Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1916-06-02
GEUG0NIS NOT GUILTY
Jury Finds He Did Not Assault
Vernott With Intent To Kill
Verdict in County Court Yesterday At
ternoon-State Attorney Hughes
Mol Presses Spingla Case.


charged with assault with intent to
Kill by stabbing Albert Vernott in the
side early on the morning of April %,
returned a verdict yesterday afternoon
at l.30 o clock Of not guilty. The case
went to the jury at 1130 clock. The
verdict was surprise to many, in
that GeugOnis had admitted having a
knife i'll his hand on the morning in
| question, but claimed that he was u.s.
ing it to stand off an assault by Yer
mott
State s Attorney o. B. Hughes after
the verdict promptly mol pressed the
case against Nick Spingla, who was
with Geugonis at the time. Spingla
was in the county Jail to await trial
at the adjourned term of court to be
held, it is expected, in July. The men
were defended by r. C. Bacon and
E. w. Gibson, who were assigned by
the court.
The assault took place in the path
leading from Morningside cemetery to
the factory of the White River Chair
company. The defense claimed that
Vernott had hectored and leased Geu-
gonis who speaks no English, and on
Saturday before the assault had taken
him by the throat and held him on
the Hoor halt q minute.
The case was opened Friday after
noon when the jury was drawn and three
witnesses examined Nicholas Morino tes-
titled to appearing on the scene after the
stabbing and of helping Nernott to the fac
tory. Another employe, Mellicarti, gave
cOrroborative testimony
DIR. f. h. Lynch, who attended Nernott,
gave in detail the extent and nature of the
wounds inflicted and of Nernott's actions
while in the Melrose hospital. The physi-
clan testified, under cross-examnation,
that Nernott, as he began to recover
strength, became obstreperous and abusive
and fault finding to the nurses.
Nernott the wounded man, was put on
the stand last Saturday and told his
version of the encounter He testified
that as he came through the cemetery to
the pathway that morning he saw Geu.
gonis and Spingla there and Geugonis
asked him why the witness had called him
a vile name, and the battle in which tn,
three were Immediately involved began
On cross examination Vernott ADMITTED
that the Saturday before the assault, dur
ing an argument in the shop between thu
witness and Geugonis, he had put Geu
, gonis on the floor and choked him and that
there had been words between them on
another occasion.
Michael LilIis testified that he came
along on his way to work and saw the
fight, but did not attempt to interfere. He
did not see the knife welded. He said
Vernott was doing his share of the fight
ing
w. f. Burke testified that he aided in
helping Vernott to the mill.
George Brooks said that he was walking
back of Vernott and Geugonis the night
before the assault and that he overheard
Geugonis threaten Nernott.
William Rano saw Geugonis and Splnela
J in the pathway as he went down to the
, factory, but did not see the assault. He
paid no special attention to them as it was
not uncommon for men to oiter along on
their way to work waiting for the whistle
) to blow.
} A. c. Miller testified that he was an'eye
witness of the trouble in the shop the sat
, urday before the assault
At the afternoon session Monday
George Martin testified that he saw the
knife which was used by Geugonis on
several occasions. He testified that
Geugonis said that he would stab Yer
/ mott and 90 to New Hampshire, across
the river. He admitted reluctantly
that Geugonis explained to him about
j where he could inflict q wound on
, Vernott and the witness said he adj
vised Geugonis not to do it. Clarence
Moon testified that Geugonis had said
that he would fix Vernott.
Vernott was placed on the stand to
, identify some pictures introduced by
the state in relation to the location OF
a the assault. He showed his wounds tC
= the Jury and put on the clothes he Wort
at the time of the assault, which
y showed the wounds through the coat a,
. well as other cuts near the heart.
Sheriff c. f. Mann testified to catch
. ing the men on the railroad tracks ant
that Geugonis told Sullivan Barbetti
: who was with Mr.. Mann, that he haC
thrown the knife into the Connecticut
=, river.
The defense then opened its case anC
!, e. o. MCGEE and Charles Polash testi
fled to trouble in the shop the Satur
day proceeding the assault between
Vernott and Geugonis. They both ties
tilted that Vernott punched Geugoni
and clinched with him, holding him OF
the floor a short time. Charles s. vii
son testified that on Saturday evening
. before the assault he had not seel
q Vernott and Geugonis, as Georg
!; | BROOKS previously huu lesliHSu' ~
= Spingla testified as to the character o
p Geugonis, saying the latter had live
% in his house about two years, was en-
gagged to marry the witness s sister an
had never made any trouble. He ties
Is tilted that they left his house at l
l. minutes before that Tuesday morning
and that Vernott started the trouble
'e On Wednesday Spingla finished hi
u Testimony and Geugonis was put upo
II the stand, testifying through Sulliya
!e Barbetti as interpreter. He elaine
ls that he had no intention of cuttin
is Vernott and that he drew the knit
N and held it in his hand in an attemp
s. to stand off Vernott. He declare
re that Vernott ran into the knife, wound
1t ing himself ON one finger and cuttin
D. the body wound as well in that way
L. Before that he testified to the fac
TX that Vernott had picked on him in tn
20 ta1 ha in