Middletown transcript., 1904-04-16
MRS. POWELL'S
TRIAL FOR LIFE
Defense Making Preparation
and The Case Will Soon
be Before a Jury
AN OUTLINE OF BOTH SIDES

| With instructions to her husband tt
look after things at their big Bowers
Beach farm, Mrs. Mary A. Powell, await
ing trial in Kent county Jail for the
alleged murder of her adopted daughter
Estella Albin, added that she would soou
be there to attend to things herself. This
is the only intimation that Mrs. Powell
has given out as to her defense, neither
will her lawyers, Messers. Davis and Rid
gely make any statements. Both Mr..
and Mrs. Powell have contended that
Miss Albin was suicide. ever since the
trsgedy was discovered and this theory
will doubtless be argued by the defense.
1t is probable that there will be little de-
lay in the trial as the defense is working
hard to get everything in readiness for
the trial, when Court of Oyer and Termi-
ner convenes two weeks hence. Powell
is insisting that his wife be put on trial
at once, and it is believed that there will
be little delay, the case coming up not
later than a special term of the court
which will be called.
The defense is at work on the theory
that the two women were on very friendly
terms. 1t will probably prove by Mrs.
James Holleger, neighbor and intimate
friend of the dead girl, that she had never
complained of her foster mothers treat
ment; and that Mrs. Thomas Wooters
and Miss Wooters, other neighbors, who
frequently called at the house, have also
declared that the two women were
friendly. Instead of being much-abused
of-all-work, of whom Mrs. Powell was
jealous, it will be shown that, since the
Powells took the girl seven years ago, she
had been the recipient of everything to
make her comfortable and happy at the
big farmhouse. Last Christmas Mrs.
Powell gave the girl a handsome gold
watch, while Powell gave her bracelets. |
She wore handsome clothing, and readily
paid 81 to $40 for her hats, also possess
ing plenty of spending money.
Mr.. and Mrs. Powell were married on
January 9th, 1897, by the Rev. E. H. |
Derrickson, at the farmhouse then occu-
pied by Mrs. Powell, who was a widow.
Six weeks later, Mrs. Powell and Essie
Albin professed conversion at Bowers
Beach chapel, where the Rev. Mr.. Der
rickson was conducting a revival. On
February 2lst. they were received, with
a class of probationers into the Methodist
Episcopal Church. After serving her
probation, Essie was received as a full
member into the church, and Joined
class. Mrs. Powell, however, still con-
tinued on probation.
BY these facts, the defense will en-
1eavor to prove that neither of the two
women was bad or immoral, and that
Mrs. Powell, especially, was not the vicious
woman which it is alleged could only
have committed this henious crime.
The prosecution will doubtless show
hat the two women quarreled in the
'uter shed, and that Mrs. Powell follow
ng the girl into the kitchen, dealt the
'irl violent blow in her anger. That
he girl then reeled into the yard and up
IN attempting to re-enter the house, the
nfuriated woman headed her off and
truck her another blow, this one telling
Ter to the ground. Fearing that the girl
vas dead, it is claimed that the strong
woman then carried the prostrate form
o the attic, where her throat and arms
we're hacked almost into shreds and
where the knife was placed in the dead
iris hand to indicate that she had been
suicide.