Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-13
WARM GOES ON
TRIAL FOR MURDER
Women ThrOng Courtroom When
Trooper Is Charged with
Killing Girl.

case Of State VS.. Robert Warm, the young
United States cavalryman, for the alleged
murder of Jennie Hemmingway, IA years
old, the night of August u, was begun in
Franklin county court this afternoon be-
fore Chief Judge T.. l.. Waterman of
Brattleboro and Assistant Judges Ellis w.
Foster of this city and C. A. Gardyne of
Montgomery. The court room was crowded
with spectators. with the women in the
majority.
Thirty-hve men summoned to serve as
jurymen for the term answered to the roll
call by County Clerk G. c. Stevens. Robert
Mcleod of Sheldon was excused. Judge
Waterman in his charge to the jurymen
stated that in a sense they were the most
important part of the court. He then in
etructed them regarding their duties
Only II jurynien had been secured when
the panel was exhausted. Talesmen will
be drawn tonight and will be present at
the opening of court tomorrow morn
Ing.
The II jurymen are: c. c. Martin. Mont
gomery; Arthur J. Hoadley, Berkshire; c.
B. Weston, Bakersfield; A. H. Hooper,
Fletcher; Charles Purrier. Montgomery;
H. Z. Towle, Franklin; Henry Shannon,
Fairfield; NJ. B. Strait. Fairfax; r. c.
Ballard, Fairfax; E. A. Austin, Berkshire;
w. +. Turner, Sheldon. All are farmers
except Mr.. Hooper and Mr.. Austin. who
are merchants. The jury was placed in
charge Of Deputy Sheriff j. B. Alfred when
court adjourned shortly before six o'clock.
Court re-opened at 2:lo and shortly
before three States Attorney w. r.
McFeeters announced that the State was
ready to proceed. The respondent was
brought into court I'M charge of Deputy
Sheriff Luke P. Martin and accompanied
by Roswell N. Austih, Junior member OF
the firm of c. G Austin & Sons, assigned
by the court to represent him. The
young man sat down at the table be-
tween c. G. and Roswell NJ Austin. At
first he appeared somewhat embarrassed
but this seemed to wear away after a
time and as he stood at the bar and
listened to the reading of the indictment
against him he was very calm and as
Clerk Stevens finished reading the indict-
ment said. ITO this indictment do you
plead guilty or not guilty?" Warm
raised his right hand and in clear
voice said, mot guilty" Warm is boyish
in his appearance. He is short, of slight
build, and somewhat sallow complexion.
He was neatly dressed in a brown suit
and he wore black tie and black shoes.
Following the reading of the indictment
and Warns plea of not guilty the work
Of empanelling the jury was begun. Sew
eral were excused because they had
formed opinions regarding the guilt or
innocence of the respondent.
The Hemingway girls body was found
Just ouside the city limits on the Newton
road early the morning of August 13.
Warm and the dead girls uncle, Joe Will
ley. found the body, and went to Post
master w. H. Firms house on Lower
Newton street and Warm telephoned the
police Of the discovery. On the arrival of
hhA No tol1 x1av,, tt,t Ia q
out walking with the girl the evening be-
fore and they were chased by United
States cavalrymen whom he feared as he
had been threatened because they blamed
him for the arrest of one of their num-
Der the Saturday night before. Warm
says when the soldiers followed him and
the girl he ran north and the girl south.
asked him if he had seen the
asked him him If he had seen the dead
girl. Wiley said he had not and Warm
said that except for few minutes when
he took nap in an empty passenger car
near the railroad station he was walking
around the streets hoping to meet Jennie
Soon after he had met her uncle he went
to the Hemingway house to inquire
whether she had returned home.
The next morning he was waiting at the
city hall for the arrival of the police tc
inform them of the absence of the cir
WHCl ilcT uIClc dTTlVtu ana the TWO tOOI
up the search. Wiley was the first to dis
cover the body and he said that if he wa.
guided to the place by Warm he was no
conscious of that fact
Warm. who has been held at the count,
Jail. was placed under bonds of 5000 tn,
afternoon OF August Is as a material wit
ness in the case. He was unable to furnish
bail. special session Of the FRANKLIN
county court was opened August 2S, Judg
Zed S. Stanton of Roxbury, presiding
and special grand jury had the case TO
consideration. Late in the afternoon O
august 20 the grand jury reported tru
bill and a few hours later Warm wa
arrested on the charge Of murder.
Before nine o'clock between 80 and 4
spectators were in the courtroom. Hal
this number were women, attracte,
doubtless by the prospect that the al
legged murder case would be taken ur
When court opened at 1O:45 o'clock tn
docket was called. Twelve cases stan,
for trial on the jury calendar The cas-
of Elizabeth A. Sturtevant VS.. Donal
Hawley. bastardy, was entered settle
and discontinued. Over 20 members O
the Franklin county court bar wer
present and Olin M .Jeffords of Enos
burg Falls. a student at the Boston Uni
versity Law School. was an interests
spectator. Many, friends were please
TO see Former Assistant Judge Rober
Mcleod of Sheldon Springs In the court
room.