The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-12-11
RAILROAD FOUND LIABLE
For Killing of Five Cows Belonging to
John Gilman of Randolph.

Chelsea, Dec ll,---0f the five cases set
to the jury in the December term OF
Orange county court only one was set
for trial, the other four having been dis
posed of That was the suit of John
Gilman of Randolph ys. Central Vermont
Railway Co. tort action brought to re-
cover damages for the loss of five cows
killed on the track OF the defendant
company in 1914. The jury found the
defendant liable Previously an agree
ment had been made by counsel as to the
amount of damage in case the defendant
should be found liable, the amount being
S2l2.
This brought the court to the state
calendar The first case was that OF
State vs.. William II. Cutler, jr., the re-
spondent being one of three brothers who
live in Maiden. Mass, and who were ar
rested in April. 1918, and brought before
Justice of the Peace c. c. Emerson of
Thetford on complaints Of the states at
torney for larceny. Sufficient evidence
was produced to satisfy the justice that
there was virtue in the complaint and
he bound them up to county court and
they were placed in the village lock up
at Bradford for safe keeping over night
and the sheriff was 10 transport them to
Chelsea on the following day and com
nit them to the county jail to await
trial at the June term of 1918
When the morning dawned il was dis
covered that the prisoners had left the
lock up and their whereabouts was uu-
known. The states attorney satisfied
a.. L.. 8 ~ ,o
from the lookup was OF such flagrant
violation of law and order to cause him
to issue requisition papers, which were
honored by the Massachusetts, governor,
and officers went to the Bay state and
gathered in the trio, who are colored
gentlemen. They declined to come to
Vermont and contested the extradition,
but without avail, and they were turned
over to state officers, who transported
them to Chelsea about two weeks ago
The trio were indicted separately for
escaping from the lookup and their cases
set for separate trials. William H., jr.,
the older of the three. took the stand in
his own defense and told story which
was supported by his brothers, as fol-
lows: He stated that sometime in the
night after o'clock, the chief Of police
of Bradford, who was custodian of the
keys to the Lookup and cage, came to
the lock up and entered into converse
tion with him and, learning that he had
a good wad of money, unlocked the cell
door voluntarily and requested him to
step outside, as he wanted to talk with
him. He complied with the request and
after a few minutes conversation the
chief went back and opened the cell door
and requested his brothers to come out
and gave them directions how to go TO
reach the New Hampshire line, and gave
them his name and address written on
piece of paper that they might know
where to address him if they reached
their home safely.
In rebuttal, the chief stoutly denied
every part of the respondents story and
after the jury hau' twrestled with the
problem for about two hours they rem
dered their verdict of not guilty and
straightway the states attorney filed an
information against the chief, charging
him with the crime of aiding prisoners
to escape and held the three negroes as
witnesses in behalf of the state against
the chief in Ills trial, which will be the
next case taken up. Bail was fixed in
the sum of $500. which he furnished.
On Saturday merning Charles Simcox
of Strafford came before the court and
was naturalized. Several divorce cases
have been heard but as yet no decisions
have been rendered by the court.