The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-06-19
PETT|B0NE CASE
MAY NOT Be TRIED
UNTIL DECEMBER
Expected Counsel for Defense
Will Request Continuance
HEARING SET FOR MONDAY
Special Grand Jury viii Convene at
Manchester Tuesday Forenoon
at o'clock.

WINE no ueHHlle coHCluSlOn can De
reached until after the preliminary
hearing, which Is 70 be held before
Judge William J. Meagher on Monday,
there is growing impression that the
trial of Byron NJ. Pc tibone, held at
the county jail on the charge OF hav-
ing murdered his wife on The night of
April 6 through the medium of strych
nine sulphide concealed in a dose of
salts, will not be held during he
Ipresen. session of Bennington coun y
court
James X. Batchelder of Arling on,
who has been retained as counsel for
Pettibone, has no definitely stated
tina he will ask for continuance but
this move is expected by the defence.
1t is reasonably certain hat the re,
ques. for continuance will be op-
posed by the prosecution. In recent
years 1t has been the policy Of the
sta to dispose OF its criminal cases
las quickly as possible. Instead of
binding over persons accused with
serious crimes 10 tho next following
terms of court in the counties in which
they are commi ted, the plan OF calling
Especial grand juries has been adop cd
This proceeding has been taken in the
Pe.t.bone case The facts were almost
Immediately presented to Judge S an
Hey NJ. Wilson, who is presiding at he
June term of Benning on county court
at Manches er, and a special grand
jury was o have been called on Tues
da.
| Future movements In the case de.
pend en- irely upon the results at the
lprel minary hearing OH Monday At.
torney Batchelder s ates that he has
had but little time TO prepare himself
in the case, which is conceded by at
torneys who are fgl!owing the case
wi h their usual in eres With a
mans life at stake. Mr. Ba chelder be
lieves that he should have all reason,
able opportunity TO prepare an effec-
tive defence and he has reason to be
ilieye that such cppor.unity will be
granted. II would be possible to con-
/ Itinue the present session OF cour, in
order 10 afford this oppor'uni Y.
On the other hand there is bare
possibility hat a motion for con.
! tinuanee to he December term Of
court, which will be held in Benn,ng
ton, might not be vigorously opposed
by the sta e. While the prosecution
I has every confidence in the rength
of / $ case against the undertaker's
assistant a delay of six mon HI m, ,ght
make it even stronger OF course
here is always The possibility that one
OF the importan. witnesses might die
/ in the meantime.
AS always happens when man or
woman is charged with homicide in a
small community, the village is full Of
lrumors. many of which are absurd.
One of the stories in circulation is
that the prosecuting officers secured
the services of a beautiful woman de-
teciye who was sent 10 Bennington
and put upon Pet ibone's trail This
attractive woman sleuth IS reported TO
have been present in he guise of a
nurse when Pettibone underwent an
operation the Troy hospital for the
Iremoyalof tunsils and that she oh ain
ed important admissions while the pat.
lent was coming out from under the
influence of the anaesthe lc. The
woman detective story is denied by
the prosecuting officials. They con
cede, however Jhat they had seriously
considered the adyisability of using a
spy in pc ticCa s. They had even
gone so far as to summon her 10 Ben.
inington and are frank TO say she was
a good locker" and fully qualified for
the par, she had been selected TO play
in the sordid drams She was not al,
lowed 70 go ON, however, for the rea.
son hat the accused man was so con
sequently in the company of Miss
Helen Guillow, the trained nurse who
has figured prominently in the investi.
gat.on, tha there was no opportuni Y
for woman detective TO play her
role.
None of Pettibone's effects, wi h the
Exception of his safely razor have
been removed from he room which he
has occupied since HE death of his
wife. If he is permitted to use the
safe razor at the Jail an officer will
be in attendance Arrangements have
made for the removal of his personal
effects from his room on Monday.
The grand jury which is to sit on the
case was drawn almos Immediately
after the prosecu ing officers had com.
,pleted the main portion of their inves.
tigation. The jurors have received
their notices, prepared by Deputy
Sheriff Brazil in the absence of he
sheriff, summoning them to appear at
Manches or a. 10 o'clock in the fore.
noon of Tuesday, June %. The jury
will probably be in charge Of Sheriff
Perry B. Gardner.
There is a general impression that
this special grand jury will SIT on the
case regardless of he result Of the
lt,nor,,e, "a, bo hn11 pu MOpInu nplV