The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-05-31
RESPONDENTS
TAKE STAND
Geugonis and Spingla Tes-
tify in Assault Case in
County Court
ALL EVIDENCE TO
BE IN BY TONIGHT
Geugonis Said to Have Told George
Martin He Would Stab vernott and
Go to New Hampshire = vernott
Shows Wounds to Jury.

Rapid progress has been made today
in county court in Newfane in the case
Of the state against Frank Geugonis
and \. Spingla, charged with assault
ing Albert Ncrnott IN Brattleboro on
the morning of April p with the in
tent to kill.
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 go to New Hampshire, across
the river. He admitted reluctantly
that Geugonis explained to him about
where he could infiict a wound on
Vernott and the witness said he ad-
vised Geugonis not to do it. Clarence
Moon testified that Geugonis had said
that he would fix Eernott.
Nernott was placed on the stand to
identify some pictures introduced by
the state in relation to the location of
the assault. He showed his wounds to
the jury and put on the clothes he wore
at the time Of the assault. which
/ showed the wounds through the coat as
well as other cuts near the heart.
Sheriff G. L. Mann testified to catch
ing the men on the railroad tracks and
that Geugonis told Sullivan Barbetti,
who was with Mr.. Mann, that he had
/ thrown the knife into the Connecticut
river.
The defense then opened its ease and
| f. Q. McGee and Charles Polaski testi-
| fed to trouble in the shop the Satur-
| day proceeding the assault between
! Nernott and Geugonis. They both tes-
| titled that Fernott punched Geugonis
and clnched with him, holding him on
ha Il,
! son testified that on Saturday evening
before the assault he had not seen
( Nernott and Geugonis. as George
Brooks previously had testified \
Spingla testified as to the character OF
/ Nernott, saying that Nernott had lived
! in his house about two years, was en-
gagged to marry the witness 5 sister ant
had never made any trouble. He tes
titled that they left his house at Il
minutes before : that Tuesday morning
and that Nernott started the trouble
/ This morning Spingla finished hi
testimony and Geugonis was put upol
the stand, testifying through Sullivan
Barbetti as interpreter. He claimed
that he had no intention of cuttin.
Vernott and that he drew the knit,
and held it in his hand in an attemp
to stand off Eernott He declare
ing himself on one finger and cutting
the body wound as well in that way
Before that he testified to the fac
that Fernott had picked on him in tn
shop and denied that he in any wa
was responsible for the preIiminar
trouble between them or for the tigh
that morning.
Marie Spingla, sister of \. Spingls
testified to Geugonis s character, say
ing that he had lived there two year
and there never had been any trouble
also that she was engaged to be MAJ
ried to him. Clarence Moon. who wa
recalled in rebuttal by the state, te,
! titled that last winter Geugonis tol
him that a cut he had on one hand ha
e been received in a fight with fello'
Q countryman III the town of Maynard
t Mass, and that he, Geugonis, ha
skipped the town to avoid trouble Th
n testimony was got i'll over objection
and subject to exceptions taken by IL
= attorneys for the defendant.
1t is expected that this afternoo
all evidence will have been put in b
fore court takes the usual recess. Sc
eral witnesses will be called in rebu
tai.