The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-07-20
FAIR HEADWAY
IN PET'lTZBONE
JURY GETTING

the fact that not one of the Is ques
toned had conscientious scruples
against capital punishment, although
the issue was plainly and emphatically
| placed before the talesmen by Attor
ney General Archibald who conducted
/ the examinations in behalf of the
state.
Another feature was the clean bill
OF health given the newspapers by the
talesmen. Fourteen of the 10 stated
that they had obtained their informa-
| tion of the case from the newspapers.
All but one said tina. he had read the
accounts Of the case in the Benning-
ton Banner One said that he didn't
read any newspaper and was excused.
When asked if the newspaper articles
had conveyed any opinion relative to
the guilt or innocence of the accused
each enc Of the IA replied in the mega.
tive.
\ considerable crowd began gather
II ing in front of the court house before
the hour set for trial The gathering
included the largest delegation OF
special newspaper correspondents as
sembled at Manchester during the
past two decades and probably in the
history of the present court house
building, which is something of a rec
ord. With the correspondents were
at least three newspaper photograph
ers and Judge Stanley NJ. Wilson who
is presiding, the prosecuting attorneys
and counsel for the defence obligingly
posed for pictures.
Pettibone was taken from the coun-
ty Jail here shortly after l o'clock by
Sheriff Perry b. Gardner and made
the trip to Manchester in the sheriff's
car The sheriff drove slowly and did
not reach the court house until some
time after the court officials When
he left the car to enter the court
house there was another clicking of
camera shutters. Before Judge VIII
son took his seat upon the bench one
Iof the camera men made a picture of
the audience.
The big clock on the north wall of
the court room registered Is minutes
after o'clock when Judge Wilson and
Assistant Judges Edmond Iafranchise
of Bennington and NJ b. Roberts of
Rupert entered from the retiring
room and the crowd that rose to its
feet atthe tap Of the gayel filled every
seat in the room. Within the railing
were seated the prisoher, the attor-
ney general and states Attorney Col
ilins M. Graves who are appearing for
THE state and James X, Batchelder of
Arlington, Henry Chase Of Bennington
and j. c. Jones Of Rutland, counsel for
Pettibone Seated at a long table
back OF the railing were the eight
NEWSPAPER representatives, seven
men and one woman,
After Sheriff Perry b. Gardner had
called the court to order he began as
sembling the talesmen, nearly sixty
of them, in the front seats While
this work was in progress a lively
thunder shower broke over the village
and the water came through the roof
as it has a habit of doing in court
houses in Bennington county. The
leak in the roof was just over the sec
tion of the room occupied by the tales
men and some of them were compelled
to shift about to avoid catching the
drip on the back of their necks.
Pettibone appeared far less nery-
Gus than many had expected. He has
evidently recovered from the illness
due to the slow healing Of his throat
following the operation for the remoy-
al Of tonsils and which he underwent
at the Troy hospital about three
weeks before his arrest. His color is
good and he does not appear to have
lost much flesh during his stay in Jail.
There is a haggard lCok about his
eyes, however, and there is none Of
/ the jaunty air he carried when ar
raigned before Municipal Judge VII
! liam j Meagher for his preliminary
! hearing. He was consulted occasional
/ ly by his counsel and appeared to fol
/ low the questioning of the talesmen
with interest. Once when Attorney
Henry Chase slapped his hand upon
the young mans knee a mpmentary
smile erased the gloom from the pris.
Cners countenance, but during the
larger portion of the afternoon his
was the face Of a man who looked in.
to dim and uncertain future.
There we're no incidents of the pro
ceedings to harrow the feelings Of the
audience except the questioning of the
at .orney general in relation to CAPT
tai punishment When the prosecut