The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-04-06
HALE HEARD
OF THREATS
But He Had Never Been
Directly Threatened
by Morse
so HE TESTIFIED
IN MURDER CASE
Hale A d m t t e d Having
Trouble With Morse
Over Land

ington county court on the charge OF
numbering III. Lester Morse on Feb.
testified in his own defense to-day by
! saying that while Morse had never di.
rectly threatened him he had heard OF
threats made by Morse through Others,
naming Robert Gordon, Robert Thresh-
er and Mr.. Gordon's mother Hale adj
mitted on the stand Of there being
trouble between himself and Morse.
The respondent was the first witness
this morning. He testified that he
lives in Middlesex, having been a resi-
dent there since childhood. He named
the town offices he has filed. The at
torney general objected to that line of
testimony, but the court admitted j.
i Ward Carver, for the defense, said
they wished to put the respondents
character into the case.
Coming to his relations with the
slain man, Hale said he had known
Morse since 1913 and Morse had worked
for him. The witness started to give
his opinion of Morse's temperament, to
4 which line Of testimony the state OBJ
jected. An argument, followed by
conference at the bench, resulted in no
specific presentation of that testimony.
! Hale testified to the purchase of the
sugar place. near where the death of
Morse took place. He said he saw
wires strung in the sugar place last
July but he did not see the wires put
there, Morse did not tell him about
putting any wires there. Mr. Carver
said they would show by another wit
ness that Morse told Hale last July
that he owned the land where the sug.
ar house stands.
Inquiry relative TO the details of
trouble in a suit between the two men
brought out objection by the state.
Witness said he took down the wire
that was strung in July. There were
signs up when he bought the place. On
Nov. 3, Hale saw Morse carrying a few
signs in his hand and also his gun. He
heard a shot, to which testimony the
state objected and the testimony was
ruled out by the court, and the re-
spondent was given an exception.
On the afternoon Of that same day |
Hale saw Morse near Morse's barn and |
he said he stopped and told Morse he |
was going TO put up some more signs. |
them down and shall again"
The witness testified he saw Morse
again later when the hired men were
coming across the Morse land. Morse
ran toward the men. Mr.. Perry ran
back but Harry Carr continued. Wit
ness heard Morse say: "You get back
or / shoot" Then Hale said: Harry,
you had better 20 back" and Harry
went back.
At this point the witness said that
Morse had never threatened him but he
had heard of threats through others.
''Alr. Gordon and Mr. Thresher told me
that Morse had said he would string
me on fork and throw me over the
fence and that | would never sugar
there again" During the past sum
mer. Mrs Gordon had telephoned about
4 threat made against Hale.
The defense tried to show that after
the signs were torn down the matter {
was called to the attention of the au-
.horities.
TIE witness testified relative to con-
-ersation Mr.. Gordon had with him.
dr. Gordon told him that Morse came
1t him with club. All testimony I
elative TO this was admitted. subject a
o exception by the state. He also tes-
ified relative TO a telephone message d
rom Mrs. T. r. Gordon relative TO Q
Morse preventing Robert Gordon's men G
working on the land. Robert Thresher d
lad also told the witness about things :
iorse had said.
The Day of the Tragedy. I
n. I'll I l.. 40. 90 h..,,. h,,s ,,-,rt 1 a.
o his sugar place to see what had been
one He left the house about y
clock, going alone in a sleigh drawn a
v an old horse. He came TO wire
hat was across the wood road that l.
ad been used by James Portal. who :,
'anted TO continue the use of the road. !,
Ir. Portal notified him that the wire :;
-as in the road. The witness started !,
. testify about alleged damage to the ~
lgar house. which was excluded.
The witness went 20 the sugar house.
-e saw the wire. He saw Morse as
E tHale) was going back to the Sleigh VI
'om the sugar house. There was
bout Is inches Of snow on the ground.
e saw Morse go into the barn but did
1t see him come out. Returning to 81
Il team. he took nippers out of the Is
eigh and cut the wire. W
The nippers were shown in court as CT
.idence. He was cutting the wire mi
hen he saw Morse about half way be- nj
geen the Morse barn and the barway. III
orse vas going towards the sugar tn
,use. with what he called a stick in Gel
: hand which he was using as cane. crl
tier he saw Morse come up 2 path bu
av as fast as he could approaching ria
m HALE. He described Morse's fea- to
res az looked TO me Ike a wild wa
an. He was going a. fast as he
uld for a man Of his size. The wit Of
- placed the nippers in his sleigh vi
a took his gun. W
~Did he say anything asked Mr.. VIC
rver. Yes la
What =" said Mr.. Carver. He said, fol
ou get 10 hell out Of there.
4 said. Don't you come any further,
vou do. ] shall shoot :
Morse came toward the witness TO-
out 10 feet and y fired, he dropped cha
10 witness showed the attitude Of Bry
,rse with the pitchfork. IN
Mr.. Carver. Did YOU take any sim17
Hale. Il did not Jof
The witness said hc did not bold the uel
h az his shoulder and shot because Ehl
Wzs afraid of my life of
Bale could not ieH the distance sir
tcontinusd on eighth PAgeJ Ag