The Somerset reporter., 1906-03-29
Somerset y. j. Court.
MARCH TEHa.lgOs.

] III.
WM. II. HAwEs. Messenger
Depntes-J. A. Goodrich, Palmyra; Abtl y
| Rowell, Solon; Leland l.. Smith. GornyfIIe. =
L. Perkins. Madison W. A Bigelow, skowAe-
gan A. +. Buker, Hartlsnd.
The grand jury, after one Of the
shortest sessions on record, reported
Thursday noon. But two indictments
were found. One was against Ersln
Adams of this town, who in the munici.
pal court, pleaded guilty to breaking
and entering three business places IN
town on the night of Saturday, March
10, an account of which has already sp-
peared in the REPoRTEg The other
was Joint indictment against Thomas
Nash and Frank Watson They were
charged with the larceny of coins from
the store OF John c Gilbert in Fairfield
The three men were brought into
court the same afternoon for sentence.
Adams was given one year in the Au.
burn jail Watson and Nash were sent
to the Somerset county jail for three
months each.
The jury in the case of Thurlow VS.
Church, on trial when we went to press
on Thursday last, brought in a verdict
for the plaintiff in the sum of S52 O8
after brief deliberation. The trial oc-
cupied the greater part of the day
Thursday. This was an action to re-
cover damages for Injuries to the repu-
tation of the plaintiff. II. II. Thurlow,
by alleged slanderous statements, said
to have been made by the defendant,
Hiram j. Church. Thurlow is young
lawyer and was admitted to the bar but
few weeks ago. Previous to the town
meeting in Canaan in 1904 be was
candidate for place on the board of
selectmen. Before that he had been
superintendent of schools in that town
and his tenure of office had been rather
stormy one. The prosecution claimed
that Church had insinuated during the
time just prior to the town election that
Thurlow was thief and that he had
stolen bicycle. The defense was
general denial that any such statements
had been made by him. Hon. Forrest
Goodwin for the plaintiff, the Waltons
for defendant.
After this case had gone to the jury
the third trial of the term was entered
upon. This was the suit of Steward ct
al va the Inhabitants of SkoWhegan.
Good win for plaintiff E c. Butler, town
agent, assisted by Gould & Lawrence
for the town. The plaintiffs, Frank r.
and John w. Steward, conduct grist
mill on Island avenue Last summer
the grade of the street was raised to
conform with the approach to the new
bridge across the north channel of the
KeDnebec river. This necessitated the
the raising of the mill to meet the new
level of the street. The plaintiffs claim
that the damages awarded by the board
of selectmen were not sufficient to cover
the expense SO the suit was brought
Late Thursday afternoon after the case
had been opened the jury was taken to
the mill that they might have the op-
portunity of looking over the ground.
They we're accompanied by the attorneys
on both sides and the jury was in charge
of Sheriff Smith and deputy.
This case occupied the time of the
Court until Saturday noon. at which
time it was given to the jury, who after
due deliberation returned a verdict for
the plaintiffs for $1,000
Saturday, the case of The Somerset
Club versus John Buckland was settled
as the jury was being impaneled. This
was case to recover the value of cigars,
the defendant was alleged to have ap-
propriated and which the club valued
at 500 This sum with costs was the
sum for which Buckland became de-
faulted. The plaintiff club and defend
ant are from Pittsfeld
Monday all day was taken up with the
case of Charles H. Hurd versus Joseph
:. Haseltne. Both parties live in Pitts
field and Hurd sues for the sum of
$4,000 to reoompense him for Injuries
sustained from fall through scuttle
in the store of the defendant, alleging
lack of proper care and precaution
against accidents while scuttle was open
The jury rendered a verdict, londay
night of mot guilty" Forrest Goodwin
for plaintiff; E n, Merrill and T. a
Anderson for defendant.
Tuesday morning there was NJ case
ready for trial SO both juries were ex-
cused until o'clock. The day wae
spent in disposing of cases by default
and other matters which could be dis
posed of by the court.
The pressure of cases Oh the civil
docket necessitated an evening session
in the Supreme court, Tuesday. The
case of Joseph W " ilson VS. David D.
Winslow, went on trial at 8 p. M, For
rest Goodwin, Esq, for plaintiff, Man
son Il Coolidge for defendant. Plaintiff
claims to recover for the death of q
horse alleged to be due to the officious
interference of defendant in stopping
J plaintiffs team while being driven by
one, Mason boy, into Pittsheld village
and having the horse fed with oats Ii
is claimed that the change from corn
on which the horse had been fed, to oats
resulted in a collie from which the horse
died. The defense is that the horse
was exhausted. old and feeble, that Mr.
Ninsow's act was one of pure kindness
that the Mason boy told him the horse s
feed had been corn and oats and that
the boy consented to all that was done
Verdict for plaiHtiff for 81 90.
The action of Frank p. Pennell. ct al
VS. Elwin c. Robinson, assigned for trial
yesterday, was defaulted. the defendant
failing to appear The suit was entered
neither party.
In the case of Ernest A. Nelson vs II
A Bennett a settlement has been effect.
ed and the action Withdrawn from the
docket. This WAS an action to recover
for injuries to a colt alleged to have