Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-16


So 10 th,. request of Attorney Gem
s!'','I I4.rbert Parker, a speeiA -session
e.a' Grand Jury OF Middlesex county
haer called to consider the evidence
Do ch:rlcs l.. Tucker, accused of
&c.," ,,uriered Mabel Page at Wes-
S,'"T Tho Jury viii meet at East Cam
.-;1rA next Tuesday =
posror. ..pril 15.-"F'rom prelimi-
,ieir to the scene Of the murder
,tiss Mabel Page. which occurred in
n.as,ou. March 81. and from Il casual
..,,in3tiom Of the facts as obtainabie
his time. | cannot help expressing
-, orinion that the case which has
saao made cut by the government of
yo.e,, tu@ctts against the defendant.
,.s.rlos l.. Tucker. is not conclusive
.s.t be alone is the person who could
sa,.s committed this crime.
~ff course | am unable to state ali
.,a ayiIencr that is in possession of
,L4 government. because they. as a
,Js and as in this case, have refused
N make it known. but, nevertheless,
,bs-a appear up 10 this hour SO many
roo,hGles that am led to believe that
The neOple's case cannot be Of such
o,r.nr,h as would warrant the prose-
ask for = vrr'iict.
in III" first place, have ascer-
,aiurI during the brief period of my
iryrstigation that the authorities have
Tins (ar failed to establish any tangi
hla or dirr.l motive for the commits
sion Of the crime 50 far as young Tuck
Or is concerned. by that | don't mean
IN cav that Tucker must be absOlved
.ron All connection with the crime, he
cause future developments may estab-
lish the evidence which seems to be
lacking. today.
Il am convinced that the knife or
broken piece of the knife which We're
found in fuckers house ard which he
acknowledged as his own property
cannot be connected with the killing of
Miss Page. A good deal has been said
about this knife and / am prepared to
state that the true facts are as fol-
lows: The wounds in the body We're
according to the medical examiners
report. made with Il two-edged knife
~ that DR.. Mead says he was positive
at the time he made the first examina
ton. Now The knife found in fuckers
! possession is Il single blade dirk knife
with only one edge. 1t is the kind OF
knife usei by hunters and fishermen
Z and it is carried in a leather sheath
kGhch can be pure hased in almost any
hardware store or sportsmen's goods
store.
Tucker. according to his own state
ment made to the police, broke the
blade Of this knife after he had beer
taken tOlthc West Newton Police sta
ton for the first time and after he
had hc"n Intercepted by Gen. Whit.
ney OF thicf Shaws staff. The young
man. At this examination, stated thai
he had nothing to conceal concerning
his movements on the day Miss Pag
WAS killed.
After Tucker was released that Mon
DAY night h" returned to his house an,
there h. SAW the hunting knife. II
View Of the fact suspicion might be di
rnrted toward him he concluded to %
strGy the knife. lie separated tn
blade from the handle ana broke tn
blad" int" three pieces. He kept tn
pieces in his pocket. After he had bee
arrested and the broken piece of tn
knife blade had been found ne WA
asked where the handle was. and u
readily told the authorities that it couI
b" found III the cellar. A corps of stat
detectives went to the place and foun
teh handle III the place he had statet
ana this WAS the first intimation tina
the state authorities had hat he was i
possession Of his knife which figures 5
strongly in the government case. III
matte no conCealmont whatever abOu
tn possession Of the blade and tn
Other parts Cf it. namely the handle.
Another point. considered as of tn
Gfeatc"t Importance ana as agains
lh'k er. was the fact that blood stain
wrr" found on the outside of the lei
pocket of his trousers. Tucker has toll
Inc authorities how the stains cam
9here. He acknowledged that thes
bloed stains came there the same after
noon or the murder. His eXplanatio
appears plausible one and can b
proved by witnesses and hence anothe
important link in the chain of cvidenc
taht the government has tried to win
around Tucker is broken.
Friday. I went over the ground Of tn
mi;rd"r scene. taking particular note {
IN" distances from the bridge whcr
'k"r was seen and claims to hay
Teen speeding TO CATERS Corner. whic
Is III" last point where he is known