Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-29
TESTIMONY FOR PETT|BONE
Witness Declares Mrs. Pcttibonc Said
She Used Strychninc in Salts
for Headache

Manchester July 26.-ln the trial Of
Byron NJ Pottibone for wife murder
which was resumed this afternoon after
a recess since Saturday noon. the defense
introduced a witness who read of the case
a few weeks ago in a Boston paper. in
Boston, and promptly wrote to Attorney
Batchelder of the defense so that she
could come and tell her story Mrs. James
w. Ray, who gives her address at Postal
District "a Boston. testified that on
Armistice day, November II. 1915. she
in the Atlantic g. Pacific store at Ben
nington tending the store for her husband
was the manager. She recalled distinctly
that Mrs. Pcttihono was in to do some
buying and that the two discussed head
aches and what each took for them. She
said further that at that time Mrs. Petit
hone said she was accustomed TO taking
strychnine in salts for headache and
stomach trouble and that there was no
trouble in getting strychnine if one knew
how.
At the opening of the session to-day the
State introduced the frequently men
toned "Archibald confession" this con-
ssting of the statements made by the re-
spondent tn Attornev-Gcnoral f. c. Archi-
bald on Juno 16. the day following the
long session" and the confession made
To Attorney Graves. In the statement
made to Mr.. Archibald. Pettihonc ad
mitted the poisoning much he had done
in the statement to Mr.. Graves. But he
went much further and said that he had
been thinking about the matter for three
or four weeks.
He often thought, to quote his words.
"If | only could get rid Of her" In this
eres of questions and answers also
Pettihone went into more details as to his
In1a It,i1 lTu
saving that they had discussed marriage
since April 6, that there was no ring or
anything like that, hut he had ,old her
peop!c that he hoIs>d to marry her at tho
propc- time and that they offered no
objection.
Mrs. Nora Phllbrick. relative Of Mrs.
Pct.fbona Of Rutland, testified for the
defense that she had been called to Ben
min Ston that night Mrs. Petdbone died.
arriving there early on the morning or
April I She had stayed there for about
| two weckA She stated that she vas
| nr..,nnt when Pettibonc and various rcla-
| tives were discussing the matter Of an
autopsy and that the relatives Including
herself were opposed to It
Several reslorrt7 of Bloomington were
| called to testify as TO the character AID
Ten1tatiop Of the respondent and they
worn agreed thai previous 10 April his
| r.r,,tat,on WA good. AmoEs those SO
| t..rtifyinr was the Rev. William u,
r~u-,yt nastnr of the First Baptist
| Church OF bennington. Two or three won.-
| .n who worked rear Mrs .Pc'tihonc az the
Black Cat mill ut Bennington testified that
! an Ana, she had complained Of feeling
,norlv and sadu that size was coctor'ng
| Daniel \. Ward. who owns and oper-
ates the drug sto'e where, IT is alleged
Pettibone stole the strychnlne, was called
by the defense and went over tho detail
| OF the plan OF hts store, It's locanon with
| reference to the Wallbridge undertakir
| rooms next door and tao handling aHd
Gale of .trvchrinc Including explanation
| NJ the fact that each carton containing
,s small bottles boro distinctive con-
troll number and that this numbc. was
also on each little bottle There vas con-
siderable discussion as to the PURCHASING
| Of -, hottie by or. Wilcox on December
=, which the state has shown was prob
| ahlv left at the store with u small guam
| tity removed from the bottle. On cross
examination OF Mr.. Ward it would seem
that he testified at the inquest that there
had been a search for that particular
bottle at the request Of Attorney Graves
in June and that it could not be found.
Mr.. Ward could not clearly recall the
facts in the same way to-day Mr.. Ward
vas among those who testified to the good
reputation of the respondent.
The final witness OF the day was Ben
iamin Harrison Pettibone younger
brother of the respondent. The brother
appears more worried than Byron. He
is much the same in features and high
coloring, though not so heavily built The
Younger Pettibone in response to the
|
defense told of the entire life of his
brother as far as he could recall II and
more in detail Of his life since he mar.
ried Mrs. Pettbone' According to his
story there never was any lack Of har-
mony between the two and in fact. II
would seem that Byron Pettibone and
his wife we're particularly afreotionate
COUPLE Before the direct examination
of this brother was completed. court took
a recess until tomorrow morning.