The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-09-08
CLAIMED TO Be
FOND OF CHILD
Mrs. kenersOn Denied That
She Harmed Little Girl,
Her Alleged Victim
ADMITTED GUILT
TO A DETECTIVE
Pinkerton Man Tells Jury Woman As
sumed Entire Blame for Killing Alice
Bradshaw = Defense Likely to Com
plete it's Case Today.

81. JOHNSBUR Sept. S.-Mrs. Al
yah KenerSon, charged with the murder
of Alice Bradshaw, faced her accusers
in court yesterday and told how she
loved the child for whose murder she is
being tried and that She never harmed
her III any way. She was the first wit
ness for the defense.
The state completed its array of wit
nesses with George Leith of Boston,
IA Plnkerton man, who obtained a con
fession from Mrs. Kenerson that SHE
choked the child and that Eta Nav
Hicks, indicted with her for the muir
der, struck her on the back with club.
Later Mrs. Kenerson retracted the
statement relating to the Hicks woman
and told the detective that she alone
was responsible for the crime.
The defense viii probably close today
aud arguments viii begin Monday. The
trial of the Hicks woman is scheduled
10 follow this and at the conclusion
John herwln, who pleaded guilty as an
lacconTlice i'll the crime, will he SEN
fenced kcrwin was on the stand again
yesterday and was subjected to a two
ahd-a-half hours crGsS-cxamination
/ lie answered and reanswered questions
rs TO the occurrences on the night of
July ).
In the main, his story was suhstan-
tally the same as yesterday. but in
dissemination he contradirted him.
self over and over again. Asked as to
the condition of the bodv he said it
was not stiff when he took it from Mrs
kenerson but it was beginning to stiff.
fen when he dropped it. His eyes filled
with tears several times during his
testimony
= George Leith, the detective, followed
kerwln In direct examination by At
torneF General Barber he told of see
ing Mrs. Kenerson in Jail. She made
. statement to him that he took down
III writing saving that she choked the
, child and that Miss Hicks struck hel
: in the back with club. She retracteG
he latter statement and said that she
alone choled her Mr.. Ieith testified
. that Mrs. kenerson made both state
mcnts OF her own free will but told hin
Lat the time that she was not telling
the whole truth
On cross examination the dctectiv,
said that Mrs. KenerSon, in her fna
;, statement assumed all responsibility,
:. for the crime
Edward A. GRAY, the man who foun,
: the body, was recalled to the stand TO
r the third time He was Gucried abou
the pasture and the fences He ha,
S made an examination of the fence YES
terday morning and described the pres
: emf condition Of it. Several boards wer
missing and there were places larg
. enough for an adult to 20 through. NJ,
Cray said that the night of July ) wa
T. rot ver@ dark. lie remembered tina
y the stars were out and there was
). moon He was the last witness for tn
j state.
". II. Worthen, sheriff of Caledoni
II county, was called by the defense. II
4 went on the atand at 3 clock He wa
, called to tell particularly about tn
f circumstances leading to the arrest O
Il John kerwln. The defense vesterda
+, atten,''ad to show that Kerwin had +,
!. ceivcd better treatment at the hands q
the sheriff since his confession.
Mr.. Woithen was asked about TIN
: and why he had removed Kerwin' to tn
: upper floor and he said the change wa
made because kerwin was on the sam
, foor with the two women prisoner
Then, too, he had noticed when he a.
rested Kerwin, that he had file i
his hip pocket and he considered
safer and better to have the man isC
lated