The Portland daily press., 1897-08-26
PORTLAND, MAINE, THURSDAY
CHARLES BICKFORD ON TRIAL.
The Abduct0r Of Myrtle Adams Before
the Court.
The Girl Tells the Story of Her Terrible
Journey to Norridgewock-The efense
VIII Evidently Try to Show That the
Girl Went With Bickford voluLta rily.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J

ESPECIAL TO THE PREssJ
Bath, August 25.-The Supreme court
has been occupied today with the case of
State VS.. Charles n. Bickford for abduct-
Ing and assaulting Miss Myrtle e. Adams
of Bowdoin. County Attorney Grant
Rogers appeared for the government and
Charles D. Newell of Richmond for the
respondent.
Upon arraignment Bickford pleaded
not guilty" and jury was impanelled
| to try the case. The forenoon was occu-
pied by the testimony of Miss Myrtle E.
Adams and was In substance as follows:
She said she was fifteen years old the 10Th
OF this month. I live with Mr.. and Mrs.
D. Oscar Adams of Bowdoin, parents by
adoption. Have a good home, go to
school, and no cause for complaint. First
knew that was an adpoted child about
three years ago. My mother, Mrs. Adams.
told me. Saw my true father, Norris
blckford, some seven or eight years ago.
Never saw my own mother that 1 remem-
Der Of. Don't know if she is living.
~ cAA0 ~ AO0h VI OCUOUOI IL, 1910,
was at home alone, my parents having
gone to the funeral of Mr.. Williams, a
nelghbor. Had made plans to attend Top
sham fair next day with my parents and
girl friend, Edna Starbird, who lived
next door. Folks returned about four
O'Clock and at about seven o'clock, having
eaten supper started to go to an out
house some little.distance from the house
When passing the wood pile Bickford
jumped out and raising club over my
head ordered me not to say word was
too scared to scream. I had on my old
clothes and walking shoes He dragged
me through the woods to team and har-
messed horse to the wagon wanted to
| go home but he said would never see my
home again. He put false mustache on
me and his coat. Put on false whiskers
himself. He drove through Gardiner,
Hallowell and Augusta, and about half a
mile above Augusta the horse gave out
and we stopped. Bickford took blankets
from the wagon, andSin spite of my re-
sistance threw me on the blankets. We
then went on to North Sidney and occu-
pied an old camp in the woods all day
We left the camp late that evening and
went to Oakland, where he left the horse
cupied vacant house until next morn
| ing. Sunday morning we went through
the swamps and woods to Skowhegan We
put up at Mr.. Horne's house. j Bickford
passed me off as his niece Nellie Bickford
Monday night Mr.. Horne drove us to the
railroad crossing and we then went to
| Norridgewock where I was left at the
home of Mr.. Otis Had not dared tell any
one about the affair before this for fear
of Bickford, but finding he had gone off I
told Mrs. Otis about 1t and Friday night
wrote home to my parents. The next
Sunday morning my father and Deputy
Sheriff Cornish came and took me home.
knew Mr.. Bickford was my uncle, but
never called him uncle or acknowledged
any relationship. Knew he,was drink
ing man and that he had o wife and
several small children.
| The cross-examination Of this witness
by Mr.. Newell occupied the remainder of
the forenoon session.
/ At the afternoon session the testimony
was resumed with Mrs. Sarah Adams, the
mother of the sehild Her testimony up to
/ the time of Myrtle's leaving the house
THAT evening was nearly confederation
Of Myrtle's. She stated also that Myrtle
was by nature a very tinlid child, easily
frightened and upon being threatened
would probably calm down and not say a
word.
| Mr.. Oscar Adams, corroborated his
/ wife, testimony.
| Mr.. Joseph W. Otis of Norridgewock
then took the stand. His testimony was
materially as follows: Bickford and
Myrtle came to my place on Monday
night last October at about nine o'clock
p. m. went to the door and Bickford
| asked If could put up couple. I re.
| fused. He then asked me where Joe Otis
lived. told him that was the man.
don't know him and told him SO. He
said his name was Charles Bickford. My
wife then inquired his mother name and
then told me that my mother and his
mother were half sisters. I then asked
him in. asked If he had some one with
him and he said he had his little girl and
he went and brought Myrtle in. She was
shabbily dressed, her clothing being
ragged and dirty, and her walking shoes
coming to pieces. She appeared despond-
ent, but made no complaint to me- I was
away at work next day and also Wednes-
day and Thursday, but saw them. upon
my return at night. On returning from
my work Friday night found that Bick-
ford had disappeared. In the evening
the girl told us her story. She cried con-
siderable while telling it. Her father and
Mr.. Cornish came and took her away
Sunday morning.
| Mrs. Elmira Otis, wife of Joseph w.
Otis testified to the facts already given
by her husband.
Mrs. Ida NJ. Bickfo rd, wife of the re-
spondent, then took the stand. She testi-
fed that she lived in Bowdoin about two