The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-07-07

Judging from the progress made to-
day the case OF state against Ahira
Mears, the Sandgate deputy game war.
den charged with the shooting of his
nearest neighbor, Fred Squires, will
go to the Jury some time tomorrow.
The trial OF the case began Wednes-
day before Judge Frank l.. Fish in
Bennington county court at Manches-
ter and has proceeded rapidly from
the time that the first witness was
placed upon the stand.
It has developed during the. trial
that there is something of a neighbor.
hood fepd in the section OF Sandgate
in which the shooting took place and
this feeling was particularly apparent
in the testimony Of several witnesses
used by the, prosecution to establish
motive for the shooting.
Rachel Matilda Mears, mother Of the
young man charged with the shooting
and who is a near neighbor OF both
| Squires and her son, was particularly
outspoken in her testimony. She
stated that her son after the shooting
said the shotgun carried by Squires
was not loaded and that she had heard
her son make threats against Squlres.
She also stated that she heard the
two men pass her home on the night
Of the shooting and that Ahira re-
peatedly demanded Squires give him
\ that coon"
Addison Burke testified that he was
the father of Ahira Mears' wife and
that he had not spoken his name for
years" He also stated that his dalfgh-
ter would not speak to him and that
he, had never seen two OF his grand
children. III
At the morning session today, Fran
.Woodard, a near neighbor, testified
that he helped to carry Fred Squires
Into the house after the shooting and
that a half pint bottle either dropped
from pocket of the wounded mans
coat or fell from the couch. ish@
Mears when placed upon the stand
this morning told straightforward
story Of the shooting that made pro-
nounced impression upon the people
lin the courtroom. Heospoke in a low
tone of voice without apparent emo,
tion or vindictiyeness. He admitted
stating that he had told Frank Squires
that Fred and other men in Sandgate
were hunting coons out of season and
!that he would get them. BY get
them, he meant place them under
arrest, not shoot them; he never said
that he would put bullet through
him" He stated that he was mar
ried and had six children.
Beginning with happenings on the
night Of the shooting he said that Fred
Squires was at the witness home early
lin the evening and that the two visited
for an hour. Later he saw light on
the side OF the mountain, put on his
lcoat and started in the direction OF
the light. He found the revolver In
a pocket OF his hunting coat after he
lleft the house. Reaching the location
of the light he found Fred Squires
shaking coon out Of tree; the hunt
er had two dogs with him. When
ISquires came down from the tree the
witness said. Erred. you are under
arrest. I'm a game warden Mears
stated that he was wearing his warden
badge at the time and called Squires
attention to the fact
In answer to the warden's announce
ment OF arrest, the witness testified
lSquires replied You're not mar
enough to do It," About half way down
the mountain, the witness stated
lSQuires drew bottle from his pocket
and took a big drink.
| At the Squres' house the witness
again informed the hunter that he was
under arrest and that they must &c
to the Justice. Squires, the witness
said, then raised and pointed the shot
gun. The witness then drew the re
yolver and shot Squires.
:, After the shooting the witness sale
he picked up the lantern and the coon
Then he broke the gun at the breach
and removed the shell.
Mears testified that Squires was
| strong man and that he could lif
stones that would require three mel
the size Of the witness. Once Squirei
pounded the witness so that both eye'
were blackened and he lost four teeth
. Mears also said that Squires hat
pounded John Mooney so that he wal
almost unrecognizable. Squires hat
also assaulted Herbert Mears, the wit
ness said, breaking the nose and tw'
RIBS.
Considerable difficulty was eN
! perienced In securing jury. Th
panel was exhausted and 1t becam
/. necessary for the sheriff and hi
| deputies to go out into the street
2 of the village and hunt up othe
{ eligibles not on the original list
r rlconsiderable number of those exam
J. lined had formed opinions and other
J. pstated that they had knowledge G
a the circumstances attending tn
J. shooting through reading the Ber
lnlngton Banner
Once the jury had been secured tn
case proceeded rapidly The frs
y witness placed upon the stand wa
= Fred squires, the victim Of the shoe
= ing. He has not yet regained contrt
Of his right leg and arm and e'