Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-08
TRIAL Of ARSON Case BEGUN
Hour and Half to Get Jury
Many Challenges.
states Attorney In Opening statement
Outlines what Prosecution Will
Endeavor to Prove against
sidney II. jacobs.

State VS.. Sidney r. Jacobs, In which
Church street merchant is charged with
arson, was taken up before the jury in
Chittenden county court Tuesday after.
noon. The case which Is we'll known to
Burlington people, grew out Of the fire at
the Speciality shop at "a Church street
October IS last. The State will endeavor
to show that the fire was set by Mr.. ia
ness. The defense maintains that Mr.
Jacobs is not guilty of the charge but has
not yet indicated what particular line of
defense will be followed. The prosecu-
ton is conducted by states Attorney
Il. Il. Hopkins assisted by Attorney-Gen-
era Herbert G. Barber Of Brattleboro,
and the defense by V. A. Billiard and 4.
Il. Brown. An unusually large number
of witnesses has been subpoenaed by the
State. It required an hour and a half
yesterday afternoon before a jury could
be empaneled and both sides nearly eX-
hausted their challenges. The panel
finally selected was as follows:
A. C. Huntley of Bolton f. II. Frink of
Charlotte. George Yandow of Essex, II.
r. Hicks of Essex, c. B. Tyler of Jericho.
F. r Kinney OF Jericho c. S. Parker Of
Milton, Ezra Thompson of Shelburne. N.
NJ. MacMurphy of South Burlington. +.
o. Ross of Underhill NJ. e. Hasselton of
Westford, Charles Murray of Hinesburg.
States Attorney Hopkins in his open
ing statement said that the prosecution
would endeavor to show that Mr.. Jacobs,
the respondent, went into business at "a
Church street in what Is known as the
Specially Shop in January of 1911 and
that the business was not a paying propo-
stion and grew worse and worse. The
evidence will further tend to show, he
sta ted, that ire was discovered In the
night on the north side of the store COM
ing up from behind a show case. the
| flames being directly under some dress
goods. The fire spread very rapidly and
got into the shelving. 1t was so hot the
paint in the entire store was blistered.
The States attorney further stated that
the prosecution expected to show that
the fire In the store was a time fire, set
| by candle and calculated to occur long
| after Jacobs left the store. He expect
ed to show, he said. that the store was
closed at $50 that Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs
went back to the place and We're seen
coming out and that later Jacobs was
seen going into the store alone after ten
o'clock. 1t Is expected that 1t will be
shown somebody was in the store between
1918 and 1890 O'Clock and that at two
minutes after midnight the fire alarm
was rung. The State will also endeavor
to show the iiremen broke in the front
door. that all the doors in the place were
closed and locked and that nobody but
Jacobs had the opportunity Of access or
an opportunity to set the fire
| The states attorney added that the
State would show that back Of the shelly
ing on the north side of the store where
the fire was the hottest was found paper
carton containing Kerosene. the exterior
of the carton being charred, and that a
bottle was found in the store labeled
gasoline" which had contained kero-
scno. Evidence will be introduced to
, show that a large amount Of inlamma
| BILE material near the place where
the fire was first seen. 1t will appear In
| evidence that a key fitting a store doc,
was found in the rubbish in the store
after the fire and the State will endeavoi
to prove that the key was placed there by
the respondent or by somebody for him.
| The defense made no opening state
ment. Mr. Billiard simply stated that ia
cobs had pleaded not guilty and tina
when the case was completed he though
the Jury would be satisfied of the limo
cence OF the respondent
DR.. H. f. Mills was the first witness
He testified that he was coming dow
Church street with officer j. w. Gormar
the night of the fire when his attention
was directed to the store by fla sh o.
light. He and the officer went to tn,
door and looked in through the door TIL,
curtain being up a foot and a half from
the bottom. DIR, Mills said that the fir
was on the north side OF the store com
ing up from behind a show case. TIL
flames had reached some light STUFF
a bove, pieces of which were droppin,
down. The doctor ran over to the Sher
wood House corner and rang in the alarm
The testimony Of the next witness, Office
j. W. German. was corroborative of tina
| of DR. Mills