The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-12-22
Defense of Arthur Mudgetd
introduced New Phase
in Homicide Case
MONUMENT MAN
TOLD OF SEEING THEM
FRI S Ober of Morrisvilld
} ! ,cribed Their Strange
= Actions

~ 1yde Park, Dec. 22.-Counsel for Ar
= ur Mudgett, on trial for the murdel
Amy Shonio, surprised the court
room to-day when he presented a witt
ness who testified that he saw a gin
answering the description of Misl
Shonio with a tall woman on the night
of July 81, at the place in Johnsor,
where the girls body was later found
The witness placed the meeting of thi
woman and Amy Shonio at O'Clock
which is approximately the time thI
state alleges that the murder was com
mitted.
The new witness was Fred Ober. (
retail monument dealer of Morrisville|
He said he kept diary and that hi
business trips showed he was in John
son on July 81. He said he had som
work to do on a monument in the Gem
etery close to where the Shonio girl
body was found. He worked from
o'clock p. m. to after o'clock p. m
or until it became dark. He testified
that at about Z O'Clock p. m. he no
ticed young woman come down
path wearing a red sweater and dark
colored skirt. She went over to som
bushes near a stonepile on the hill. H
went to the gate to get drink, of wa
ter and again noticed the girl walkin
rapidly down the hill past barn
the road He saw another woma
about six feet in height approaching
from the other direction. The tall won
The two met and walked over nea
the crest of the hill by the ledge an
almost out of sight. They were stand
ing up. He saw the smaller woma
then turn and start 20 run and the
stop and walk He then saw that sh
wore white shoes and stockings. Afte
she had gone few rods she turned an
looked at him. Then she walked bac
up the hill to the taller woman. TIL
taller woman had something white i
her hand and when the wind blew
unfoided and he saw it was cloth
considerable size.
As he picked up his tools TO go homo
0ber saw the tall woman standin
alone and facing him. She put he
hands up to her head. He fixed his ca
and when he turned to. look again tn
tall woman had disappeared.
He went over into the field but coul
find no trace of anyone. The witnes
was crosse examined at length by Al
torney General Archibald for the STATE
The state rested its case at 4 o'cloc
yesterday afternoon, the last witnes
for the state being Erwin Fletcher,
former sweetheart of the dead cir
He testified that he kept compan
with her from August, 1919, until III
first of the present year. He denie
any improper relations with her or q
knowing about her condition.
Fletcher denied that he had see
her on the. night she was supposed
have been murdered. He declared h
spent that evening at the moving pid
lures. Under cross-examination
admitted he was at one time engaged
to Miss Shonio and that he had give
her a ring. He admitted having take
a walk with her toward the eemeter
on one occasion. but denied ever hsS
ing gone fishing with Amy.
He admitted that at one time Ia
winter Mrs. Foster complained abol
his making so much noise with N
girls in the kitchen. He denied, how
ever. that it was Amy with him, say
ing it was Miss Chase.
The first witness of the defense wa
Mrs. Efie Miller of johnson. who te
titled that she saw Amy standing q
the corner near the fruit store abol
Q o'clock on the night of July 81 tall
ing with a gentleman whom she dd
scribed as being tall and slim an
with smooth" complexion. She ss
IL was not Arthur Mudgett. She sa
Miss Shonio was dressed in re
sweater and wore white shoes an
stockings. Under cross-examinatio
she said that she had been INTRODUCED
to Amy early in July, and had notice
her condition. She denied that 81
had told her son, Clifford. that he mus
tell the same story that she did. 81
was unable to give a very good descri
80, 20 Amr