The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-02
Mrs. Anna Felch Not AL
lowed to Go Home Until
After July 9
STATE 7 \ TAKE CASE
TO S pREME COURT
Verdi 5 IF Not Guilty Was
r : rned at Chelsea on
= Saturday Night

sight after a detention of more than a
year in the county Jail here while await
ing trial for the alleged murder of her
husband, Joseph Felch of Topsham, on
the night of April %, 1916, Mrs. Anna
Felch is laying plans for her early re-
turn to Bradford, the home of her youth
and the present residence of her parents.
Exceptions in the case having been taken
by the prosecution the woman will re-
main in the custody of Deputy Sheriff
George Tracy, the jailer, until court
comes in July 8, week from TODAY.
at P. m. AT that time Judge Butler
will decide whether bail will be required
or whether the woman is to be allowed
to go on her own recognizance. Mean
while she is by no means in close jail,
and while taking her detention of anoth-
er week as a matter of course, she is
anxiously awaiting the day when she
may return to her own people.
The jury returned its verdict Satur-
day night at 6 O'Clock, after having de-
liberated around four hours. The verdict
was reported by S. A. Hutchinson of
Braintree, who was elected foreman soon
after the jury retired. Atty. Gen. Bar
Der had returned to Brattleboro but the
state was represented by States Atty.
John G. Sherburne. A few spectators
who had remained in their seats all
afternoon were present, as were Messrs
r. A. Hoar, II. X. Darling and A. G. Fay
of the respondents counsel.
Mrs. Fech was at the Jail when word
went around that the jury was ready to
report. She displayed no emotion as she
walked to the court house and took her
seat with her counsel. Indeed, she re-
tanned her composure while the jurors
were filing in and was unmoved while
the court attaches and jury were going
through the formalities of reporting
She faced the court squarely when she
stood up to hear the foreman say. Not
guilty" and then as quietly sat down.
For a moment she broke into tears and
then she was shaking hands with her
attorneys.
There was brief consultation of law
yers at the bar, in the course of which
the states attorney made it known that
taken would be argued in SUI
preme court. Counsel for Mrs. Felch
asked that she be allowed to go home
and at the outset so confident were they
that permission would be given that Mrs.
Felch was In her room at the Jail and
with her mother preparing to leave when
Atty. Fay brought her the information
hat she would be expected to remain in
he jailer's custody until final arrange
nents are made next week. The woman
'eceived the news calmly.
Not once during the period of delibera
ion did the Jury return for instructions.
Immediately after receiving the charge
hey went to dinner and then retired to
Iiscuss the case. The verdict, as deliv-
red by the foreman, was given in a
lear voice. Before calling at the county
Jerks Office to receive their pay as jur-
RS, the IL men went to the Jail and con-
Mrs. Felch.
One may search the criminal records Of
very court in Vermont and fail to find
capital crime that caused such a wave
{ revulsion to sweep over the district
here the murder of Joseph Felch was
If the trial of Otis vii
ans. now serving life sentence at
Windsor for the murder, and the more
scent ordeal which the farmers wife
as undergone, established any one fact
eyond the peradventure of a doubt il is
he fact that Joseph Felch apparently
as without an enemy in the world.
That sinister motive lay back of the
lime is not fully established, even
Rough a Jury in the summer of 1915
ocreed that Williams should pay almost
le supreme penalty for the murder.
The Story of the Case.
II was on a dark and rainy Easter eve
lat Felch left his home for the sugar
,use, saving that he intended to boil
me of the sap that had accumulated
Iring the day. Evidence as to how long
intended TO remain is conflicting, but
ffice it that on the following morning
was found dead with bullet hole in
: head Under him was rifle. the
Ne Of Otis Williams. and sometime
terward experts after an examination
the sugar house where the body was
und. concluded that the fatal bullet
Is fired when the muzzle of the gun
Is protruding through crack in the
lie Of the building. At first there was
theory Of suicide theory to which in
-ect references were made by the de-
1se both in the Williams trial and in
2 case of Mrs Felch. However, in his
sing argument TO the jury Friday
sht Atty II. X. Darling for the defense
lived the suicide theory himself and
.cribed the death Of Felch as "a most
unable and horrible murder
On the day of the funeral Otis vii
ms, a young married man who had
N employed at the Felch farm for
ne time, was arrested Later Mrs.
ch was taken into custody and when
grand Jury convened both were in
ted for murder. In the meantime
lliams had made statement which
-ported to be a full confession Of his
I Of the crime When his case came
trial in July he entered a Plea of not
ltv and was defended BY Attys David
Conant Of Bradford and Stanley c.
i-on Of Chelsea. Despite strenuous
ections BY counsel. Williams alleged
tement was admitted as evidence In
he told Of illicit relations With Afrs.