Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-19
The First Witness.

With the conclusion of the opening
of the States case by the county at
torney, the first witness in the trial
was called. He was William B. Getch-
ell, a civil engineer of the city of Au-
gusta. After being duly sworn, the
witness produced a scaled plan of the
first floor of the Cooper home in South
Windsor. This scale was drawn to
the scale of y an inch to the foot and
included the rooms On the first floor
Of the dwelling, the ell, shed and sta
BILE adjoining. This plan was photo
graphed by the Kennebec Journal staff
photographer and Is reproduced this
morning. 1t will be noted that the din
ing-room and kitchen are reproduced
il more detail than the other rooms in
the house, for it is in these two rooms
that the tragedy is alleged to have &C.
Cured. The two dash lines, running
cross-wise diagonally from the east
door of the dining-room to the back
entry-way, are supposed to be the
course taken by the two bullets which
were shot through the wooden door
=" hich will be produced in court in di-
rect evidence, and which was shown to
the jury Saturday.
Before permitting the witness to pro-
coed with his testimony, Mr. Heath
made motion before the court that
during the trial all witnesses should
be excluded from the court room, al
though he said that he did not wish to
make the motion operative until the
conclusion of the testimony of Mr..
Getchell. as it would not be necessary.
10 hx,t I,o stnt ~
gttorneys On the ground that as there
is a very large number Of witnesses
summoned by the State, the incon-
venience Of separating them would be
great. The court suggested that the
counsel Of both sides agree on eXclud-
i"g what material witnesses was
deemed necessary and this action will
probably be taken at the opening of
he court Monday morning.
Mr.. Getchell testified that at the
suggestion Of the county attorney he
had surveyed the premises shown in
the plan a short time after the death
! Of Northy, ana that he had afterwards
made the drawing exhibited. He de-
| fined the exact location of the rooms,
their relative positions. ard the location
| of certain furniture in the dininS-room
i is designated by marks and signs
which may be plainly seen in the re-
production.
In answer to request from counsel,
he stated that the house, meaning the
extreme southeast end of the main
building. was 20 feet from the extreme
northwest corner of the blacksmith
Shop. He also gave the dimensions of
the more important rooms in the
house which We're as follows:
Back entry, 5.3x4.3; shed, 19.10x15.3;
pantry. 10.5x5.4; kitchen, 15.3x13.2;
dining-roonl, 13.4x13.7.
In the dining-room between the
east window which looks out onto the
piazza, and the door which leads into
the kitchen. as shown on the plan,
will be noticed a drawn oblong figure
This is supposed to represent the To-
cation of the rocking chair in which,
the State will attempt to prove young
Northy was shot. The mention of this
figure was ruled out of Mr.. Getchelrs
testimony by objection of the counsel
for the defence.
Mr.. Getchell proceeded no further
IT. his testimony when court was ad-
journed, at 1905 o'clock, until o'clock
In the afternoon.