Putnam patriot., 1916-04-14
KICK In JAW
Well Known Woodstock Official Arraign.
ed on Assault Charge
Victim Has Teeth Broken off and Other
Injuries

Aibuut II. EluEiukts SctISldFy VI lue
Woodstock school board, postmaster
at Woodstock Valley, for four terms
member of the general assembly from
| Wilmington and well known Wood
stock citizen, WAS arr8igned before
Justice Luther Leavitt at North Wood
stock last Friday afternoon, on charges
of breach of the peace, assault and
battery and using abusive language.
The complainant was George Phillips,
another well known Woodstock citi.
zen, who had several front teeth brok-
en- of by being kicked in the jaw by
the defendant. Eldridge was found
| guilty OH each count and in each in
stance fine OF IS was imposed, which,
! with costs amounted to $50 or more.
An appeal was taken and he furnished
a bond of 800 for appearance at the
| May term of the superior court with
Mowry Ross as surety.
The assault occurred March "a at
West Woodstock and ever since has
| furnished a topic of conversation in
| the Woodstocks where both parties
are well known. According TO the
| story, Eldridge went to Grand Juror
| Mowry Ross the day after the affair
happened and a complaint for breach
of the peace WAS issued and Justice
Hiscox fined the accused 81 and costs
of 81 IS, after he had plead guilty. This
is denied by the defendant. He says
he was summoned by the grand juror
but admitted that he was not arrested
Under the statutes of this state one
who complains upon himself and is ar
raigned on his own information can
not plead the former trial or arraign-
ment in bar of a subsequent proceed.
ing Eldridge was arrested Friday
morning on a complaint signed by
Grand Juror Horace Andrews.
The defendant appeared without
council and complainant was repre-
scented by Lawyer Charles l.. Torrey.
The time of the hearing was set for
l.30 O'Clock. just before the hour peo-
North Woodstock by wagon, automo-
bile and bicycle. All congregated at
the grocery store of Ozias Milligan.
Here a general discussion of the case
and of things in general took place.
W hen l 80 arrived and the justice had
not put in an appearance Deputy
Sheriff L. IL. Heaey called him up
end found that he was under the i'm
preston that the trial had been set for
Saturday. He said he would be right
down. AS he had to come two miles
and half through none too good roads
it was known that it would probably
be an hour before the court arrived
This was the cue for some of the viii
lage checker players TO get in littl Q
extra practice. The board was forth
| coming and the color of the checkers
denoted that it is used frequently.
After one player had taken three
straight from an opponent to the de-
| light of the onlookers Proprietor Milli-
gan sat down and turned the tables on
the erstwhile champion. Before an
ether victim could be found some one
observed the court driving into the
village behind his grey mare. This
was a signal for everything to stop.
The last move on the board was for
gotten and it was hastily put aside
while all present repaired to the court
room and took the chairs arranged
around the side of the room. While
waiting for the opening the opportu-
nifty was seized for good story or two.
The Judge took his seat behind the
long table used for banquets when
| there are doings in Society hall. The
court was then called to order, or
rather the court room was.
The reading of the complaint was
waived by the accused, who said he
knew what it contained. When asked
to plead the defendant said, "Under
my constitutional privilege | decline
to enter plea" Al the suggestion of
Lawyer Torrey a plea of not guilty
was entered.
George Phillips was called as the
first witness and told the following
story, son the oath of March, just be-
fore noon, l was at the post office in
West Woodstock assisting Tax Collec
tor l.. II. Healey in collecting his
taxes. As 1 stood behind the counter
figuring Eldridge came ia and asked
me if had said he had been fined. I
told him | had said that I had heard
he had He said he wouid knock my
"block of. | told him ne was big
man but didn't think ne could. About
five minutes later be jumped on the
counter without any warning and
kicked me in the LEFT jaw. Is nearly
stunned me, Several Of my froat teeth
were broken oil and / have hardly
f been able to swallow since
No questions were asked by defend
ant
l.. H. Healey said in part: ~ was
behind the counter putting my books
/ away and Phillips was standing nearby
figuring. heard some one say, hat
were you telling stories about me for
over at the social at Willington?' FL
bridge swore and said to Phillips,