Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-21


AT tie opening Of court, Wednesday
morning the first witness called by
the government was Mrs. Mary Roux
'cf Watcrv.lle She stated thar Lena
Clair was four months old wiIon the
girl WIS taken into her family and she
was IA years the sixth cay of last May.
Did not know the girls mother. On
the sixth day Of last June. the date 81:
issue. Lena left the house alone at 6
O'clock and returned ut 10 o'clock.
The girl came home crying and her
hair was runlcd like Il broom. The
girl complained to the witness that
i;prt Chamberlain had dragged her ii! :
the woods and said to the witness: IF
YOU cont have him (Chamberlain) ar
rested. will" That night Chamber
lain g.dbbcd the witness by the arm
ana said: Madam, | did that to your
girl and want to settle with you" Wit
ness said to Cnamhcrlain: Get away
from lie. am afraid Of you.'
The croSs-eXamination of the witness
brought ont no new points. although
the line Of questioning was to show
that the girl. Lena Clair, WAS older
.Ii'tu II NtdlS oi tSf.
Frank Butler WAS the next witness
called. He testified that Oil the evening
of the sixth day Of last June about
O'Clock he saw Lena Clair and Cote
girl ana walked with them to the Cote
house on the Plains. The Cote girl
went into the house while the witness
ana the Clair girl started towards her
nousr. Met Pert Chamberlain in front
Of Libby's saloon about $50 o'clock.
Went and sat down near the BiSson
house and in about Il minutes Cham
bcrlain appeared. Chamberlain said to
witness: What are YOU doing here"
Witness said: Nothing" Chamber
lain sail: "I I'll better take Il sneak
You 70 your way and let the girl 20
her way Witness left and Chamber
lain started after him. Saw Lena and
Chamberlain together.
ON cr1ES-eXa mination witness stated
that he knew that Chamberlain had
Watched the liquor sellers in tina.
reighborhood. Did not tell three
young men that Bert Chamberlain had
cauGh. the witness with the Clair cir!
Rose Russell was the first witucsS
called at the afternoon session. She
her and took holu Of both Of her hands.
He looked like q wild man and said:
"ROSic. can you help me-" Then he
said that he saw Butler ana Lena
Clair together. Chamberlain told the
witness that he committed the assault
on Lena Clair and wanted to pay the
witness and her aunt to help them set
tie up the affair.
On croSS-cXaminatinn witness tcsti-
fed that she knew Chamberlain was
formerly n liquor deputy.
The next witness, John II. Rodcriquc
4 Waterville policeman. He testified
that on the evening of June g. he saw
Chamberlain that night and heard Mrs.
Roux making Il great deal of excite
mcnt Remember Of asking Chamber
lain why he committed the act, but do
not rccollcct his reply.
on crOss-cXa mination witness said
that he became "a policeman nine years
ago and when the city was Republican
he was a member of the department.
Saw Lena Clair on the night in qucS-
ton. but did not notice anything out Of
tin. ordinary. Had spoke 10 the Clair
girl several times about being out Late
at night. and the girl has bad rcpu-
t;:tioa. Did not hear Chamberlain
make any proposition to Mrs. Roux to
settle the affair Several days after the
affair Mrs. Roux said to the witness:
"If knew as much then as | do now
now [ would not have had Mr.. Cham
bprIain arrested. You tell the marshal
that if Chamberlain will pay Mr.. Clair,
the lawyer. and the costs, l will settle
with him.
Mortimer F. Adams. city marshal Of
Wutcryille. was the next witness lie
testified that there was 4 warrant charS-
ing Chamberlain with rape on the Sev-
I'll, of Junc last Took a cab and drove
immediately to Chamberlalns house. His
vii. told the witness that the man vas
not ~ home. From information receiv-
nd T' me following day. ordered cab to be
at the police station entrance ut ci TI
I Im ,eo'" drove up opposite Chamberlain,s
house The curtains in the house were
drawn Stationed the deputy marshal n;
the front entrance of the house. Knocked