The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-10
Charles Bickford Given Hot Reeep.
ton at BoWdoinham.
ABDUCTER OF MYRTLE ADAMS
FACES HIS VICTIM.
Hearing Given Him in Trial Justices
Court-Young Girl Repeats Her Charges
of Inhuman Cruelty on stand-Bick-
ford Held to Grand Jury.

ford Held to Grand Jury.
Bowdoinham, May Sat 9 o'clock
this morning, in Trial Justice Fuller's
court, Charles H. Bickford met face to
lace the 14-years-old Myrtle Adams,
the little Bowdoin girl whom last o.
tober he dragged over hill and dale,
through swamp and stream, and finally
left thoroughly exhausted and almost
dead at the farmhouse of James Otis in
South Norridgewock. Court was held
in the townhall and a large audience
which regarded the prisoner without
visible trace of sympathy, was present,
there being sprinkling of women. All
minors were excluded.
Little Myrtle sat with downcast eyes
and an unconcealed look of terror
when she encountered chance look from
the prisoner. She is singularly well
developed girl, though she will not be
IS till next August. Physically she seems
the picture of health, but Mrs. Adams
says that her nerves have by no means
recovered from their awful shock. When
she was brought home that October Sun
day she was SO weak that she could not
walk across the floor unaided She was
tenderly undressed, put to bed and for
three weeks had not strength enough to
sit up.
Three doctors were in attendance and
with careful nursing she was able in time
to go about the house. She did not at
tend school during the winter, but is
now back in her classes. She was al
ways a girl who was easily intimidated,
but now her fear is so accumulated that
she has morbid fear of being left alone.
Under no circumstances will she venture
out after dark without member of the
family at her side. Even in the day
time she is afraid to leave the dooryard
unattended. Her school is some little dis
lance from home and every morning she
waits for the children from the farm
above, and after school she never dares
to start for home without their company.
Charles d. Newell of Richmond APP
peared in behalf of the prisoner, while
County Attorney Grant Rogers of Rich
mond looked after the interests of tn
state. The writ under which Bickford
was arrested simply alleges kidnapping
When court was called to order the de-
fence waived the reading of the warrant
and made a denial in toto of the charges.
County Attorney Rogers then opened
the case and the first witness, Myrtle
Adams, was called to the stand. She
testified that she was IA years old; had
always made her home with the Adams
family, and knew them as father and
mother; that Bickford was her uncle, and
had worked for Adams, but not since the
first of last August and till the 10Th she
had not seen Bickford.
She then in her own words told the
story of that fateful night, how Bickford
sprang from behind the woodpile, took
hold of her shoulder with one hand and
with the other raised cudgel over her
head and threatened if she made any out
cry; how he dragged her along by both
hands to a team which was in waiting
in the woods.
She said that Bickford made her put
on his old coat and false moustache,
and pushed her into the team, donned
false whiskers and glasses, and drove by
back roads to Merrills corner in Gardi-
ner. All the time she said Bickford was
threatening her if she dared make any
| cutlery.
She then testified concerning her mid
night trip through Gardiner, Hallowell
and Augusta, telling how Bickford took
her into field and assaulted her, of her
| experience in a camp in tn woods of
North Sidney, where she was repeatedly
| assaulted, of a trip to Oakland to the
home of Robert Bickford, then through
swamps and finally to the home of James
Otis at South Norridgewock, where she
| was found and returned to her home.
The case was then closed without argu-
ment, Justice Fulton finding probable
cause and binding the prisoner over to
the August term of the Sagadahoc SUI
preme court Bail was fixed at $1,000 and
the prisoner was taken to Auburn Jail
Saturday afternoon.
| Bickford was arrested at North Graf
here yesterday. A crowd had gathe ed
at the station and his appearance was
the signal for an outburst from the
Younger members of the crowd.
"String him." they shouted.
| "Lynching is none too good"
| "Where's the roper
| "Here's telegraph pole.
Chang him Hang him!"
Bickford was locked up in the station
house. He claims that the girl went wi tn
him willingly and denies that he assault
ed her.
0KIOhy1 OuitS Boston