the chief witnesses for the
State Thursday, John KINGSTON. another
member of the section gang who took no
part In the alleged throwing of Rounds
Into the river, was also an important Wit
ness for the State. The first two testified
that Goodrich gave Rounds the fatal push
that sent him to his death.
The State rested its case at noon after
calling about 16 witnesses. The defense
called three witnesses to testify as to
fhe respondents character and fourth
witness to testify concerning a CONVERSE
tion he had had at the Jail. This last wit
ness is serving a sentence for larceny
Ind had been told by McCabe that Good
rich was not to blame for the negros
death.
The defense then placed Goodrich on
the stand and at the close of his testi-
mony, rested their side of the case.
States Attorney Hopkins began the
arguments on behalf Of the State shortly
before four o'clock. 1t is probable that
the case will go to the jury some time to-
day.
SAW NEGRO LED TO DEATH
The first witness Thursday morning
was John KINGSTON who was employed
on the section gang at Bolton. He
saw Rounds at the sawmill the day
he was drowned. The witness said
ne had a talk with the negro in the
mill. Later he said the negro was
brought down to the shanty where he
was working Goodrich and Sweeney
had the negro between them. kines-
ton said he heard McCabe say to the
negro, You'll get Rutland out of this"
The witness said he heard the negro
ba nod ctn
KINGSTON testified that he heard Nc
Cabe say in the shanty It's three
o'clock Ind time something was done y
All three, Sweeney Goodrich and Nc
Cabe started towards the river. Good
rich was on the left Of the negro and
Sweeney on tn, right The witness
said he saw them take the negro down
on the rocks. McCabe threw stone
into the river and right afterwards
the witness said. the negro went into
the river
How near to the water We're they
when the negro went into the waterY
1T must have been Is or 20 feet
from the rock down to the water
How did the negro go into the
water?"
He went face first
do you know what made the negro
30 into the water?
NO sir. 1 don't know who pushed
him In. Sweeney and Goodrich botf
had hold of him"
Did you hear Goodrich say any
thing after the negro went into thu
water?"
HE told the boys the negro haC
zone and he (Goodrich) was gonl
home"
Max L. Powell conducted the cross
examination of KINGSTON. The latte
told about the dinner pals that hat
been left near what Is known as tn
"Jonesville cut
KINGSTON said that the negro wa
not the only stranger about the Vicih
fly that day Another man he did no
know had asked for ride on IN
hand-car and an umbrella member ma
asked permission to sleep In tn
yhanty.
DONE LIKE A FLASH,
KINGSTON said the men were in tn
shack about an hour. the negro ga
near the stove and the witness sal
ne acted like a man who was Amos
frozen to death. McCabe asked tn
negro two or three times where Tn
dinner pals were. Finally McCab
and they took the negro along IN
path that lead to the rock near tn
river,
Did you follow them
Yes, l hurried up to see what the
were going to do.
The witness said there was no tall
II was all done like a flash. He sal
he saw a stone go into the water an
right afterwards the negro went II
The witness said he was looking
the men when the negro went I'M
The water but he could not tell no
the man came to go into the rive
He saw Sweeney reach down as II I
were trying to pull the negro GU
The witness said he was badly scare
md started for the shanty.
Did YOU see McCabe do anythin
TO save the negroT
NO sir"
Didn't Goodrich run down the Dan
70 try to rescue the negroT
"He took a few steps along the roc
but | did not see him run down u
~apk."