Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-13
. UNDER BONDS.
Fred Gardner Ordered by Court to
Recognize in 5000 Bonds.
Charged With Assault Upon Fred Geichell-
Testimony At the Hearing.

| the people OF our quiet city for the past
two days, that of the row ait the cor
ner of Oak street Saturday night, has
been aired in the police court and it is
left for the people to decide upon
whom, or where the blame lies. Judge
of course have their opinions.
Ever since the trouble occurred Mar
shall Morse has been at work trying to
find where the blame should be placed.
1t was a hard thing to do, as there
were so many conflicting stories, and
no one seemed to know who the five
French fellows were, who were con-
cerned in the fight. He finally learned
their names, and, Tuesday afternoon
at o'clock, the hearing was held be-
fore Judge Andrews in the municipal
court rooms.
| Long before the time of the hearing
the room was full of spectators.
w. H. Fisher. ESQ.,, appeared for the
defendants, two Frenchmen named
Fred Gardiner and Joseph Lajoie.
Nearly all the parties who witnessed
the affair were summoned and in most
every particular their stories agree.
Christopher Gommella, the proprie-
| tor of the night lunch cart, was the
| first witness. He testified that at
i<rht Ere Il
Getchell and others came to his cart
to eat A few minutes later party
of five French fellows arrived. Getch-
ell made insulting remarks and ex-
pressed a desire to fight, putting his
words into a very insulting form. He
and the Frenchmen had all evidently
| been drinking. Getchell went outside,
and began to shake the cart, and three
times he (Gommella) demonstrated
with him, and Getchell later came into
the cart and said he only did it for
fun Then Getchell and the French
rolling outside, and those in the cart
stepped to the door and saw Getchell
laying upon the sidewalk. He saw
some fellows kick Getchell. He iden-
titled Lajoie as one. Later, Getchell
was picked up unconscious.
Joseph LaBriek, barber at A. II.
Chadbourne's, went to the cart after
closing up the. shop to get a luncheon.
He testified about the same as the for
mer witness, in regard to what trans
pired in the cart and about the moving
.ofsthe cart. He"heard the cry Of Kill
him. went to the door, and. saw two
men kick Getchell, as he was lying
upon the sidewalk. He identified the
men.
Fred Seaman testified that he saw
Win Ladd and Getchell moving the
cart. Later, when the Frenchmen had
come out of the cart, Getchell and
Ladd were kissing stones" when one
rolled down into the crowd of French
men. One Of the fellows resented it,
anu 0elCu6ll Wdlhcu 0O"A dlhOhS
them. Getchell was knocked down and
kicked. No one interfered while they
were kicking him. Policemen arrived
shortly after.
Mr.. Grotton testified to about the
same effect.
Thomas Poulin testified to about the
same, as to what transpired in the
cart, and about the stones. A stone
hit Gardiner, who resented it, and ask
ed who threw the stone. Getchell
walked down and was knocked down.
Joseph Laberty said the five of them
had been to a dance, and gave the
same description of the affair as the
others, adding that after Gardiner was
hit on the leg with stone, Getchell
struck Gardiner, after which Gardiner
knocked Getchell down. Saw someone
kick Getchell.
Alphonzo Provost testified to the
same.
Fred Gardiner, one of the respond
ents, told the same story about what
transpired in the cart. He said Getch-
ell struck him and he struck back,
knocking Getchell down. He also
kicked Getchell once in the back. His
| arm and cuff were in some way cut.
DIR. Tuell testified that he had ex-
amined the injured man, and found the
left side of his jaw broken, his face
scratched, eye injured, nose flattened,
and he complained of soreness in his
back The blow, which without doubt,
was a heavy one, might have broken
| the Jaw, and the other injuries might
have been received when he fell, head
first, upon the sidewalk. Getchell is
said to have fallen upon his right side
upon the iron grating on the sidewalk
on Oak street, beside the Granite Ma
tional Bank, SO it is probable that part
Of his injuries were then received.
W. H. Fisher, Esq, for the respond
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