Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-04
QUIRlON'S DEFENCE.
His Witnesses Occupy Third
Day Of the TaiaI.
Prisoner Takes the Stand and Denies
the Charges Against Him.
The Case Will Probably Go 10 the Jury This
Afternoon.

of Van Buren,. He said he was Twin.
on Sand hill in Winslow at the time o
the crime He was in WaterVille dur
/ ing the evening and returned to Wins
low about 1130. He saw the crowd i
front of Brassau's house about ia,
He saw Frank Quirion come out of hi
house after someone had raped on tn
window. He stepped in front of Bras
sau as he was going away from III
crowd. Roseby came up and wanted t,
fight to take the part of Louis. He saw
him draw back to strike Quirion. They
were about two feet apart at this time
In the crowd there was no one Yer,
near them, but when they left III,
crowd some followed them.
At this point the jury retired while
the court decided the admissibility o.
the next question. 1t was admitted
The witness stated he saw something
in Quirion's hand shining but did no.
know but that it might have been his
cuff. This answer was objected to or
the ground that il was merely a mat
ter of opinion on the part of the wit
ness but as he stated only what he saw
il was admitted.
oIi.i ION ana i:0s by, the witness said
We're about two feet apart at this time
and there was no one nearer to Roseby
than Quirion. Quiriun was swinging hi.
hand back and forth. a little later HI
heard Eoseby cry out Il am stabbed. -
The witness afterwards stated that the
remark was not made While they were
fighting, Roseby said he was stabbed
after he left the crowd. He did not see
anyone else fighting. After Roseby
was hit he placed his hands on his alb
domen and walked off. The examina-
ton of this witness occupied over an
hour. The position of the crowds and
of Roseby and Qurion. was questioned
at every point. This concluded the
examination of the government wit
nesses and the State rested its case.
The opening for the defense was
made by Mr.. Sheldon. He briefly re-
viewed the law of the case as Mr.. Hes
elton had in his opening. He then out
lined the defense. 1t will be shown, he
said, that the Ponspelotes started the
row. They went from dance to Doyan
house for that purpose. The TWO men
seen near the house were delegates
from the PonSpelotes.
mere W DIS no lIOlOGS dtiLbIi III ING
Doyan house. There were present only
the inhabitants of the two parts and
the two Poulion boys who dropped in
casually.
1t will be shown that the remark
about the rabbits which has been con-
sidered important had no special
meaning. and was addressed to the
crowd in a general way. There was
no quitting" spoken of except by AU-
Oct. The acts of the respondent dur
ing the memorable Saturday Will be
shown. He was at his fathers house
during most of the day, having just
come out of the woods where he had
been working during the winter. He
was not drinking during the day. He
had no knife in his possession. When
he came out of the woods he threw
away his old overalls with the only
knife he owned in the pocket. He and
a friend during the day made some
small ladders for their girls. These
were to be placed under their pillows
that night TO cause them to dream ana
to see who their future husband was
to be Thus instead of planning muir
der he was thinking of love, and was
engaged in an innocent pastime. lie
had had his supper early, about 40 in
the afternoon, and had then gone over
TO Waterville He returned 10 ms
home a little after 6 o'clock. His SIS
ter had asked him if he had gotten
anything to drink, which was not UNI
usual with the French people, who are
accustomed to spend Saturday evening
in amusement. and usually drink
something. He had not procured any
liquor and was persuaded to go back
to the city to get something. lie did
so. ana got half pint OF alcohoi.
This was diluted with an equal
amount of water and was consumed
during the evening by dozen or more
people.
When the trouble commenced later
in the evening he had gone out OF the
Davon house and had met Louisel.
This was the only man he was looking
for. and the only one with whom he
had any trouble. There had been
some fighting between them and they
wanted to see who was the best man.
While he was talking with Louisel,
Roseby came along and in the mixup
which followed Roseby had struck
tlulrlOn anu htiothCu his AioS -
Ouirion stepped back to recover his
hat and got out of the crowd. Rosepy
went on into the larger crowd and
| Ouirion went home. He went into the
house after a piece of pie. and his
mother and sisters We're in the room
at the time. He had no opportunity
| TO get a knife. and there was no evil
dence that he had had one during the
| evening.
Soon after this he was arrested.
The defense will try to show that
| Roseby was struck by an unknown
hand in the crowd, and that Quirion
did not have much to do with the fight
While in Jail ne has had an oppor-
tunity to escape, but did not make the
attempt informing the turnkey of the
plan instead.
Joseph Fourier was the first witness
called by the defense. He had also
been called by the government. He
had heard no statements made in re-
gard to quitting" in front of the Den
mis- house. He had seen a crowd of A.
people on North Maple street neal
Main street. He knew Roseby anC
considered him to be a fighting man