Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-09

ever came into the court room and free
form all the venom and spite that governed
the Gctchclls and Kecncs In her testimony
as to the spasms suffered by Gctchcll, tears
down this theory of the government
There was no third dose, and the gin did
not cause the poisoning, The testimony
of Ambrose Getchel, the brother, Is not
true.
Mr.. Heath discussed at length the medi
cal and physiological aspects Of the case
dwelling upon such points as tend to show
that the strychDine was not in the gin on
the day of the poisoning, Mrs Getchell
appeared toward her husband as an atfcC
tiOnate wife should, and it was ut her
suggestion that the doctor was sent for as
soon as her husband was seen to be seri-
uusly sick. If she bad been his poisoner
would she have done this: Fowler, the
hired man, was to leave that day. If she
had planned the murder why did she not
wait until this witness should be out Of
the way? During the sickness, she acted
truthfully and frankly, doing everything
she could to make all the facts public
About supper time, Trask had returned
from Augusta, and was In the kitchen
with Fowler and Mr.. Nash, a reputable
citizen. 1t was suggested that they look
at the bottle of gin, which they did, one of
them remarking that 1t was oily looking
stuff. Later in the day, after the death
the doctor asked for bottle In which to
put carbolic acid. Abbie keene sought
one in the cupboard but did not find one
Then Mrs Getchell came. and, seeing the
gin bottle, took it up and said she sup
~ K1onId no rv IN, lynnr,
The doctor thereupon poured the liquid
into the sink spout. Mrs Getchell's COD
duct in this case was that of an innocent
woman.
Mr.. Heath referred to several of the
witnesses who testified, as relatives Of
Trask, who were ready to convict him of
adultery but not of murder. Mr. Heath
said that as accounting for death an issue
of probable suicide was thrown into the
case, but not much stress was laid upon
it. Mr.. Heath said that he believed that
Mrs Getchell had been tried for murder !;
but convicted Of adultery. Nearly the
whole stress Of the prosecution was put
upon the adultery feature of the case.
The little girl Minnie was also The
cause of the iury's verdict, The fact that
Mrs. Getcheli, when a girl of about 20, had
given birth to an iilegitimate child was
enough for New England jury, saturated
with Puritanical ideas, which too often
hold that fallen woman can never rise,
although her betrayer may recover in
popular estimation.
The government had secured the con
viction of Mrs. Getchell on the argument
Of exclusive opportunity. But the man
Trask had an opportunity for committing
the crime, as well as Mrs Getchell, but
the witnesses had united to shield Trask
1t was Uncomfortable that Mrs. Getchell
could have done It, She had no motive
Her husbands death took away her home
Was she expecting to go to Trask? Sh,
knew that he had IA wife living, whom he
had never been able TO support, who drank
worse than Getchell, who was absolutely
worthless to himself or herself The gov
eminent would have you believe that She
had not only done this, but that she sat
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