Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-05-06
TRIAL OVER IN IS HOURS
Testimony Touches Upon Cir.
cumstances of Double Shoot
ing and Subsequent Condition
of the Victims, MorrisOn's EN-
plOyer and Latter's Wife.

St Adams May 5.--Iess than SO hours
from the time the trial Of Robert f. Nor
rison. charged with assault with intent
TO kill and murder his employer, Leon
Roddy. Of Fairfield. was begun yester-
day morning In Franklin county court a
verdict Of guilty Of assault with intent
to kill had been returned by the Jury
and the respondent, % years old, had been
sentenced by Judge Frank L. Fish of
Vergennes to serve not less than seven
and not more than ten years at hard
labor in the States prison at Windsor.
When court opened this morning the
state recalled Mrs. Leon Roddy. who
also was seriously injured during the
shooting which occurred the night Of
January at the home of the Roddys
about three miles from the village of
Fairfield
The next witness was James Howrigan.
a son of Mrs Mary HOwrgan. on whose
farm the Roddy family live Mrs. How
rigan occupying a part Of the house.
Mr. Howrigan told of going to the houss
after the shooting occurred and Of the
condition of the Roddys.
Archie Tague testified in regard to 60
ing TO the farm of Joseph Bovat. where
ne understood Morrison had gone. He
went to the COW barn and called to Nor
,ison that Deputy Sheriff Finn was COM
Ing and told him to come out. This Nor
rison did and Mr.. Tague with two other
men, held him until the arrival OF Mr.
Finn. Under Cross-examination Mr.
Tague said he had no trouble finding
Morrison
Or. j. r Patton vas the next wit
ness and he told of being summoned to
attend Mr.. and Mrs. Roddy the night
Of the shooting and described the wound
of Mr.. Roddy. saying that the bullet en-
tered the right side Of the head about
an inch in front Of the ear, passed
through the mouth and entered the chest
above the first rib. Under cross-examna-
ton he stated that the bullet was not
removed but came out later.
AT 9:S5 o'clock the State rested it's case,
and the defense rested at once, produc-
ing no testimony
States Attorney 5. 5. Gushing made
the argument for the State being fol-
lowed at once by Warren r. Austin for
the respondent, Mr.. Gushing closing the
rcbuttal shortly before noon.
This afternoon Judge Fish gave his
charge to the Jury which received the
case at 2:3i o'clock, V A. Irish of Enos-
burg Falls being appointed foreman The
jury came in and asked the court to de-
fine the counts Of the Indictment again
saying that there was some mlsunder-
standing in regard to the matter.
Judge Fish explained that there We're
three counts. viz, assault with intent
to murder; assault with intent 70 kill.
with malice aforethought lacking. and
simple assault At 3;4+ the jury returne1
It's verdict and was discharged The
respondent was apparen unmoved by
the verdict.
The jury was composed Of the follow
ing; '. \. Irish of Enosburg. foreman:
j. c. Kittell of Enosburg. Howard II
Chafiee and Michael j. Ieaden of Berk
shirt \. w. Fisher Of ST. Adams CITY.
Norman Morrison and Eli Shangraw OF
MONTGOMERY. Wilbur 8. Meigs. H. w.
Smith and Harvey A Story Of St. Alhans
town. Joseph Medor of Swanton and
r. W. Heffon of Franklin.
PLEAD GUILTY OF ASSAULT.
While the court was waiting for a YER
dict in the Morrison case Sew-aIl Ford
and william MCGEE Of French hill IN ct.
Adams town appeared and on per-
mission of the court retracted their plea
and pleaded guilty to the charge of simple
assault. Each was sentenced to serve not
less than eight months and not more
than one year in the house of correc-
tion at hard labor. Last month NI-Gee
was tried in county court on the charge
of rape of Mrs. Smith but the Jury dis
agreed.
The jurymen not connected with the
Morrison
day morning at nine, no other cases being
ready.