The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-08-25
WHO'S A LIAR.
Sheriff Smith Gets Back at Attorney
General Barber.

An article which appeared original
ly in the Drattleboro Reformer, and
copied into Thursday mornings daily
papers with big headlines, contains
what Is said to be an interview with
Atty. Gen. Barber in regard to put
ting a detective on the trial of John
Wilmarth, wanted for assault with
intent to kill Stella Cross. Mr. Bar
Der is said to have taken exception
to an article which appeared origl-
nally in this paper or to that part OF
it which said that he
would not feel justified in author
izing the employment of a detective
until the Addison county officials had
satisfied themselves that Wilmarth
was not in the region of the crime
whether dead or alive"
The Reformer further says Mr..
Barber characterized this statement
as false. He said that he was notified
either the morning following the
murderous assault on Miss Stella
Cross or the second morning follow
ing. He learned that States Attorney
Sturtevant was in Connecticut and
got in touch with the attorney who
was acting for him.
"Mr. Barber said that when nothing
had resulted from the activities of
Sheriff Smith he talked over the tele-
phone with Deputy Sheriff George
Farr of Bristol to learn the partcu-
lars and the next day learned that
Mr.. Sturteyant had returned. He
telephoned to him and suggested to
the states attorney that it would be
advisable to have outside detectives
put on the case in view of the fact
that the Addison county officers APP
peared to have let Wilmarth slip
them. AS result of this detective
was put to work rs soon as possible.
1.-THE fact that detectives from
outside are working on tile case is not
due to any request from Sheriff
Smith, said Mr.. Barber, but at my
own suggestion, approved by the
states attorney of the county as the
result of the failure OF the sheriff's
department To sprrehend a man who
had only 81 hguse and very short
start when the sheriff was notified.
Both Sheriff Smith and Attorney f.
W. futile. who, talked with Mr.. Bar
Der over the phone from Mr.. Tuttle's
office on the Wednesday, morning.
after the shooting, say that the
question of putting'a detective on the
case was brought up, and that Mr.
Barber said-not to quote his exact
language, but to convey the idel
accurately--that he would not AL
wise the employment of n detective
until the Addison county officials
were satisfied that Wilmarth had
eluded them.
Does Mr.. Barber remember any
such conversation on the morning OF
July %?
Again, when did Mr. Barber satisfy
himself that nothing had resulted
from the activities of Sheriff SMITH
AS a detective was not put on the
tdSt unlll tlHhL udSS hAtNr VIC 'illht,
he seems to have been slow about
making up his mind.
Is it essential that the states
attorney approve of the employment
of detective before one is put to
work Mr. BARRIERS language inl-
plies this, although the reverse is
supposed to he the usual method.
Mr. Barber talks about the failure
ito apprehend a man who had only a
horse and II very short tart when the
sheriff was notified" AS a matter of
fact the man had all of four hours
start, which was enough to put him
far from the scene of his crime, and
that at night Sheriffs Farr and n
j. Sanford both got to work at once
on this case, and their record of
achievement shows there are not two
better deputies in Vermont when it
comes to catching criminals.
viii Mr.. BARRIERS detective do bet
ter? He has been on the job II days
and nothing to show yet.-Vergennes
EnterDriSe