The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-21
Convicted of Second Degree
Murder, He Tells of
Felch Trage
REALLY REPF s. ED
HIS Cl FESSION
Prosecution : ings a Sur
prise at Il. Outset of
Mrs. Felch's Trial

the prosecution to-day in the trial of
Mrs. Anna Felch, charged with murder in
the first degree for alleged completely in
causing the death of her husband, Joseph
Felch, at Topsham in April 1916. Those
who have endeavored to keep pace with
the proceedings against the woman ex-
pected that the testimony of civil en-
glneer, photographer or persons who
were among the first to see the body of
the farmer as it lay in welter OF his
own blood on the sugar house floor would
be introduced by the state as a prelim-
mary to its case against the accused, but
the prosecution calmly went about the
business of placing Otis Williams on the
stand when the trial reopened this morn
| ing at 8 o'clock.
His appearance in the witness chamber
a few moments before court reconvened
was the first intima tion that he would
testify to-day, although it had been
foregone conclusion that he would be i'm
proved as a witness before the case went
to the jury. No one seems to know
when Williams, who is serving a life
sentence at Windsor for his part in the
crime, arrived in Chelsea. He was close !
ly guarded and the officials at the coun-
ty jail saw to it that the plans of the
prosecution were not disclosed. In care
fully chosen phrases he went over the
story OF his associations with the Felches
at their farm in Waits River, told OF
Illicit relations with the farmers wife,
repeated conversations between Felch
and his wife, which the witness claimed
to have overheard and recited in clear
voice his version of the tragedy enacted
at the sugar house on the Easter eve
when Felch was foully murdered In
nearly every respect the young mans
testimony to-day embodied the salient
features of his narrative in the confes-
sion which the state used against him
last year.
If Williams maintained his poise DUR
ing the direct examination, when he was
answering questions by the attorney gen.
eral and the states attorney, he was
even more composed when, shortly before
noon, Attorney r. A. Hoar for the de-
tense began series of rapid-ire ques-
tions for the evident purpose of breaking
down the witness story.
hand has improved materially since his
trial in June, 1916. The pallor peculiar
to prolonged confinement overspreads his
but he is picture Of health
and seems TO have lost much of the diff
tidence which marked his manner and
bearing during the ordeal of trial year
ago. To-day he seemed TO possess suffi
cient intellect to understand intelligent
" the questions and to answer properly
md without faltering. His appearance
On the stand followed brief interval in
which States Attorney Sherburne out
ined the things which the prosecution
Expects to prove and Attorney r. NJ
Harvey for the defense told of some
,hases of the case which possibly, even
hough improbably, might develop.
There was an awed hush as Otis Will
Jams was called and the young man
walked firmly to the stand
Clearly the witness was bent upon
living careful attention to the examin-
ne attorney and to replying with well
hought out questions. From the mo-
nent of his appearance until he had
uitted the stand for the noon recess,
Irs Felch, in chair between two of her
ttorneys, sat mmoved, albeit she fol-
owed with undisguised interest the line
f inquiry taken by the prosecution.
After answering perfunctory questions
S to age, etc, Williams said that he
ntered the employ of Joseph Felch some
ime between the 10th and the 18th of
august in 1915. Within a month or lit
lie more, he declared, he had improper
elations with Mrs. Felch. Then, step
V step, he told of the turn which his
ssociation with the farmers wife began
, take, of conversation between him
nd the woman in which there was talk
/ their leaving the farm, and of a CON
ition in which Mrs. Felch found herself
tther early in the year 1916. He omit
ID none Of the more important parts
that which is recorded as his confes-
on of events leading up to the murder
nd testified in detail to matters and
rents, with reference to the time and
cality of their occurrence. Once or twice
5 testimony bore reference to his wife,
ie young woman who has stood by him
rough thick and thin and il ever he
lowed emotion il was when he was talk
g of the bearing which Mrs. Williams
titude had on alleged relations with
e wife of the murdered man.
1ntlfndcles continued, ne SMoIes uuIlnE
e period of his employment on the
rm and sometime in February affairs
the Felch farm seemed to be approach
2 a crisis. Here the witness recited
conversation, overheard by him, in
lich Felch and his wife were alleged
have discussed the matter Of her deli
te condition. the farmer disclaiming
by charging il to alleged
.imacy with Williams.
When IL came to describing the alleged
D to the sugar house Williams testi-
nv did not deviate from the eonfes-
N credited to him during his own trial.
swore that he and Mrs. Felch went
the sugar house on the night Of Sat
Law. April % Previously Felch had
nned his boots, equipped himself with
lantern and a newspaper and started
the sugar woods. ostensibly for the
rpose of boiling the days accumulation
sap. The witness repeated his alleged
nonstranoes with Mrs. Felch when he
.an to suspect the nature Of her mis-
n TO the sugar house. He declared