Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-12
Second Trial Accusing No
Little Interest in Court.
Prisoners Peculiar Actions - Arguments
Made---1o Jury Today.
OLIVER G. HALL. Judge.

with forgery ana ms second tfldl Dt-
gan Thursday morning. The prosecu-
ton was conducted by county attorney
Thomas Leigh and the respondent by
George W. Heselton of Gardiner, Frank
T.. button Of Augusta and Herbert f.
Foster of Winthrop.
The first witness Friday was Charles
s. Hichborn Of Augusta. cashier of the
First National bank and recognized
expert in handwriting. The witness
was for the State. Several standards
Of the handwriting of Frank l.. Hodg-
don, the respondent, and Mrs. Henriet-
ia S. Hodgdon We're examined by the
witness as well as the deed upon which
the questioned signature of Mrs. Hodg-
don appeared. The direct and cross
examination of the witness was very
exhaustive. The witness said that in
his opinion the handwriting upon sew
sral sheets of paper which were admit
ted to have been written by Hodgdon
was the same as that on the alleged
forged deed, which purpOrted to con-
yey certain real estate located i'll the
town of Rcadfield. Frome the festi-
mony brought out in examination OF
other witnesses it was shown that
Henrietta L. HodgdOn. whose name APP
pears on the deed, is at present living
at the town farm in Readfield. She IS
not 4 pauper, however, as she receives
q soldiers widows pension and pays
her board at the institution. Being an
invalid, and confined to wheel chair.
she is not capable of taking care OF
herself.
The other witnesses for the govern
ment who We're on the stand Friday.
we've ]. O. Butman and j. II. Black,
both of Readfield. They testified to
hearings and trials that have been
held since. The examination Of the
witnesses was not extended and the de-
fence opened before noon.
Three witnesses were called by the
defence, one on Thursday and two YES
| terday. On Thursday. John NJ. Carter
of Portland was called out of the regu-
| lar order of witnesses. The two wit
nesses Friday We're Frank l.. Hodgdon,
the respondent, and Mrs. Mcdland. an
aged colored woman who lives in Port
land.
The State in presenting its case, con-
tended that Frank l.. Hodgdon forged
the signature of Mrs. Henrietta >.
Hodgdon to the questioned deed in
Readfield The defence claimed that
TIE deed was signed in Portland in De-
cember. 1903. 1t was claimed that
sometime during the month Mrs.
HodgdOn visited the respondent at q
house on Gould street in Portland and
then and there signed the deed. Mrs.
Hodgdcn, when on the stand Thursday,
denied the truth Of this allegation.
Appearing for the defence, Mr.. Car
ter swore that sometime about this
period he drove a woman. who was in
a wheel chair, from No. Gould street
to the Maine Central depot. in Port
land He identified Mrs. Hodgdon as
the woman. on Friday. Mrs. Medland,
the colored woman. sworc that some
time about December 1909. she saw
Mrs. Hodgdon at the Gould street
house.
Mrs. Hodgdon. upon being recalled.
testified that although she was in Port
land during the time mentioned. she
did not visit Hodgdon but remained in
the depot from the time she arrived in
the city. at p. NJ. on the day until
O'Clock the next day.
The witness was put on the stand in
his own behalf. His testimony was not
materially different from that reported
at the time of his first trial last Janu-
ary He swore that Mrs. Hodgdon
signed the deed herself and delivered
the document to him for negotiation.
The witness became rather incohercnt
at times. and during his cross
que stioning by the county attorney h"
-, h,x IN ,J,,chalp
person.
Q-"What do you mean by saying
that you ambushed somebody"
Al mean those two men. Butman
and Black. They have formed a con-
spiracy against me, but I've got 'em
ambushed and I'll beat EN-"
Dwell. what do you mean by hav-
ing them "ambushed?"
Alive got them beaten; and I've
got you beaten. too, and you're ambush
ed. You'd better throw up white
flag now-youre beaten" And the
witness pointed a long lean finger at
the county attorney and laughed Curl
ously. County Attorney Leigh appear
ed to be somewhat surprised at the I'M
s"emly conduct of the witness and his
h''uiiistttOH WIS IlOl eNteIiueu tHeitdl-
ter.
HocSdon was in the State Insane
hospital for several weeks last year.
uhuer observation, there having been
oi..e doubt as to his sanity. His con- /.
uoct mas always been marked, and at
~ INST trial, at the January term of |
eourt' ne attempted to steal the |
"noseo forged deed in open court This !
eyidnnen was the principal piece of
evidence against him and he would
.ate succeeded in getting away sitb
~, were 1t not for the watchfulnass If
SHsrht Ham who detected the fe,Io,,.
as ne was slipping the deed into ,,u;,,
wh,ch ne had with him.
o,a Inc defence closed shortly after . a..
.aoch ana expert Hichborn was raoau,a
IN reouttal He swore positively, , we.
III ms opinion. the signature .tIan., -
eta on the deed was in the hi.
Writing of Frank L. Hodgdon the a'.u-
snondent, thus corrobora,ina .''e re-
s'es''inohy given by expert Erero, 'ne