Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-10-09
WITNESS BELIEVES
MAUD WAS INSANE
She Had Not Been Right in Her
Head for 20 Years. Is Mrs.
John Howricon's Opinion

North Hero, Oct S--Thc taking of tcsti-
mony in behalf of John Howricon, con-
testant of the will Of his sister, was be-
gun at the county court house this morn
ing. Five witnesses testified, the first
being Mrs. Anna Howricon. wife of John.
She occupied the stand all the morning
on direct examination and the greater
part of the afternoon session on cross
examina lion
Mrs. Howricon testified she knew Maud
when girl and always thought that
she was excitable and domineering Al
one time a gang of men was working
for Maud's mother and Maud went out
TO talk TO them and they all resigned
Maud's mother wanted the witness to
try and pacify them. but Maud would
not have 1t, saying that she would settle
with them herself The mother wanted
TO go to North Hero Ferry one day. but
in the presence Of Maud told the witness
that she would not let Maud drive her
and asked the witness to take her and
she did
One winter me witpess and Maud want
ed to so to Swantan across the ice and
the sleigh was ready. The witness came
out Of the house wearing her husbands
fur coat. Maud said that she had on her
fathers coat and that she had nothing
The witness said that she could take the
coat IL she wanted II but Maud got out
of the sleigh and would not go anyway.
When the mother died Maud sat in a rock
ing chair placed across the door to the
room where the body was and rocked ali
night long and would not allow anybody
to go into tho room. She did not cry or
shed tears or appear to he sorry. the wit
ness said, but she was sorry In her own
way.
Maud kept turkeys and used 10 cut
their threats 10 kill them and said she
enjoyed doing II and covered her hands
with blood One time Jazeb Hasen came
TO kill her hog and she let him stick them
but not clean them. Her diary on this day
read. II cleaned out the inwards and it
was great fun" Maud had revolver and
used to get up nights after going to bed
and fire it off into a small tree jus, out
side her window insisting that there was
man behind it. she shot so many
bullets into the tree that it was killed
and had to he cut down
One time several pigs of Johns came
on her land Ghe farr, of her brother
adjoining her own property and she
asked the witness to assist her In driving
them off. The witness had just been i'll
and could NOT hustle about but agreed
TO help and took one of her children with
her Maud took her revolver and dis
charged it three or four times near the
feet Of Anna. Maud kept two horses
while she taught school at Isle La Motto
and used to leave them barrel Of water
and several forks Of hay on Monday,
lock up the barn and not come back
until Friday and then she would let the
horses out and they would make fran
tic dash for the lake to get water.
Two of johns sheep wandered on to
her land one day and she chased them
both, according to the witness. and kill
ed them by blows with hay rake.
When her house cat had kittens Maud
would hold them by their hind legs and
chop off their heads. One time stray
cat came to her house and Maud put
the ANNA in bag and banged the bag
against rocks, etc, until the cat was
crushed TO pieces
She told Anna At one time that there
were snakes in her bed and she could not
sleep nights. On one occasion Maud said
she woke up and found herself crouched
behind the kitchen door The witness
said that Maud used to get up in the
middle of the night and take a 20-mile
ride in her buggy. She testified that
Maud complained If noises in her head
and though, that they were due to ca
tarrh, but after nasa operation they
were still TO he heard.
Maud told her once that some Of her
ancestors were crazy or insane, and she
named her great randfather who was
so ont of his head that he had to he
chained TO the floor. She also mention
ed an Aunt HARRIET who was insane.
The witness was of the opinion that
Maud had not been right in her head for
20 wears and thai she was Of an unsound
mind
Mrs. Flowricon was asked. on cross-ex-
animation as 20 the division If the nrop-
ertY Al the time Of the death Of the par.
ents and she WAS of the opinion that
Maud got the best share. Relative to
the turkeys and their killing ~ Maud
the witness SAID that II was not so much
tha' Maud killed them. but the facr that
Maud seemed to enjoy the elauGhier
Mrs. cora Hazen was recalled 70 the
stand by Attorney Vernon A. BulIard Of
Burlington for the contestant. by an
agreement made between counsel. and
questioned ahou, the stations where
Maud took the train for Milton. 1t was
usual y al Eas. AlhurG or West Alhurs
until the Grand Isle station was opened
The questions mad considerable bearing
on the time when nor viii vaS executed
Mrs. Josie r, Lewis OF Nhurg. present
town clerk and treasurer and school
teacher there for mann years testified
mat at one time VIXEN she and Miss Ross
'up"rNisor Of schools for ne county or
{ aud Isle visited Maud = So hool at Alburc
no mad the pupils assembled for a marc1
nd they executed puadrilIe During their