The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-04-21
AMUSING MOCK TRIAL
r. L. 5ottum Charged with Catching
Small Trout

r. l. 6ottum Charged with Catching
Small Trout
The trial of F. L. Bottum for the
Illegal taking OF fish was begun las
evening in the Methodist Brother
hood rooms, with Judge W. f. Put
nam presiding in the absence OF
Judge Gibson who was i'll as a result
OF worry over the probable guilt OF
his friend Bottum.
All Of the o.her officers of the
court as announced in the Banner
were present, except the Court
Cgier whose duties were ably per-
formed by the clerk, Henry Chase.
The testimony as brought out by the
prosecuting attorney, c. A. Mauror.
shows that Mr.. Bottum caught many
small fish near the corner OF South
and Union streets right after a
heavy rain. but there seems to be
some question as to whether they
were native brook trout as charged
in the Indictment.
Hiram II. Allen testified that the
fish exhibited were not native fish
but species of poggle; but he
would not admit under cross exami.
nation, that he sold the fish to Mr.
Maure:.
Questioned by the court as to whet
her he ever sold native fish he de-
MED that he ever sold anything but
foreign specimens. H. c. Banks
testified to being intimatly acquainted
with the defendent and had seen
him repeatedly catching small trout.
Questioned as to his ever had any
business relations with Mr.. Bottum
he said he had not. Mr.. Martin at
torney for defense asked him if 1t
was not a fact that he had traded
horses with Mr.. Bottum and upon his
denial, the court ruled that his evil
dence be stricken from the record.
on the ground that if he had not
traded horses with Mr. Bottom he
did not know him well enough to
testify intelligently in the case.
The state rested its case after the
examination of ]. l.. Griswold who
was discovered while under cross ex.
animation trying to hide a certain
paper, which proved to be letter
written him by Mr.. Maurer Offering
him one half of the money due the
attorney from the village for profes.
sional services last year, provided
the witness would testify to certain
facts that would lead to the hanging
of the defendent.
The testimony of II. I. Haskins
and F. n. Austin indicates that the
defence proposes to prove that the
surface water in front of the Root
property has certain chemical proper
ties which will not support life in
fish unde ten inches in length.
While the defendent was on the
stand, the lights suddenly were ex.
tinguished and NJ. B. Morgan who is
caretaker of the church and sleeps
in the building, came into the court
room with lanterp and horse pistol
clad in his pajamas and night car
and accompanied by Chief of Police
Brazil, who was called in from the
street to arrest some disturbers in
the building.
Judge Putnam, although taken by
surprise threatened to fine Mr.. Nor
gan for contempt of court but Mr.
Morgan answered that he did not in
tend to conceal his contempt OF the
court. Amid the confusion resultine
from supposed escape of the prisoner
from High Bailiff Needham, the ses
sion was continued until the first
Monday in May.
Several important presidents wer,
established by Judge Putnam who
ruled among other things that. jur
ors could be taken from the box ant
used as witness and that witnesse!
could, with permission, brow bea
! the lawyers in return.