The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-04
FAIRFIELD FLORAL CASE.
Interesting Trial Continued in
the U. s. Court.
Powerful Battery of Counsel Ranged
Against thciUnited States Dis
trict Attorney In the
Court Room.

The trial of George Fred Terry, of
Fairfield, under Indictment charged with
scheme to defraud through the use of
with the business of the Fairfield Floral
Company, continued in the United States
District Court on Wednesday. 1t has
been u long time since the grim old
court room, devoted SO constantly TO
affairs OF admiralty or the revenue and
frequente1 ordinarily by mariners,
marshals, smugglers and other prosaio
personages has worn an air of such
brightness and activity. Nearly all the
spectators seats were occupied by ladies,
almost uniformly youthful and pretty,
who before the case is closed will tell
their experiences with the art work OF the
Fairfield Floral Company.
The array of counsel is also most i'm
posing, and the defendant is no lding his
trenches with file of veterans, at the
head of whom marches as high private
the Attorney General of the State.
The proceedings Wednesday morning
began with Miss Bertha NJ. Rounds, of
Saco, still on the stand, continuing her
testimony of the day before. Miss Rounds
described her dealings with the company,
which seem to have been conhaing and
harmonious up to the time the company
called for $40. she had up to that time
considered their dealings in the nature OF
red tape which she must go through.
The cross examination did not shake the
testimony Of Miss Rounds or elicit any
thing new.
Post Office Inspectors Fisher and King
wers called to identify letters which Miss
Rounds had turned over TO them.
Postmasters William Staokpole, of Saco,
and Frank b. Purinton, of Fairfield,
produced the records of their offices to
show that Miss Rounds sent the follow
ing sums of money to the Fairfield Floral
Company: On January 20, 1888, Sl.SSi
on February 3, 1858, S2.oO
MIR. William W. Merrill, cashier of the
National Bank, of Fairfield, testified that
there was no other national bank in
Fairfield; but there had been First
National Bank of Fairfield, of which the
present bank was the successor. The
sign of the old bank had remained for
time in the window of the new bank
The new bank bought the Old bank out.
The witness said he gave MIR. Terry au
thority to refer to the bank, but did not
remember that he did so in explicit terms
as to responsibility and moral character.
MIR. Terry had opened an account in the
bank in the fall of 1897, signing checks
Il Mr. larry
ceased to sign che x in this way on
February l., 1898, an notified the. bank
that the business was Incorporated with
A. II. Terry treasurer.
Miss Alice J. Hayden, of Waterville.
was the next witness. She entered the
employment of the Floral company Feb
ruary /, 1898, and remained with them
until they discontinued She had charge
of the girls employed in answering the
correspondence. She explained all the
details Of sending out the circular letters.
On cross examination which was con-
Quoted by Attorney General Haines all
the forenoon, the witness said that in
every case where the money was sent for
sample paper flowers, the flowers were
SeOU WHbn BOXES o. LJWefs were re-
turned they wers inspected, and the
makers were given credit for them.
At this point the Judge enforced the
rule of the court that the cross examina-
ton must be confined to the sphere of the
witnesses duties, as to which only she had
qla>,1ed on direct examination.
The witness, being examined by Judge
Webb after the cross examination had
been concluded, stated that she was in
structed in her duties when she began
work by Mr., George Fred Terry.
Reserving the right to call one more
witness, District Attorney Dyer rest d
the case of the government at this point
and Judge Webb directed the defense to
proceed with their case.
At this juncture Geo. h. Bird, attorney
for the dsiense, moved that the court
direct verdict for the defendant. Judge
Webb promptly denied this, whereupon