The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-27
BROWNS DEATH
DEMONSTRATED
IN COURT ROOM
Defense in Case of State VS.. Harlow
Hatch, Charged with Manslaughter,
Endeavored to Show How Prin-
cipals Stood in the Shooting.

st. Jobnsbury, Jan. Cit is expect
ed that the arguments will be started il
Caledonia county court late this after.
noon in the case of State vs.. Harlow
Hatch, charged with manslaughter in the
death of Sumner Brown in st. Johnsbury
last July. The defense closed it's case
day and the prosecution put on two
witnesses in rebuttal.
Hatch, the respondent, finished his tes-
timony by illustrating how he held the
revolver when Brown was shot, and aft
erwards demonstration was given in
the courtroom of the supposed situation
at the time of the shooting, Attorney
r. w. Simonds, lawyer for the defense,
holding the revolver and DR.. w. G. Rick
er posing as the slain man. The sup
positional course of the bullet was shown
by means of lead pipe.
During the reurse of his testimony
Hatch told about tue trip with Brown to
Danville and their return to Hateh's
poolroom on the day of the shooting.
While in the poolroom Hatch went to
the money drawer to fill his fountain pen.
He picked up revolver out of the draw
er, which he had kept there for some
time, though he bad never loaded it.
Brown, mis- employe, had cleaned the
weapon two or three days before and,
unknown to Hatch, had loaded it.
Commenting on the revolver, Brown
said that that it worked 'like a lily"
since he cleaned it and told Hatch he
ought to try it. Hatch acted on the
suggestion at once, presuming that the
revolver was still empty, and fred the
shot which killed his employe.
In describing his fight, he said that
he started first for a telephone intending
to call doctor. and then, thinking that
the man was dead, he became alarmed
and thought that his story of an acci-
dental shooting would not be believed.
He then decided to 20 to his fathers
house, but changed his mind, for fear
that his father would become mixed up
in the affair. His only thought then
was to escape and he made his way by |
night to East Barnet, where for two |
lays he concealed himself in barn near
The home of an uncle. During that time |
he had nothing to eat and drank water
rom the trough. On Tuesday night aft.
r the shooting he met his brother while
he latter was after the cows and sent
word by him to the authorities.
The prosecution was unable to shake
lis story.
Drs. W. B. Fitch and w, G. Kicker
we're put on the stand by the defense.
Dr.. Fitch eontradicted the testimony of
)r. G. f. Whitney in regard to wounds
ound on Browns face and head, which
Whitney claimed were not caused by /,
alling DR. Fitch claimed that he
rushed dirt from the wounds and that
b his opinion 1t was not only possible
ut very probable that all of the marks
'ere received by Brown when he plunged
eadong onto the concrete sidewalk aft
r being shot.
In rebuttal the state called Arthur
ooderl and Arthur Liberty to show. that
rown was lying on his back instead Of ,
n his face, as contended by the defense. /
nd that the wounds on his face could ]
OF. therefore, have been all caused by :
Iunging on his face. BY means of dem !
nstration, too, it was attempted to 4
rove that Attorney Simonds' demon 1
ration Of the shooting of Brown was /
IT according to Hatcl's own testimony !,
The case win probably go to the jury
metime tomorrow. n,