The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-05-04
ACCUSED WOMAN
CALM ON STAND
Mrs. Marion Otterson Kept
Her Composure When on
Trial for Murder
DENIES STATEMENT
ACCREDITED TO HER
Did Not Say That Maurice
Otterson Drew Curtains
Because She Was Afraid

Because She Was Afraid
Concord. \. H., May AIRS. Marion
Loynes 0tterson this morning main
tanned her composure during the cross
examination by Attorney General Os-
car L. Young of the young woman on
trial mere for the murder of her broth
er in law, Maurice Otterson
The curtains of the living room in
the Otterson home at Hooksett were
drawn on the night of the murder,
when Maurice left her alone in the
house to fill an order from his wayside
gasoline station At least one of them
was pulled down by Maurice himself.
She disputed the truth of state
ment by DIR. Loren a. Sanders medical
referee. that she said Maurice drew
down the curtains 40 she would not be
afraid" 1t had been testified that
Marion made this statement to DR..
Sanders after Mrs. John !. 0tterson,
mother OF the murdered man. had said
the curtains were not usually drawn.
Maurice did ask her before he left the
house to answer the call of his Gus
toner If she would be afraid. Asked
by the attorney general if she was
afraid, Marion answered; Not ex-
actly."
Marion did not accompany her hus-
band and his parents on the shopping
trip to Manchester because it was the
Z = OF
home with one of the men" She relied
on her husbands Judgment. she said, in
the prospective purchase of a stove in
Manchester. When the examiner in
sisted upon an answer to the question
whether or not She was interested in
the purchase, she replied
"Well, IN say that | was neutral.
Will that satisfy you, Mr. Young!'
The last time she saw Maurice alive
was when he went upstairs 20 change
his clothes for his own proposed trip to
Manchester.
The family dog, which has figured SO
prominently in the case, sometimes
barked at strangers and sometimes he
did not. Marion stated. She consider
ell him very uncertain animal The
dogs restlessness Just before the al
legged invasion of the house by bandits
had been remarked upon both by
Maurice and herself After she had let
the dog out of the house, he halted on
the steps. barked two or three times
and growled This struck Marion as
peculiar and she herself looked around.
She was not certain that she latched
the door when she turned back into
the house. She had taken but step
or two when she heard shuttle" he.
hind her. She had no recollection OF
hearing such a sound as would have
been made by the opening OF the
door She could give no description OF
the man who soon after attacked her.
Neither could she tell exactly how she
was seized by her assailant. She did
not turn around when she heard the
shuttle" because she could not do II.
you want us to understand that
YOU didn't have time :" observed the
attorney general.
THAT Is exactly what | would have
YOU understand" replied the witness.
She insisted. upon further question
ing, that she had absolutely no chance
10 turn. and she did not scream be-
cause she had no opportunity. From
the instant she heard the shuttle 10
tha. in which she was seized. she might
have called out, she admitted, II she
had known there was reason. She aid
not at first realize that the nolse she
had heard meant the presence OF IN
fruders. Had this realization at once
come to her. there was an interval The
blow on her forehead was received
when She was thrown TO the floor.
What hit her she could not say. She
had no intention. she said. of giving
the impression that the burglar had
more than two hands At this point,
she asked for a glass of water and
Judge Branch ordered a recess Of 10
minutes. Marion showed no trace ot
fatigue and smiled pleasantly at the
spectators a. she left the stand.
Court having reconvened, Marion
said that after the burglar had released
her and she had removed the sweater
ne had thrown over her head. she was
sut,ite excited" The second burglar
passed her on the left on his way out
~ the house She had the impression
that the man who held her told her he
would shoot her. If she attempted 70
move. She was not absolutely certain
he used the word shoot. She did not
remember that on Nov. 10 she made
this az positive statement. She
could not hear what WAS said.