Norwich bulletin., 1919-01-30

puted to have an estate of close to |
SSO0,oGO, and who has followed the |
sea forty years, steam and sail," as
he said in the superior court here on
Wednesday told the story of the as
sault made upon him at his home. 40
Boswell aves-te on the night OF
Thursday, Dec s. when he testified
in court on Wednesday, the opening
day of the trial of Royal G. Holmes
Of this city on the charge of making
| the assault
The captain said he was in poor
| health and at times was considerable
disturbed by the cross examination.
| His words poured out too fast for
Stenographer Graham to get taem and
when Attorney j. ]. Desmond asked
the captain to put on the brakes a
little, the seafaring mon said he knew
| he talked fast, but you had to talk
fast on the sea-
| Trial of the case began at 1885 in
the morning before a court room emp
| ty of all but those directly connected
with the case or having business with
the court Judge William NJ. Malt
bie's order not to permit crowd in
the court room was rigidly executed
and no one got by Deputy Sheriff Ca
sey at the court room door or Deputy
| Sheriff stanton at the private entrance
unless he could show he had business
there.
Before court came in States Attor-
ney Hadlai A. Hull and Attorneys J.
]. Desmond and A. NJ. Brown, counsel
for the accused, had gone over the
panel with the result that the ac-
cused's attorneys. challenged eight
and the states attorney five so that
when the court came in the selection
of the jury was merely a routine mat
ter. Attorney Warren c. Burrows and
the Norwich prosecuting attorney, Lee
Roy Robbins. are assisting the states
attorney,
The accused sat with his counsel
and with his brothers in-law. John r.
Tarrant and Richard L. Tarrant, and
a New York man. NJ T. Hayes, who
has been assisting the defense in its
case.
In the police court, Mr., Holmes had
been bound over to the superior court
on the chargt of burglary with per-
sonal violence. but the information on
which he was put to plea Wednesday
was assault with intent to ILL and
murder Capt, Lennen with u weapon
unknown to the state. He pleaded rot
guilty.
In presenting evidence for the state
Major Hull asked permission to put
John Donovan on the stand out of the
usual order because Mr.. Donovan had
just been notified that his brother in
law had had both legs cut off in an
accident and wanted 10 get away to
see him.
Twenty mine men from whom to Sc
| rcct jury were in court when the
case was opened.
Before starting NO select the jury
States Attorney Hull told The jury
men what the case to he presented
; was and asked if any of the jurors
: were related 10 either Holmes or Capt
, Lenneu, and also if any Of them had
, formed any opinion from newspaper
reading Or other knowledge about the
case.
David S. Gilmour of Norwich, Dan
lei L. Phillips of Griswold, and AL
eXander Penfieton of Bozrah we're ex-
cused by the court at their own re-
quest and one other juror by the
name of Daniels who had been newly
summoned in on Wednesday morning
was excused by the court, and thir-
teen others were also excused, leay-
! ing twelve available for jury duty.
The accused was put to plea on the
charge of assault with intent to MUIR
der Jane Lennen with an unknown
weapon on tie night of December )
in Norwich. Holmes pleaded not
guilty.
The following jury was chosen:
Henry J. Adams, Norwich Charles F
| Boswell, Albert P. Bennett William P
{ Miller, Preston; William kilroy Boz
L rah; John MacLean. Lisbon: William
e H. Dawley. Benjamin S. Hall, Volun-
r town; Ralph L. Main, Franklin; Will
/ lam P. Rabaock, James D. Miner and
e Clayton F. York North Stonington.
t Civil Engineer Shows Plans.
! Civil Engineer George f. Pitcher
= began the testimony. fov tie state BY
= displaying and explaining a floor plar
of the Lennen apartments and a maj
of the streets of a section OF the city
! taking in the neighborhood Of the Len
Z nen residence. on Boswell avenue
5 easterly as far as Pulaski hall on Nortl
Main street, westerly as far as tn
4 home of Nj. Holmes, at IS Slater av
t enue, southerly to Union square anC
It Franklin square and northeriy to tn
I, corner OF Broad and Warren streets.
n The mouse plan was first explained
Y in detail BY the civil engineer es
d pecially the dining room in which tn
: assault upon Captain Lennen wa
e committed. A table in the center o
the room and safe iii ore corne
We're two Of the pieces Of furnitur
c mentioned. The Kitchen communities tin
by doorway with the dining room
e was also described with the furnitur
: in it. Across the easter!v side of tn
u kitchen were three doorways, on
y leading outside. the othe" 10 a stair
II way upstairs and the other to a stair
- way to the cellar. The civil enginee
le testified that he found the stairwa
accumulation of old rcre and othe
> articles at the time he made tn
; / measurements for the plans.
III On the plan of the section of tn
! city. Civil Engineer Pitcher pointe
!. out the court house Capt Lennen
- house at 40 Boswell avenue PulasI
~ hall on North Main street. John Don
= ovan's store on Roath street and NJ
= Holmes horse at % Slater avenu
p He testified that the distance from til
I Lennen house to Pulaski hail throug
y Reynolds street, Division street an
Roath street was 1855 feet ever a ha
I'll mile.
ri John Donovan on Stand.
III After a, recess John Donovan of
ne Roath street was called to the stan
=. and was sworn by Elk Mayor Allyn ]
Nv Brown as Clerk George F. Parsor
o. happened to be ont of the court roo
at the time.
- Mr.. Donovan testified that trav
on Roath street was all on the sic
of the street where his store is TI
!, first he knew of the assault on Car
Lennen was what he RAD in the ps
a per the next morning. He said |
id saw Royal Holmes on the evening
n the assault going past the Donova
OF store towards North Main street. M
NJ Donovan was lookolg out of the viii
"a dow of his store when he heard foo
a. steps and saw Mr.. Holmes pass. I
no got a good view of his face, and bowt
ng to him as he passed. No one was wi
on the witness at the time