The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-12-13
JURY FOUND
COLBY GUILTY
And Judge Ordered Will
Jamestown Man to Pay
$500 Fine.
LIBEL ACCUSATION
WAS HARD FOUGHT
Respondent Is to Take Case
to Supreme
Court.

Chelsea, Dec. l3.--The jury in Or
ange county court in the case Of State
vs.. George T. Colby of Williamstown,
charged with criminal libel, returned
verdict Of guilty yesterday after
noon and the respondent was fined
$500, after which ii was stated that
the case would be carried to supreme
court on exceptions
The trial of the case started Thurs
day morning when jury was em-
panelled- The respondent was in
formed against by the attorney gem
eral of Vermont for having published
and circulated circular addressed TO
the "voters Of Orange County" just
before the primary election in 1920,
which set forth among other things,
that ''if our states attorney had not
been hired not TO do his official duty,
the candidates for assistant judge
would have been behind the bars long
ago. or words to that effect.
Attorney General Frank G. Archibald
Of Manchester Depot was present and
conducted the prosecution, assisted by
the present states attorney, Millward
G. Taft. and the respondent was rep
resented BY Earl r. Davis and John w.
Gordon Of Barre. The taking Of the
testing and the arguments of coin
sci cd lied the attention of the court
until saturday noon. and the jury was
kept together over Sunday and charged
BY Judge Moulton Monday aud given
the case about noon.
The defense was based on the claim
by the respondent that he had reason
to believe and did honestly believe that
the charges made in the circular were
true. and thus upon such honest be-
lief ii was his right to publish and cir
ciilate sneh belief among the voters Of
the county. The case was hotly con-
tested. The arguments of counsel on
both sides were earnest and forceful
The respondent. Colby, is one Of
WilIiamstown's prominent citizens.
who has filled mruy town offices and
who has represented his town in the
Vermont legislature The bringing Of
the case has caused great deal Of in
tercst throughout the county, and out
side.
Short Term Of Court Probable.
The December term Of the court
convened on Tuesday, Dec. 8. with the
following court officers present; Sher-
man r. Moult0n of Burlington. pre-
siding Judge; X. Nelson Darling of
Bradford and Edward W. Kent of Ran
dolph, assistant indres; Williams II.
sprague, clerk; Lyle r. Beckwith, dep-
uty clerk; George A. Tracy, sheriff
Nillward c. Taft. states attorney. and
Mabel L. Spencer. reporter. Prayer
was offered by Rev. John A.. Lawrence,
after which Sheriff Tracy made the
opening proclamation, which was fol-
lowed by the reading of the trial cal
endars, whe' il was found that Of the
six cases set for trial by jury. only
one would stand for trial. the others
having been continued by agreement
of counsel for the various litigants. In
the afternoon Of the opening day. the
petit Jurors We're called and sworn,
after which they were addressed by
Judge Moulton relative 70 their duties
in general. as Jurors.
On Wednesday morning the case of
Louis j. Warner vs. B. c. Hoyt. set for
trial by both parties, by jury. was
called and jury empanelled and the
plaintiff put on the witness stand and
interrogated by his counsel for about
an hour, when counsel asked the court
for short recess, for conference, which
was granted and after half an hours
counsel agreed that the
case might and should be taken from
the jury and set TO the court for trial,
which was done and the remainder
Of the day was devoted to the trial Of
this case BY the court, but was not
however