Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-26
mot GUILTY"
Is the Emphatic Response Of
Joseph Winfrid BIondin
To Indictment Charging Him With
Murder Of His Wife.
Nothing Vet Decided az to Where Trial
Will Take Place.

Boston, March 25.-To a long indict-
ment. charging him with the murder
OF his wife, nearly year ago. Joseph
Winfrid Blondin, in the superior court
at Cambridge. this afternoon, pleaded
not guilty, and was Immediately COM
mitted to Jail without BAIL Although
he listened attentively to the reading of
the Indictment, he utterly failed to
comprehend it's contents and it's pur-
port had to be translated and explained
to him by his counsel. When he did
understand it's meaning, Blondin re-
piled without hesitation in broken Eng
lish: mot guilty." There was little
emotion either in his face or voice, al
though his piercing eyes and hawklike
look seemed to flash defiance at the
court.
No date was set for the trial, as at
present the state officers seem to be in
something of a quandary as to just
where the murder occurred. The head
less body of Mrs. Blondin was found in
Chelmsford, a Middlesex county town,
and the indictment read, today, came
from the grand jury of that county.
The state, however, claims to have evil
dence that the body was shipped to
Chelmsford from Green street in this
city, which leads the officers to believe
that the deed may have been commit
ted in Boston, which would bring il
before Suffolk county jury.
AS to the date, there appears to be
little chance of the trial taking place
before fall. The Indictment is in four
counts, charging murder by stabbing,
choking, kicking, and by means un-
known. 1t took the clerk nearly 10
minutes to read it, and all the while
Blondin stood with appraised hand, evil
IDENTIFY trying to fathom the meaning
of the various legal phrases which were
somewhat obscure to even an ordinary
mind
At the conclusion, the clerk, as usual,
asked the prisoner to plead. but Blon.
din. still apparently mystif1ed at the
proceedings. merely replied: what
sir?''
Neither the clerk nor the district at
torney were paying any particular at
tention and each took the answer to be
not guilty. The district attorney at
once asked that the prisoner be COM
mitted to the county Jail. and then the
courts attention was called to the fact
that Blondin had not pleaded.
The court then asked Blondin if he
understood the clerks question.
Il don't understand what you say;
don't understand about half you
read" replied Blondin.
The court then ordered the indict-
ment explained to him and j. P. d.
Jacques of Lowell who subsequently
appeared as the prisoners junior cOun-
sci, read over portion of it to him in
French. At last Blondin seemed to
grasp the matter and after being asked
once or twice more if he was guilty or
not guilty, replied: Not guilty."
Have you counsel?" asked Judge
Hardy. do you wish the state to APP
point someone?'
Blondin again failed to catch the
meaning Of the judges words, but after
they were repeated, he said he had
counsel.
John H. Morrison of Lowell, then
stepped forward and said he represent
ed the prisoner with Mr.. jacques as his
associate. but before the commitment
to Jail was made he wished to say that
he understood the arraignment, today
to be perfunctory. Il understand" said
MIR. Morrison, that this case may not
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