Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1915-01-08
ADDISON COUNTY COURT.
Don a. Bisbee Sentences to
States Prison at Windsor.

The case of the State VS. Don A.
Bisbee of Bristol, after a three days
trial, had just gone to the jury at noon
on Thursday of last week when our re-
port for the week was closed.
The jury came in in the middle of the
afternoon and requested to have Judge
Miles charge read over to them, which,
under direction of the court, was done
by Miss Balou, the official reporter.
They then retired until about seven
O'Clock at night, when the court were
summoned in by the ringing of the bell,
indicating that the jury had probably
reached an argument.
The court room rapidly filled up and
there was a large audience present
when the jury filed in. Clerk Vain
wright asked the foreman if they had
agreed upon a verdict and Foreman
Nisun answered that they had. The
verdict was Guilty of involuntary man
slaughter. Sentence was deferred
and the respondent was rewarded to
the custody of the sheriff and taken
back to the county Jail.
At II 30 o'clock Friday forenoon
Bisbee was called upon to say why the
sentence of the law should not then be
pronounced upon him. The respondent
arose and in a voice checked and tremb
ling with emotion, said that he had had
a fair and impartial trial and had moth
ing to complain Of He thanked the
court, his own counsel and the counsel
for the State for their course during
the trial.
Judge Miles at once imposed the SEN
tence of the court, which was that Don
A. Bisbee should be confined in the
State prison at Windsor at hard labor
for not more than Is years and not less
than IL years; and the respondent was
again remanded to the custody of Sheriff
Smith.
On Tuesday morning Sheriff Smith
started on the eight O'Clock train in
charge of Bisbee, going by way of Essex
Junction and White River Junction, and
arrived in Windsor without any notable
event on the way. There was a con-
siderable concourse of people at the
station here, attracted by curiosity and
a desire to see Bsbee. 1t was probably
their last view of him, as, according to
his own statement on the witness stand,
he is now 63 years of age.
The rest of last week, after the
Bisbee matter had gone to the jury,
was taken up with the divorce case of
Mrs. Estelle n. Mack and her husband,
James H. Mack, both of Cornwall
This was the most important divorce
suit heard in the Addison County Court
in many years. These parties were
married in Weybridge about II years
ago and both had been previously mar
ried Immediately after their marriage
they went to live at Mr.. Mack home
in Cornwall, about two miles from Mid
dlebury village. There they lived to-
gether until last October, when the
wife left and went elsewhere; and sub
sequently brought this case. Mrs
Mack sued for separate maintenance
and Mr.. Mack filed cross bill for
absolute divorce. Mrs. Mack based her
claim on intolerable severity and refusal
to support and Mr.. Mack based his
claim on intolerable severity alone.
Leroy C. Russell of Middlebury repre-
sented Mrs. Mack and Allen R. Sturte-
want of Middlebury was Mr.. Mack's
attorney.
There were various charges and
counter-charges made by the parties
and numerous crowd of witnesses were
examined for each side up to IL: 80
o'clock Saturday forenoon, when re-
cess was taken until nine O'Clock Mon
day morning.
At that time the case was resumed
and was continued without interruption
all day until evening, when the judg-
ment of the court was announced,
granting Mr. Mack an absolute divorce
in accordance with stipulations which
had been agreed upon during the day
between the attorneys and with the
assent of the contending parties.
These stipulations are in effect: That
in case the divorce were granted to Mr..
Mack, Mrs. Mack to be paid cash sum
of $500, main sum; that an additional
sum of 500 in cash be paid by Mr..
Mack to Mrs. Mack in lieu of certain
furniture purchased by her from Piper
& Guyett of Mlddlebury and furnished
to the house; that Mrs. Mack is to have
all personal property and effects that
she brought to the house at the time of
the marriage, so far as the same are in
existence; that Mr., Mack is to pay all
witness fees and court expenses, includ-
ing $22. SO Mrs. Mack has paid out for
witness fees and other court charges.