Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-24
Jury Returns Verdict Of
First. Degree Murder.
Listens Unlnoyed to Announce
ment by the Foreman
Just as to Scaling ArTaignmeat by States
Counse|...No Defence Made.

South Paris, Me. March GA ver-
dict OF murder in the first degree was
returned tonight by the jury in the
case Of Wesley Chick, the young farm
hand accused of the killing of his
sieat-uncle, David Earney, at Porter,
Dec. ). The trial was concluded late
this afternoon after it had been in pro-
gress four. days and the jury having
delibcrated for SO minutes reported Il
verdict of guilty. Judge Spear will de-
fer sentence until the early part of the
week probably.
Throughout the scathing arraignment
Of Assistant Attorney General Phil
brook, who made the closing argument
for the prosecution. alleging robbery as
the motive of the crime and declaring
that the deed was committed with NAL
ice aforethought. the prisoner sat alb
soluteiy unmovcd. lie endured calmly
the wait of so minutes during which
the jury deIibcrated, and when the
jurymcn filed into the court room and
the foreman. Adelbcrt Delasso. an
nonnrrd the verdict. chiCil ch""-rtI a
tuotpick uncoECcrnctily, al ~ li.t,.u q.
No witnesses were heard for ih, 49,
fcnc" in this TRIAL. Tho lr'>ccul N
closed it's case at II n'cln, < lay and
j. :. Wright. counsel for the prisoner,
immediately moved Il discharge on the
ground that the State had failed to
prove the respondents guilt. The court
denied the petition and the prisoners
counsel having announced that no evi-
dence would be put in by the defence
the arguments were delivered.
Sheriff 6. g. McIntirc. who last night
related his experience in obtaining cvi-
dcnce against Chick. o, ctIpicd the wit
ness box at the opening OF the supreme
court.
Mr.. MCIntirC'S attcntion was callc,!
Ia TN" chart of the scene Of the shoot
iiiG aud ne corrohorat"d the previous
testimony about distances, Ctc. Hc told
ui til" shot found III beam IN the tic
w Indicating that the gun had been
discharged ~ a person near a door
;,'ld shooting into the tic-up.
Walter Eidlnr. 4 E"zar Falls store
krc;'cr. tcstincl that Chick w0s in his
store Wednesday. the day Of the mur
dcr, and inquired Cor a bowie knife.
Hattie Douglass was recalled and
Identified the gloves found as the prop
crtv of Chick.
Mrs. Josephine Douglass. wife %
Melvin Douglass. the important wit
less for Tho State wEo committed sui
,'dc eight days after the shooting. told
Of The finding Of h'r husband in his
larn where he had cut hia tlrpHt with
Il razor. She said hc was at home all
day oI Tic day of ihc murder and had
supper ;,t :. o'clnrll. one hour after the
:ErotinE. Her homo is nearly mil 8:
:icm the Narncy place.
AZ this point TIE State, having cx-
:tinincd all is Witness, :. rested th"
ease :inI j. :. Wright Of this town
%,I.ior counsel for thv G"fcucc made
his plea.
Attorney Wright arSUc'i th It '.I"cordin%
to the evidence. if Wesley Chick fred tho
fatal shot at David Ndrncv. hn went out
of tn" barn. oyer the wall and into tie
rwu"ds wherr ihcy claim he built Il fire.
hratrd water in Il two-GIu.rt pail washed
from his face the black substitute witt
whiCh il IS claimed he was dlSSl col
dropped the gun. disposed of his clothing
ANA walked to kczIr Falls. distance OF
~ miles The crime vas committed at
about m o'clock ana hc arrived at Nir-
tues harbcr shop. at !,lj. Just on" hour
after Narncy was shot Virtue says he
arrived calm. cool aud in Il natural con-
dition OF mind aud appearance.
Further on Mr.. Wright said: Here IL
another circumstance that within eight
dtyS of David Varncy's shooting. Melvin
Douglass. living in the immediate vicin. ty
committed suicide. 1t has been said by
learned men that suicide is confession
They say thit Chick did not have the ca
lH"itv to earn the amount of money
found on him. That is not for them to
say. They have only to say that it was
David Narncv'S money"