Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-27
Coming Before Supreme
Court at Skowhegan.
TiIson Asks the Maine Central
to Settle for $4,000.


Skowhegan, Me-, March 27.-(SpeciaD.
Next week two of the most important
civil suits ever tried in the Somerset
county supreme court will be given to
the jury. The first is assigned for
Monday, that of Tilson VS.. the Maine
Central r. r. Co. and Tr. 1t Is n suit
for damages, the sum asked being $40
600.
This is the heaviest damage suit
ever brought in Somerset county. The
plaintiff. Fred Tilson of Sidney, was
employed by the railroad as a lOcomO-
tive fireman on shifting engine in the
WateIville yard. He was injured while
in the cOmpany's employ two years ago
the present month and for the greater
part Of the time since has been confined
in 4 hospital. So severe were his in
juries that he is obliged to wear n
plaster of paris cast on his body from
his shoulders to his hips and it is said
he will be Il cripple for life.
1t is alleged that the accident was due
to negligence on the part Of the rail-
road. A semaphore in the yard instead
of a"tiug as Il beacon of safety proved
a lure and the plaintiff claims that it
was in Il wrong position and thar af-
Ter the accident it was moved. This. it
is thought. will have great bearing on
the case.
The other eases are those of HOyt VS..
the insurance Co of North America,
Hoyt VS.. Norwich Union Ere Insurance
Society Of England and Hoyt VS.. Hart
ford Fire Insurance co. 1t is an action
10 recover the face value of three poll
cIes OF insurance, OF $1,000 each. placed
on a hotel owned by the plaintiff and
which WAS burned last June. The COM
panics refuse to settle the claim, al
lcging that the buildings were set on
fire ut the instigation Of the insured to
secure the insurance ind to defraud the
companies.
The plaintiff is Mrs. Capola May
IIoyt. At the September term of court
she was on trial charged with crimi-
nal offence. that of obtaining her build
ings tn be burned in order to defraud
the insurance companies. After q trial
lasting five days she was acquitted, the
jury bringing in Il verdict of not guilty
after q deliberatiOn of but 80 minutes.
Tho trial was one of the most sensa-
tiona ever heard in the Somerset court
house.
At the trial the principal witness
against Mrs. Hoyt was Otis A. Reed.
who testified that on the night of June
a. 1905. he set fire to the Blaisdell
house in New Portland at the request
Of Mrs. Hoyt, who was then Capola
May kirShner. His reward, so he said
was to have been her hand in mar
riarc. Reed was a married man with
two children and according to his story
he and Miss kirshner We're to go to
Massachusetts where a divorce was to
be obtained, after which she was to
marry him.
Less than four hours after the fire
was discovered. which also destroyed
two dwelling houses. Reed was arrest
ed. He was brought to Skowhegan.
plead not guilty to the charge of arson.
probable cause was found and he was
bound oyer in the sum of $500 to await
the action of the grand jury. Later he
made a confession. acknowledging that
he set fire to the hotel and duplicating
Miss kirshner Previous to his con-
fcsSion Miss Kirshner became the wife
of Herbert Hastings HOyt of New Port
land.
During the trial of Mrs. HOyt the
court house was not large enough tO
hold the crowd desirous Of hearing the
testimony. The evidence was sensa-
tional in the extreme. Reed testifying
that the relations existing between him
ana the defendant were Of the most in
innate nature.
As Mrs. Hoyt was found not guilty
by a jury the indictment against Reed
CT inns
much il there had been no crime COM
mitted there could be no accessory. At
the December term second Indictment
was found against him for arson. He
was allowed his freedom with the un-
derstandinE that if there was no
further complaint against him for two
years the Indictment would he mol
pressed.