Norwich bulletin., 1919-01-30
CAPT. LENNEN Tells STORY OF ASSAULT

Holmes.
Explained Plans.
Mr.. Donovan was excused at this
point and the civil engineer was re-
called to the stand. He produced
another plan showing thu three door
ways on the easterly side of the kitch-
en- at the Lennen house. y dozen or
more red ink spots on the doors indi-
Gated blood spots and II was shown
that each door had bolt on it. Two
outside photographs OF the Lennen
house were also laid in as exhibits.
On cross examination Attorney I.
Desmond had the civil engineer show
by the pointer on the plan how the troll
ley cars run up Franlliif street and
Mckinley avenue to the corner of
Otis street and then how one would
walk through Otis street, past the
convent. through the ST. Patrick's
church yard to Broadway and to the
Holmes house on Slater Avenue The
distance from the Ellis restaurant on
franklin street to the Lennen house
is AIS feet more than quarter of
mile, the witness testified. Attorney
Desmond asked if there were blood
spots in the kitchen to which the wit
ness said there were many. There was
also blood smear on the door leading
from the back entry ifto the dining
room. He also pointed out on the
map the location of the Pratt cigar
store on Franklin street, approximate
" 6SS feet from the L.ennen house.
There were also blood stains on the
door panels about four feet above the
foor, at the door from the dining room
into the kitchen The witness al
so explained for Attorney Desmond
where the electrict light button in the
dining room was by the SIDE Of the
kitchen door.
To Major Hull the witness said he
found blood spots on the hot water
| boiler and stove pipe in the kitchen.
At 1 o'clock a recess was taken for
an hour.
A. Lincoln Hanley of Tiverton, r.
l., who is in the insurance business,
was the first witness after the noon
recess He testified that he knew Capt
Lennen and the captain held some of
| the notes of the town of Tiverton. A
letter and note which states attor-
| ney wanted to have introduced at this
time was not admitted by Judge Malt
| bic, but were marked for identifica-
ton, and the witness was excused.
Capt. Lennen Testifies.
Capt James Lennen. who had re-
! manned in an outside room previously
I
that he was II and had lived for 80
years at 40 Boswell avenue. He has
| followed the sea. steam and sail forty
| years. He identified the pictures
of his residence which were shown
| him and said he was living alone there.
his wife having died the previous
March. He had known Mr. Holmes
| for over 30 years and since the death
CT Nicholas Tarrrant, Mr.. Holmes had
had something to do with the bust
ness affairs of the witness. There was
a safe in the corner of Lennen's din
| ing room, the further corner from
the rear entry way, and opposite the
kitchen door. He described the flIrni-
ture of the dining room and the kit
| chen, speaking of the drop light over
the dining room table. This was the
| only light in the dining room, but
there was a lamp bracket by the
kitchen door The kitchen had an
electric light in the center and the
stove was directly at the left as one
entered the kitchen from the dining
room.
From Monday afternoon to Thurs
day night, Dec. 5. the witness said he
was staying nights at his Boswell ave-
nue. residence, having come from Put
nam on Monday. He went to his safe
| On Monday. found it locked and took
out TiVertcn town note to mail tc
A. Lincoln Harley of Tiverton. He
took the TiVerton note from a drawer
in the safe. At the same time he saw
a certain Royal G. Holmes note. The
Tiverton note was in the second draw
er from the bottom and the Holmes
note in the top drawer.
Major Hull showed the witness al
envelope and a demand note for 81,
SEQ dated Feb. II, 1916, which Capt
Lennen identified as the Holmes not,
to him. They were marked as Exhi
bit 10.
i Major Hull read endorsements OF
the back showing interest paid t.
February, 1918.
After the assault, Capt. Lenren saiC
/ this envelope and note were brough
: to him at the hospital Sergean
Matthews read them to him. The wit
| ness sent the Tiverton note away OF
, Dec. 2. shutting the safe door then. bu
not locking it. The door had not beeI
locked up to the night of the assaults
Nobody else but himself and Holme
, knew the combination of the safe.
5 On the night of the assault, tn
f captain said he left his house to O.
r to the Ellis restaurant for supper a
2 6 o'clock and went back home abou
: 3 o'clock. He was alone, but me
I Dwight Hough on the way home. II
e went in the back door. James Bo
e land and family live upstairs in tn
e house. AS he went in the door h
= locked it behind him, went into tn
= dining room, tried to turn on the cleo
r trio light, but it wouldn't light. The
Y a blow landed on his left shouIde
n knocking him down towards the kit
r chen door. Blows were showered o
e his head and he cried out You'll XII
me, you'll kill mel"
e He was fiat on the floor while h
d was being pounded. The man Al
s lacking him made no sound and tn
Il witness could not see him because h
eyes were full of blood. THEN til
man left him and Capt Lennen 81
to his feet.
e Mrs, Boland came in. She couldn
II light the dining room light. but l
q the light in the kitchen and started
II battle the blood from his head.
The policeman came soon after an
Mr.. Boland and DR.. Louis Cassidy.
g An overcoat was produced whic
d Capt. aLennen identified as the one /
:. was wearing at the time of the a.
is sault. 1t showed blood marks in mar
n spots pointed out by the states a
torney. Capt. Lennen's hat was al.
Il laid in as an exhibit and a red swea
lie er also.
lie Continuing his testimony Capt. lie
t.. ne said Mr.. Holmes came to the hou
y while the doctor was attending II
le captain. Holmes said, Don't talk"
IL Capt. Lennen showed the jury II
n scars on his head from the wol1nc
r. he had received in the assault.
l. John Tarrant, brother in-law of NJ
I fa1olmes, went to the hospital wifi Il
le witness. The captain said the sig
a of his right eye had been badly a
n fected since the assault
Returning to the Tiverton not