The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-04
ANNA FELCH IS
BACK IN JAIL
u
Court Refused to Allow Bail
for Woman Once Ac-
Quilted of Murder
SECOND TRIAL NOT
LIKELY THIS TERM
Mrs. Felch (Now Dexter Is
Accused Of Murder of
Her Former Husband

Chelsea, Dec Mrs. Anna Felch Dex-
ter, whose srraignment and trial on the
charge Of numbering her husband, con-
tributed one of the most absorbing chap
ters in the annals of Orange county
court, was back in the county jail to.
day as the result of an order issued yes
terday by Judge Zed s. Stanton, who is
presiding at the December term of SUI
perior court Mrs. Felch Dexter's recon-
initial is the result of reversal which
her counsel met in supreme court last
month, when exceptions taken by the
state during the trial that ended in her
acquittal in June, 1917. were sustained
Two motions in which the woman's
counsel strenuously opposed any order
which would restore her to close Jail
custody were denied by the court, and
the respondent once more is awaiting
trial in the lower court on charge OF
first degree murder
Fresh developments in the case follow
a sequence of events which began on
Easter eve in 1916, when Joseph Felch,
Topsham farmer living near the village
Of Waits River, was mysteriously mur-
dered in his sugar house A few days
later his wife and a farmland, Otis Will
liams, were arrested for murder. Sub
sequently Williams is alleged to have
made a confession, which implicated the
woman. In the following July Williams
was convicted of second degree murder
and sentenced to the state prison for
life. A year later Mrs. Felch came to
trial and Williams and his confession
were important factors in the prosecu4
tion. After a contentiously fought trial
the jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
Promptly the state exercised its preroga-
tive of appealing to supreme court,
move which the defense has consistently
opposed as being unconstitutional.
For year the case remained with the
higher court. In the meantime, on Sept.
80, last, Mrs. Felch became the wife
of Leander A. Dexter of Waits River, the
wedding taking place in the home OF her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. j. b. Smith Then
came the supreme courts reversal of
the verdict.
Yesterday Attorneys r. A. Hoar and
A. G. Fay Of Barre and Hale X Darling
Of Chelsea presented motion request
ing that the case agai~st their client be
dismissed on constitutional grounds.
Quoting the l4th amendment to the con-
stitution of the United States, the de-
Tense contended that the respondent
could not lawfully be tried again on the
same charge, in view of the verdict Of
net guilty once returned. When the
first motion was denied, Mrs Felch-
Dexter's counsel moved that the woman
be admitted to bail The second mo-
tion having been denied, the court or
dered the sheriff to proceed with the re-
committal.
There is little likelihood that the case
will be retired during the present term
of court. States Attorney John G.
Sherburne was understood to be repre-
senting the views Of the attorney gen
eraI who directed the prosecution in
1917, that the case should 90 over to
the June term. Chelsea is not easily
accessible during the winter months to
many of the witnesses who will be re-
called.