The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-08-05
PETTIBoNE FOUND GUILTY OF
MURDER IN SECOND DEGREE


Pronounced by Judge Wilson Mis-.
Guillow Visits Pcttibonc In Cell
Soon After Tie j. Sentenced.
A verdict Of murder in the second
degree was returned Thursday after
noon in County court here in the case
of State against Byron NJ. Pettibone
and shortly after the verdict was an
nouneed, the respondent was sentenced
10 the states prison at Windsor for
the remainder of his life.
Pettibone faced the ~ men who
listened for ten days TO the story Of
his plan TO kill his wife with strych-
nine poisoning for the love Of a train
ed nurse. Miss Helen Guillow, and
without so much as a quiver, he re-
NAMED silent when the court asked
him II he had anything to say. He
hsd to be told by his attorney to say,
NO"
Soon after the verdict was an
nounced and it was learned by Judge
| aoNoiii'f - NAi.Vh NhdN lilt lfHpVilhtHt
he'd no suggestions to offer, Pettibone
was sentenced to prison for the re-
mainder of his life. He was soon
removed by Sheriff Perry b. Gardner
TO his cell in the basement of the court
building. The jurors who were con
fined together since the opening of
the case we're paid off and discharged,
after being thanked by the court for
their consideration of the case.
Thirty Days Stay
Later stay Of execution was grant
ed for 30 days to give attorneys for
Pettibone opportunity to present bill
of exceptions. Pettibone was taken to
the Bennington Jail pending a possible
appeal.
Miss Guillow Visits Him
In less than half hour after the
announcement Of the verdict and the
subsequent sentence which is specif-
cally set by the law, Miss Helen Irene
Guillow, known as the "other woman
in the case" was seated with her adj
mitted lover in his cell at the court
house.
She was particularly brazen in her
appearance about the court house
premises. She apparently courted the
gaze of the summer guests of the
Equinox House, directly across from
the court house, as well as smiling at
those passing her automobile in which
she remained. Every day of'the trial,
this machine occupied certain place
along the paved highway near the
soldiers memorial monument and
from the rear of her car, she could
look back during recess to a window
in which sat Byron Pettibone as he
was conferring with his counsel.
The case attracted more than the
usual amount of attention from the
public, Boston and New York papers
having special correspondents on the
grounds from the start with their
photographers. The court room was
jammed and on many occasions, it was
necessary for the court to threaten
clearing the room because of the noise
made by spectators coming and going
during the progress Of the trial.
Resume Of Case
Byron Pettibone on the night Of
April 6, while in his own home and
in the presence of both his wife and
a roomer, Eugene Rice, placed big
dose of strychnine sulphate in salts
which his wife had suggested taking
She drank the salts and he retired,
followed soon by Mrs. Pettibone, who
was IL years his senior. According to
his own story, he kissed his wife and
then dozed off.
In half hour he was awakened by
his wife who was taken suddenly i'll
with convulsions and within another
half hour, she was dead On this
night he asked the physicians TO say
nothing about poison, If they suspect
ed any such cause Of her sudden
death, and later he objected TO an au-
topsy. This, however, was performed
and it revealed the presence of a half
grain Of strychnine sulphate in the
stomach which had not been absorbed
into the system.
There was no question about the
cause Of her death The state then
called detectives into the case and on
the afternoon Of June IS, Pettibone
told the entire story 70 Detective
James X. Wood and Edward C. Brown
of the Wood agency Of Boston and in
the presence Of States Attorney Col
lins NJ. Graves Tho next day he told
the same story % Attorney General
Frank G. Archibald He said he stole
the poison from the Ward drug store
in 3 nnington and placed the fatal
dose in hi- wife's glass Of salts.
Defense Alleged Duress
The defense contended that the con-
f.-effvtr ,ra.so ..hfafr..F rr-Tf- Tr,r~a-