The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1920-12-24


tween and g p. m. But he can't tell
you Were Amy was during that hour.
M. Tracey ridiculed the teSti-
mOny Of the Miller woman. Yet she
has insisted since last fall that she
saw Amy on that night standing OH
the street corner talking with a man.
"There is no question but what the
purpose for which Amy was on the
HI thatnight was for an abortion
and that the attempt was made with
Amys consent.
Mr.. Tracey ridiculed Fred Obcr
but let it be said that he saw two
women on the hill that night.
81 believe, gentlemen, that after
considering the evidence in this case,
that you will bring in a verdict of
acquittal.
At II o'clock States Attorney VIII
L. Tracey Of Johnson opened the ar
9umentS for the State.
In an imprisoned plea in which
"Will BIZ mounted to the very
heights Of oratory, he recounted the
story Of the brutal murder, brought
up before the jury again, piece by
piece, INC Val iOpS DllS vi tNlItlltt III
troduced in the trial which tended to
hurt the defendant. Mr. Tracey was
interrupted on several occasions by
counsel for the respondent when he
unintcntionally garbled some OF the
testimony that had been given by
witnesses in open court. SO frequent
was he halted in his howery speech,
that it nettled him noticeably.
AS the clock struck 10, Nj. Tracey
was still speaking and apparently far
from the end of his plea and he was
requested by Judge Moulton to sus-
pend for the noon recess. So soon
rs court had reconvened in the after
noon, Nh Tracey continued from
where he left off in the morning.
81 want to take you. gentlemen,
back year or more ago when ANY
Shonio came to Johnson from Stowe
to work for living, to help care TO-
Ter little sister and when she came 70
board at the home of Omin Foster
Amy Shonio came there in July and
Arthur Mudgettcame shortly after
ward. Little Florence Lamphcrc
tells you he was a constant boarder
there in September. The testimony
Of Florence Lamphere is inpo tan.
because it shows the acts Of the res
pendent almost Immediately after he
came there. This man, this brute Of
a man, comes into her room while
she is undresscd that he sneaks into
her closet. That is important evil
dence in this case because at the very
the Erwin Fletcher was keeping
company with Amy 1t simply shows
the relationship between the respond
ent and AmyShonio while she was
going with young Fletcher
"You remember seeing Erwin
Fletcher on the stand. Is shere any
question in your minds, gentlemen,
that Fletcher was at the moyin% pie
turethe night the crime was commit
ted? The state knows he was there.
Didn't Nh. Codding testify to it.
81 want to speak about the Brad
ford woman. 1t is the only defense
the respondent has in this case.
81 want to call your attention to a
piece of evidence introduced by the
defense by Fred ODER. He testified
that he saw the young woman, ans
Wering Amy's description and the
strange tall woman with the black
cape come up over the brow of the
hill near the cemetery at o'clock.
Ii you believe Mrs Foster, if you be-
lievc Mrs. Nye and her daughter,
Mary, and Rena Emery, who claimed
he saw Amy shortly after o'clock
going towards her boarding house,
you viii pay no attention TO the testi-
mony of Fred ODER.
"Amy Shonio, according to the
states evidence never went onto that !
hill until after Fred Ober had left |
it.
1.-THE evidence shows that Arthur
Mudgett had purpose, a motive for
getting rid of Amy Shonio. The first
thing to consider is there q reason
for the respondent wishing to have |
Amy Shoaio off the face of the earth !
There are more reasons than one.
First, we say the very fact that
this man came before the inquest and |
testified to lies and then admitted |
them, is evidence enough that he is |
guilty Did Arthur Mudgett have
anything to conceal at the inquest?
Would an honest man have reason 20
conceal anything. There is only one
answer. That man was attempting |
to conceal something that happened
on that night between S and 9.45 |
o'clock. There was that time which he
was at his brother, Perley's house
and the time he saw Mrs. Ila Atwell
in her room at the hotel. What was
Arthur Mudgett doing during that
time. That is for you to say, gentle ,
men.
Mrs. Atwell testified to another
motive Arthur MIDGET had for kill
ing Amy Shonio; that he had promis-
ed to marry Mrs. Atwell as soon as lie
and she had procured divorces.
as there any question in your
minds that Arthur Mudgett met Amy |
Shonio on that hill and did what the
evidence indicates he did? He denied |
all knowledge of the paths and yet a
witness is produced who declares he
invited her to go up that path and
spoon on one occasion.
"Mrs. Atwell testified that there
was no dew or dirt on his shoes or
clothing but later she said her room |
was in total darkness. DO you be- |
lieve that man so brutal, so cum
ming, so convincing would approach !