The Portland daily press., 1888-03-17
CHARGED WITH FORGERY.
Freeman e. Prince, of auburn, Finds
Himself in Trouble,
Charged with Manufacturing a viii
in His Wife's Favor,
TO Secure for Her the Money of Her
Dead Uncle.
rspecial to the Press.

Especial 10 tne TreSS.l
AUBURN, March l16.--An interesting VIII
case, which has been pending before the Ok
ford County Probate Court since the last
term, has been set for trial on Tuesday next.
Calvin p. Davis, of Hebron, in regard to
whose unwilled property the present law
suit has been brought, died Aug. Is, 1856
leaving about $4,000 worth of property, and
Prentiss NJ Woodman, sof the firm of Gay,
Woodman & Co., shoe manufacturers, re-
spected and wealthy citizen, with whom Mr..
Davis, in his lifetime, was intimately ac-
quainted, and to whose house he Davis was
in the habit of coming on visits OF friendly
and business character, was selected by the
heirs-at-law to be the administrator of the
estate, and was appointed as such by the
presiding judge, George A. Wilson, of Ok
ford county. Mr.. Woodman gave bonds as
the law directs, for the faithful discharge of
his trust, and administered upon the estate.
The heirs-at-law are N. G. and l.. @. Davis
of Auburn, Philo Davis of Minot, and his
sister, Mrs. Greenleaf Of otisfeld. A petit
tion to be appointed administrator was also
filed by Freeman b. Prince, a laborer, of Au-
burD, through lawyer-Francis A. Perry
whom he obtained in Boston. Prince claimed
this right by reason of his relationship with
the deceased, through an adopted daughter
his wife, Mary K. Prince. Judge Wilson de-
MED Princes petition, upon which the adopt
ed daughter theory was Immediately dropped
aud that of inheritance by will proclaimed.
As will be seen by this instrument, which
follows verbatim, the adopted daughter is
the sole heir 1t reads:
In tLe name of God, Amen. Calvin p. Davis,
of Hebron, in the State OF Maine, well knowing
the uncertainty Of life, and well showing the % Ger,
mind and memory, do hereby make. establish, Or
dain and publish this, my last VIII and testament,
Ist-I give and bequeath unto my beloved
daughter, Mary, H.. Prince, all my properly oI
every name and kind, either real estate, personal
property, or rights and credits
2d-I nominate and appoint Freeman b. Prince,
my executor of this, my last will and testament,
made, signed and puDllsned TINS z5th Gay OF sep
tember a. d., 1856. CALVIN p. DAVIS.
Made signed and published this 29th day Of Sep
tember, A. D., 1885, in our presence, as wit
nesses and we now subscribe our names as such
in the presence of each other and in the pres
eDce of the aforesaid Calvin L. Davis.
+. ?. JORDAN,
H. j. JORDAN.
The production Of will made in 1885, at
this stage of the proceedings, looked singu-
lar, and coupled with the fact that Prince
was nothing more than an acquaintance of
Mr.. DAVIS, led to grave suspicious regarding
its origin. Why should the possession of a
will by Prince which was so mysteriously
drawn into the case, be so long kept secret,
was asked. Judge Wing, who has been dill
gently managing the case for the heirs-at-
law, and who has made thorough and care
full investigation of it, when the existence of
the purported will came to his knowledge,
immediately went to Oxford county and pro-
cured an exact tracing of the document.
After studiously comparing the signature
thereto with originals in the possession of
Judge Nahum Morrill, of Auburn, who for
years was the legal adviser of Prince i'll his
lifetime. Mr.. Wing came to the conclusion that
the will was forged and that ne would bring
the culprits to Justice Accordingly deposit
tions Of Judge Morrill,, Mrs. Greenleaf OF
Otisfeld the wife of p NJ. Woodman, the
administrator, and Princes son Charles L.,)
were taken. during which Prince Was pres
ent with his council, e. A. Perry. Suspicious
rumors have been afoat for some time, and
statements within a few days have been
made in confirmation of them. Finally. two
of the witnesses the Jordan brothers, young
men who evidently did not comprehend the
gravity of the offence they had been parties
to, exploded the whole scheme OF for
gerry for such it seems to be, even while
Prince was busily engaged In summoning
witnesses and rendering them their fees, for
their appearance at Paris on Tuesday. He
learned this morning for the first time that
these men had confessed that the will was
bogus. Upon this he notified the constable
who had the subp9nas, as well as the notices
of appeal which were retnrnable to the May
term, that he should no further prosecute
the matter. because his witnesses had sold
OUT his case, and would try to get the wit
ness money he advanced back again.
But neither Mr.. Wing nor the County At
torney were content with leaving the matter
in its present condition. Thomas Littleheld,
the veteran officer and eX-turnkey, was put
upon the track of Prince, who, 1t was learned
had left the place at an early hour this morn
ing. and found him at Mechanic Falls. lie
returned with Prince under arrest at i:30 p.
N. Two of the witnesses 70 the will can
prove the forged instrument was made on
the oath day of January last, but are reticent
about stating by whom the signature Of Mr..
Davis was added. That no ordinary penman
affixed the name is evident from the expert
manner in which the genuine signature was
initiated. The two Jordans. when they give
their testimony at Paris, Tuesday, may throw
some light on this portion of the case. j. o.
Noyes, the other witness who strongly de-
clares the authenticity of the will, has also
been ordered arrested.
Freeman B. Prince was brought before
Judge Dresser in the Augusta Municipal
Court at p. M, and waived examination,
saying that he desired to confer with
his Boston counsel. Judge Dresser placed
bail at 81, ,0O0 for Princes appearance lat the
Supreme Court, The County Attorney will
now prosecute Prince in Androscoggin coun-
ty, and he is also liable to prosecution in Ok
ford county for uttering the will at Paris,
and in all probability will be held on that
Evidence interesting and sensational may
he Looked for at the hearing of this peculiar