Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1919-02-12

Inree arguments ana Iil1L OIL lHe |
fourth were made in t'". superior |
court here on Tuesday in the trial Of |
ROYAL G. Holmes on the charge of as
sault with intent to XIII and murder |
Captain james Lennen 1T the captains |
home at 30 Boswell avenue on the |
night of December 5th last.
This "wednesday nlorn,rg at 9.45 |
States Attorney Hadlai A. Hull will
use ten or fifteen minutes that he has
left to close up his final arg:lment for
the state and Judge William NJ Maltbie
will then charge the jury and pass the
case over to their hands for their con-
sideration.
Attorney Warren S. Burrows for the
state and Attorneys Arthur NJ. Brown
and ]. ]. Desmond foc the defense
were the ones to conclude their ar
guments on Tuesday.
Attorney Warren B. Burrows who
has been assisting the states attor-
ney in the trial of the case made the
opening argument for the state. He
defined first wb1t circumstantial evil
dence is and called attention 10 the
confidential relations between Capt.
Lennen and Mr.. Holmes. The repu-
tation of the. accused is not evidence
IN this case he said. and he called
attention to the fact that Capt. Len
nen locked the door behind him and
the man who made the assault must
thus have been inside the house. He
reviewed the evidence as to the blood
spots and blocNl smears on Mr..
Holmes coat and said these could not
he explained even If Mr.. Holmes did
touch the captain. There was no
blood on Capt. Lennen's back where
i it was claimed Mr.. Holmes put his
hand, He asked why Mr.. Holmes had
never thing to say when Sergt. Mat
theWs came back from the hospital
with the report of what Capt Lennen
said about the note not being PAID.
| The attorney showed how. he bel;ev-
! ed the spots On the tablecloth had
been made by the left glove on Mr.
Holmes hand as he hurried IN TIE
dark and stumbled against the table
| and put his hand Oh the cloth in four
/ places, Mr.. Burrows contrasted the
| evidence as to signatures on the dis
pUted recent. the defense producing
a handwriting expert. and the state
! practical man. TIE Photographic en-
| Judgements are also proof that the
/ signature on the receipt was not
; written hv Capt. Iennen. In closing
! FIR. burrows told the Jury they could
forget everything else if ihav wanted
10 but not 10 forget the gloves and
lie tablecloth.
Claims Perfect Abb.
Attorney Arthur NJ. Brown made the
first argument for the defense, speak
ing from 1t.30 to / o'clock when the
court took the moor recess until ..
In order to find Mr.. Holmes guilty
q 5 charged With aeG2uit with intent to
kill and murder, said the attorney, tbs
jury must find that Holmes had as
saulted Captain Lennen, that it had
been with intent to kill and with
malice aforetf ought. The court wouIc
instruct, he sold, that there Were foul
possible verdicts, guilty as charged
guilty Of assault with intent to xii
[this without malicel, guilty of simple
assault or not guilty.
He argued that the injuries sUs-
tanned by the captain showed that thu
man who assaulted him had no inten.
ton of taking the old mans life HI
had every opportunity 70 do so ant
would have been provided with 81
adequate weapon ii that had been hi
intent.
The attorney dwelt upon the charac
ter of the accused man, coming from
town that breeds good men from
iona than Trumbull down. and Ifv'r3
for So years in this community With
cut 2 blemieh. There is no motiv
for the killing of Captain Lennen b
Royal G. Holmes, the note furnfshe
no motive for this crime. The sigma
ture on the DISPUTED receipt is attest
ed by one of the greatest handwritin
experts who made scientific examina
tor. Agai0st this are the casual look
= which the bank men took at the sigma
r turo
: Yet. surnos:nr all the evnla nation
| made hv Mr.. Holmes rs to finding II
: true. argued Mr. Brown, TIE note fur
= ri~hed No motive for the crime. Folr7e
! had aT the opportunity in the worl
g to dip into the captains box and cove
UP for Years n come in view of ii
= Confidential relations of the two mel
Il Holmes conduct was inconsister
5. with that of 2 guilty man. the way h
= went home the way he walked riof
:, into tie arms of the police with "a
) the evidence On him, the bloodstain
!. the note in his pocket.
In all his legal experience. Attorne
Brown said he has never seen 2 no,
Y perfect 8lhi established than in tt
V case. On the testimony of Sergeai
: Blood, Holmes was seen for two
: three minutes before 10 walking I
= and down in front of Pulaski hall
u was II this sargeant's testimony al:
: double ouiol to cover the dietant
# from the Leonen residence to Pulas
e hall Folmes did not appear at :
Q. agitated. If Ro19nd Il to be believe
IS and Nowatglv told the truth when |
e said it was COS when he heard B0lar
d shouting in the street for the polio
l. it would have been a physical imposs
bility for Holmes to have been at II
Lennen house at that time. He a
Fued that Mr.. and Mrs. Boland al
%Owat5Ey were more to be be?ier,
= than the police on the matter of tin
- and furthermore the only thing to q
- tack the alibi was the testimony
y MIR. Donovan, who had 4 grievance ty
IL years old against Holmes. Donovan
= statement that he had seen Holmes
- Rosth street was contradicted by t
~ testimony Of Mr.. Sullivan.
As to the way the blood got on
Mr.. Holmes coat, the attorney argu
1t was from the scattering when y
l. Holmes touched Captain Lennen. T
\ testimony Of DIR. Cassidy and Holm
II on this point was right and Within
h was mistaken, ard probably had DIFF
If Guilty in seeing what was going on b
p cause he wasn't tall enough, a
er Holmes was bigger man than
was.
Attorney Brown CHARGED that Ofic
Carroll couldn't have seen a bright r
spot o. blood on Holmes coat and /
- story of meeting, Holmes wasn't sI1
e ported bv the other witnesses.
=. >. argued that nobody saw any blood
- Holmes until after he had been
~ the kitchen and that Officer Carol
III story was q fabrication.
The attorney charged that the NJ
witch pelice had bent all their eeo,
-~ to fix the crime on Holmes and h
made no adequate search of the lie
men apartments that night. Anvo