Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-11-01
NOT GUILTY OF ARSON.
County Court Jury Acquits Mrs. Ellen
PhiIltps of boston.


County Court Jury Acquits Mrs. Ellen
Phillips of Boston.
A verdict Of mot guilty" was brought
IN Saturday morning by the jury In the
case Of State against Mrs. Ellen Phil
lips Of West Bolton. which occupied the
attention of Chittenden county court
for three days of last week. Mrs. Phil
lips was acquitted of the charge
brought against her of setting fire to
her house and barn on the early morn
ing Of December Z, 1915, when they
burned to the ground, and thus of at
tempting to defraud the Union Mutual
Fire Insurance company of Montpelier,
with which company the buildings were
insured for 500. M. G. Leary defended
Mrs. Phillips. Besides States Attorney
Allen Martin, r. e. Brown assisted in
the prosecution Of the case.
The case Of Mrs. Phillips was hard
fought from the first, the State intro
ducing a large number of witnesses
and the defence using every means
possible to break down the testimony
which was brought in by these wit
nesses against the respondent. The
CROSS examination was very detailed
and closely followed throughout.
This case went to the jury about 10
o'clock Saturday morning following the
argument by r. Z. Brown, who summed
up the case for the State. Deputy
Sheriff Ravlin of winooski conducted
the Jury to its room. Only short half
-Four elapsed before a verdict was
brought in as above stated. F. r. Kim
ball acted as foreman Of the Jury.
THURSDAYS TESTIMONY.
No less than Is witnesses were called
by the State during the day Thursday.
The greater part of these were near
neighbors Of the respondent at the time
Of the fire and were present during the
IRE, arriving soon after it broke out.
Eugene Irish and H. P. Chase, neigh
bors Of the respondent. testified to the
fact that the barn was practically burned
down when they arrived. Both remem-
bered seeing Mrs. Phillips fully dressed.
and wearing a coat and hat, standing on
the front porch. They did what they
could to save the house They supposed
chat the fire started from the inside. Mr.
Chase said he knew that there was fire
on the inside Of the partitions when he
went into the house to investigate.
James B. Porter Of this city, who drew
plans Of the premises. answered one or
two questions in regard to measurements.
Harry Gregory. another neighbor OF the
respondent, told Of being awakened at two
ociock III the ihorhihs anu see,ne n .,N
whicn hshted up tne SKY. ne has,nS
He saw Mrs. Phillips at the door as he
I went up to the house and thought that
she was wearing hat and coat.
Soon after Mr.. Gregory arrived. accord
ing to his testimony. the house was dis
covered to be in flames. He went inside.
but could find no fire there, although there
seemed to be fire between the partitions.
He went outside once more and assisted
Mr.. Chase in fighting the fire with an ex-
tinguisher.
George w. Kellogg woke up and saw
the reflection Of the fire shining through
his window. He was soon on the scene of
trouble. He remembered seeing Mrs.
Phillips sitting on the front veranda, fully
dressed. At that time. the barn was all
ablaxe. although the roof had not yet
fallen in. He helped what he could in the
nent 10 put out the piaze.
.,tv hw+ r,ho uvos a no,ghhor ~ Mrs
phS,,,n. ~ tha tive ~ +ho Gra tast;eod to
...,nr har stonding IN tho rood t., frort ~
tha house al The time he arrived on the
scere soon after the Are started He
Tound an aye and cut throueh the side of
the house. where a haze was discovered.
During the afternoon. three other neigh
bors. d, B. Morse. Richard Bacon and Geo.
Guile, gave the same sort Of testimony as
that Of the others. They all assisted In
SHY94tanguishAng the hre.g Five other wit
Messe'. Dr. a: l.. Foss' DR.: FRANK d.
Iun' ~o.aes Atto.ney I, f. hopkIms'
s,.,,u o. Ao.e o anu ms wne' mis. r-la
t.v .eS -. " nv, ,is a''e,p'
t.,shsr Iofs =. NO. $500 49,. ~, ~ 80. ~
1880, ~ III. .,.. ~ go ."s
ohanoa ~ ha,nr 1911 49, go ,,,;,.'' %
= cr;n,a -, which she ,vas nnooant
The last witness ~ tho .ftornoor w,s
Mrs. Edna Denny. secretary to Harlan
w Kenn secretary ne 49, Iyr,on MutmoI
T,ra Insurance comnanv NJ Montnelier
Mrs. Denny testified in regard to testi-
mony taken at the hearing which followed
the burning of the house and barn of the
respondent. She was being cross-examined
by Attorney Leary at the time court adj
FRIDAYS TESTIMONY.