The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-06-28

KETCHAM MURDER TRIAL
Bennington officers Testify In Rela-
ton to Confession.


Manchester, June 27-After nearly
three days the prosecution rested in
| the case of State VS.. Ketcham, for the
murder of William Costello in Ben
nlngton on the night of September 16,
| last. At 4 o'clock this afternoon the
| defence began its examinations, put
ting two witnesses on the stand be-
fore the court took a recess for the
| day.
DR.. C. f. Whitney, assistant state
pathologist, was the first witness on
the stand this morning for the prose-
cution, he testifying to making the au-
topsy on the body of the victim of the
murder. He produced two bullets
which he took from the dead body of
Costello, one of which was broken,
where it had come in contact with
the victims skull The third bullet
that was fired at the man was not
found as it passed out the mans
mouth.
Officer Richard Hurley of the Ben
nington police force, Deputy Sheriff
John Nash of Bennington. Judge h. c.
Bennett. also of Bennington and Sher-
if r. J. McClarty of Washington
county, New York, testified regarding
the confession that the respondent
made in the Office OF the sheriff OF
Washington county, New York. last
fall. where the respondent was serv-
ing a three months sentence for petty
larceny for stealing a wagon from one
Fraser of White Creek, where he
abandoned the wagon of Raymond Ell
well of Bennington, which he had run
away with from that place.
The confession in brief runs as fol
lows:
On the evening of September 16,
last. Costello and the respondent had
some alteration about drinking on
the streets of Bennington and decided
to go outside the village to settle the
matter The first stop was at a
watering trough near the soldiers
home, in said village, where Ketchum
gave Costello a drink from bottle
Of whiskey which he had. While there
three girls and man passed in an au-
tomobie, Ketchum fired a revolver in
the air to scare the girls and they
screamed The two then proceeded
to the trolley crossing below the sol
diers' home where they stopped again.
Costello hit Ketchum in the chest and
Kitchum hit back, striking the victim
in the eyes and instantly drew his re-
volyer and fired at Costello, who
D, h hiS fann and foil
to the ground. Immediately Ketchum
fired two more shots at him to be sure
he was dead as dead men tell no
tales. (The pathologist states that
the first shot killed Costello). Costello
fell on his face and Ketchum turned
him over to see If he was dead
On heearing an electric car coming
he lay down next to and close to the
dead body so he would not be seen
by passengers on the car After the
car passed the murderer went to the
Columbian house in Bennington vii
lage and mingled with the men there
for a few minutes and then went to
Cohan's livery where he found Ray
mond Elwell who lived near
him and hired ride home.
They started and Elwell drove
to his mothers in the village
to leave a gun; while in the house,
Ketchum drove away with the horse
and buggy During his drive, Ketch |
um broke the buggy and at White |
Creek he discarded it and stole the
one for which he was serving a sen
tence in Washington county Jail.
The respondent will be put on the
stand some time tomorrow.