The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-06-26
Verdict After Seven Hours
Against Prof. Brenton
and DIR. Waterman
MOTION TO SET
VERDICT ASIDE
Argument on Motion Will Be Made in
10 Days-Dr. Smith Exonerated-On
Juror Held Out for The Defendants
One Suggested $4,000.
Especial to The Reformer.)

HARTFORD, Conn, June 26.
After being out six hours aud twenty
seven minutes, the jury in the $4,000
conspiracy suit Of Mrs. Elizabeth Alden
Curtis Holman against her former hus
band, Rev. Cranston Brenton, DIR. Paul
Waterman and Dr. Oliver Cotton Smith,
returned verdict Of $4,000 in favor Of
Mrs. Holman against Mr. Brenton and
Dr. Waterman. The jury were sent to
their room to dispose of the case against
DR.. Smith and came back two minutes
/ later, announcing the physician innocent
/ of the charges preferred. Dr. Smith was
4 directed to recover the costs of his de-
i fense from the plaintiff Counsel for Pro-
\ fe~sor Brenton and Or. Waterman filed a
motion to set aside the verdict and were
directed to file briefs within 10 DAYS when
a date viii be set for the arguments.
/ The verdict came at the end Of the
fifteenth day OF one of the most sensa-
tiona eases ever tried in the federal court
j here. The iurymen were locked IN their
broom at II - o'clock yesterday morning.
and it was q 10 O'Clock when a knock
came from within the iuryroom. appraising
United States Marshal Sidney +. Hawley
that they were ready to report.
There were not many persons in the
courtroom when the jury filed in. Most
of those who had sat there all afternoon
bad gone ont to eat Mrs Holman left the
courtroom Just few minutes before the
jury appeared and so did not hear the
verdict. Rev Cranston Brenton was the
only one Of the litigants who was present
when the report Of the jury was read
! His face did not change expression as
the clerk read the paper aloud.
One Juryman for Defendants.
Interesting indeed is the account OF the
arguments within the jury room For
four hours, Raymond A. Neff or New
! London held out against the other eleven
r insisting on a verdict for the defendants
: Finally. at I O'Clock. he gave in and put
!. the jury unanimously in favor Of a verdict
] for the plaintiff,
t The question. WAS it illegal TO IND
: Mrs. Holman to the Brattleboro Retreat :
: required eight ballots to decide
The question: Were all three of tn,
: defendants guilty of sending Mrs Holman
; to the Brattleboro Retreat, or was DR.
/ Smith not implcated!" found twelve mel
. evenly divided The argument on TIN
question took up half an hour when the!
{ were directed by their foreman to cast
I. ballot. The vote showed the jury to b
Y unanimously Of the opinion that DR. SmitI
Il was guiltIess
e 1t was the question of damages that pre-
2 longed the deHberation for another hon
I and half Henry & Fuller Of New Lon
J don declared Mrs. Holman was entitle
: to $4,000 This sum was refused an
: another iuryman proposed $4,000 whic
i also met with disfavor. The amounts prt
e posed dwindled until Napoleon Bacon, il
of Windham suggested that Mrs. Holma
= he given $500 damages The argumen
continued until 81, 200 was settled upon.
p Mrs. Holman Is Happy.
.e I'm so happy, I really don't know whs
= to say said Mrs. Holman last nigh
- The amount the jury awarded? 1t n;
~ enough, anything would have been suH
n cient to satisfy me 1t Is the fact that
~ got verdict, that | am vindicated in Il
II eyes Of the public, that is what makes II
al so happy
L. Mrs. Holman was talking in her apal
ar mcnt at the Hotel Kimball in Springfield
II 1t was nearly 8 o'clock and she had i'll
he arrived there after the last day in Il
courtroom. She was plainly tired out
n Plans? Yes But they're very simple
az she said Mr. Holman and | start +
Of Waterville tomorrow and after that I
eu- going to try to forget all this It's a ca
of back to the old farm with me
Mrs. Holman was asked concerning Il
chance acquaintance with Mr. Holman
ms 1900. 1t proves a very unusual roman,
as He was reporter the Herald News
M Taunton. Mass, and he wrote a review
NIX his paper on one of her first works
by praised it and received line of than
fhe from its author. That's how the cor
ous spondence started
nu