The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-12-18
MUDGETT LEFT
BOARDINGHOUSE
Two Days After Death of
Amy Shonio and Did
Not Return
TOLD MRS. FOSTER
OF HIS INTENTION
A Witness Testified To-day
of Seeing Miss Shonio
Enter Mudgett's Room

Amy Shonlo, lett MS boarding Houss
at 8 a. m. Sunday morning, Aug. /,
the day after the alleged murder, re-
turned Sunday night and left again
Monday morning, saying that he
would not return 10 occupy the room
he had used for several years, accord
ing to testimony to-day by Mrs. Har-
riett Foster, the boarding mistress.
The body of the young woman was
not found until Tuesday noon. 1t
was lying on a hillside in an open
field about a quarter of mile from
the Foster house, where the girl oc.
cupied an adjoining room to that OF
Mudgett.
Miss Irene Bourne of johnson tes-
titled that she was out walking on
Sunday, Aug. /, and passed within 20
feet OF where a girl was lying, appar-
emily asleep, in the grass at just the
point that the Shonio girls body was
found two days later. She said she
viewed the body of Miss Shonio and
that the body that lay in the grass 'on
Sunday wore the same clothing as
was worn by Miss Shonio. Her testi-
mony was corroborated by Eugene
Bvrne of johnson, who was walking
Sunday with the Bourne girl
Albert Montgomery of Fletcher, who
roomed at the Foster house, said he
saw Miss Shonio enter Mudgetts room
on one occasion and he didn't know
when she came out again. 1t was dur
ing the daytime when midget was
at home.
The largest crowd at the trial was
on hand to-day. Scores of persons
were unable 10 jam their way into
the court room.
Mrs. Foster testified yesterday that
on the night of July@3l, when Amy
shonio disappeared, the girl left the
boarding house at o'clock. Mudgett
left the house the same night right
after supper
Mrs. Foster said that when Amy was
i'll for two weeks in September, 1919,
Mudgett cared for her and paid the
doctors bill. For many months prior
to her death, the witness said, the girl
appeared sad, ate little and often cried.
Mrs. Foster had seen Mudgett and
Miss Shonio together in the sitting
room. Mudgett was lying down with
his head in Miss Shonio's lap and she
was combing his hair. They often
played with the ouija board. AT Christ
mas Mudgett gave the girl toilet set,
and she also received a pair OF fur
wristed gloves from Irwin Fletcher Of
johnson. Mrs. Foster said that she
herself had given Mudgett box of
stationery The gift was identified in
court and placed among the exhibits.
On the night of July 81 Mudgett,
according TO Mrs. Foster, came home ut
IL o'clock. She knew him by his step
and said to him, Don't lock the door.
Amy is coming home" Mudgett re-
piled briefly and proceeded to his ROOM
The witness said that Mudgett paid
SIS for coat that Miss Shonio wore
in the fall Of 1919. She told also of
finding a child's nightdress in one of
the drawers in the girls ROOM
Z On cross examination conducted by
W. A. Dutton, she said the ouija board
was the property Of Mudgett and was
kept in the sitting room and often
was operated BY others in the house.
She said that when Miss Shonio first
came 10 the house she was keeping
company" with Irwin Fletcher of John
son, that Fletcher frequently visited
her at the Foster house, and that IN
the summer time Miss Shonio enter
tanned him on the piazza and in the
winter they visited in the sitting room.
They were not always alone, Mrs. Fos-
ter said She had observed acts of af-
fection between them and said that
Fletcher ceased his visits in December,
1919. Speaking Of Miss Shonio's at
titude while she was at the Foster
house. she said the girl was never very
cheerful. but had frequent crying
spells The witness remembered a
quarrel between the girl and Fletcher
over another girl and that Miss Shonio
cried for over week. Mrs. Foster
said she was related to Irwin Fletch-
er in that his father and she were
cousins.
She was questioned by Mr.. Archi.
bald on redirect examination as 10
whether she had ever heard Mudgett
talking to Miss Shonio about Fletch-
er. She had, she said, and that Mud
rett was attacking Flstcher's chsrac
ter. Mr. Archibald then asked permis-
sion to withhold the further exami-
nation of Mrs. Foster until this morn
ing. which was granted.
Miss Florence Lamphere, IL, who
formerly worked at the Foster home,
testified to living at the house and
rooming with Miss Shonio. Miss Flor
ence Chase Of Morristown Corners. a
former employe Of the overall factory
IN johnson. and a boarder at the Fos
ter house. said that Miss Shonio sci
dom was out at night and that she
frequently saw Mudgett and the girl
kiss each other Miss Henrietta I'm
erv. a student at the johnson Normal
school. who boarded AZ the Foster
house. 'substantiafed her testimony. as
did la Sanborn, formerly an employe
At the house.
Perley Mudgett. brother Of the re-
spondent, told Of his knowledge II his
brothers actions the night Of the
crime. saving that h. came 60 his
house at eight and left a few minutes
afterward. Frederick Leslie of John
son said midget was in his store rt
1880. that be put in e phone cali for
him and that Mudcett left shortly aft-
erward.
r. J. OrndorH Of Winchester. Va.