The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-07-22
PETT|BONE TOOK
NURSE FOR RIDES
Made Trips Away From
Bennington With Her
Before Wife's Murder
MRS. PETTIBONE WAS
IN GOOD HEALTH
Passed Examination for Life 1nsur-
ance Short Time Before She Was
Poisoned - Trial Stopped for At
torney to Attend Funeral.


Poisoned - Trial stopped for At
torney to Attend Funeral.
MANCHESTER, July 22.-Numer-
Gus trips by automobile. some of them
late at night, and very often in the
company of Miss Helen Guillow, the
trained nurse whose name has been
used so familiarly in connection with
the sudden death of Mrs. Eva Bond
Pettibone on April 6, were described
by Bennington taxi drivers on the wit
ness stand in county court here yes
terday in the trial of Byron NJ. Petit
bone, who is accused of poisoning his
wife. Pettibone, both before and
after the death of his wife, from strych-
nine poisoning, they testified fire.
qlSantly hired machines for pleasure
trips with Miss GuiHow. who, since his
arrest, has been discharged from the
Putnam Memorial hospital where she
worked.
Yesterday. developed strongly the
strychnine theory and with the testi-
mony of both Drs. B. II. Stone and
Charles F. Whitney of the state labor
atorv of hygiene that she died from
strychnine poisoning, the state has prob
ably closed its expert testimony along
this particular line.
"a minute quantity of the fluid
taken from the stomach of Mrs. Petit
| bone killed a white rat within a very
few minutes was the statement made
by Dr. Whitney, the expert chemist
employed by the state authorities, and
he later described in detail the .ex-
tremely careful examination made of
the internal organs of Mrs Pettibone.
| The trial Yesterday brought out two
possible motives, although one Is so
possibly remote that the evidence may
| have been introduced by the state
solely for the purpose of establishing
| the fact that in February, 1920, Mrs.
! Pettibone was in good health; good
enough that she successfully passed a
| physician s examination for life in
surance.
Mrs Pettbone, the second wife of
Byron Pettibone, was in good health
on the night of April 6, when she drank
a potion of epson salts. Within a
4 half hour she was taken with convul-
| sions and at the end of an hour or
| thereabouts she was dead, medical
| treatment failing to save her life Just
as all arrangements We're completed for
the funeral the state authorities
stepped in and ordered an autopsy
which showed conclusively that the wo-
man died from strychnine poisoning.
/ From questions asked by the defense.
it is apparent that they are going to
contend that the commissions were su-
i perinduced from some other primary
trouble and that she was suffering with
some sort of trouble, including a ner-
vous disorder and possibly heart af-
fection.
Miss Guillow, graduate from the
Il Albany, n. Y, City hospital, was very
\ friendly with Mr.. Pettibone and it will
be argued by the state that his feel
ing for her is motive. Cole Bowen
testified he took Pettibone and Miss
Guillow to Hoosck Falls, n. Y, in
the taxi twice during the month of
August, 1919, and at this time Petit
bone told him to say nothing.
Morris Rudd of Bennington, an cleo
: trician, declared he saw Miss Guillow
(, taking street ear one morning while
; Mr.. Pettibone was standing on the
curbing near the corner.
Michael Fitzgerald, fireman at the
Putnam Memorial hospital, told of see
ing Pettibone in the corridor of the
hospital talking with Miss Guillow. He
: was asked hut one question on cross-ex-
animation by Attorney Jones and that
developed the fact that he was seen
talking with other nurses.
| Frank O O'Toole, another Bennington
taxi driver, in referring to his books
told of numerous trips in which he had
az passengers the respondent and Miss
Guillow Some times he just drove
| about town, he said; at other times. h'
| went to Miss Guillow Is home in Sodom
eight miles from Bennington, and once
he drove the couple to North Adams
| Mass, this after the death of Mrs
| Pettibone.
Edward Shannan. deputy sheriff
told of seeing the couple together OF
| numerous occasions, giving dates, times
and places.
| Rov Paddock, undertaken, employed
| by the Walbridge establishment testi
| fed that on the morning of the funeral
he was asked by Mr.. Pettibone to use
| his influence in attempting to stop the
| autopsy. Witness told the court anC
4 jury that he made no such effort.
1 At ) clock, the court took a re
cess until Thursday afternoon at ta
| o clock, this recess to allow Attorney
| Jones of Rutland to attend the funera
| services of his daughter in-law, Mrs
| Lawrence C. Jones. Recess was taker
on motion of Attorney General Archi