Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-22
Plea Of Dr., Briggs, Ar
rsigned for Murder
Physician Seems Little PeTiuIb-
ed at Proceedings in Court.
lanes WsIeh Changes Plea and Is GlYen
-Four Years for Robbery.

Bangor. Me. Aug. 21.-Dr. William ii.
II. Briggs, who was indicted by the
Grand iury for the murder of Maud Il.
r.gcett. was arraigned before Justice
Powers in the supreme judicial court
zhortIv hef ,re II O'Clock Tuesday fore
noon. The time of the arrangement OF
nr rrirgs was not generally known
,esoreband and there were few in the
court room.
During the calling Of the jury for the
Welch trial, Deputy Sheriff Spratt
brought DR.. Briggs from the jail to the
court room and he WAS Immediately
nlaced in the dock. DR.. Briggs was
no.tlv alfred in a black frock coat and
carried his hat. lie preceded Deputy
snrat. TO the dock and showed llttie
confusion when the door was cloSed
against him and he sat down beside
two ether prisoners. For the first Jew
,oin.ltcs Or. Briggs seemed Urine
daznd at his surroundings, but soon
recovered himself and remained Hulle
,onrnccd while the Indictment was
road ~ clerk Sweet. Not once while
thc indictment was being read did the
right arm Of DR.. Briggs CULVER. al
though his left hand, resting on the
iron grating. twitchcd nervously.
IN ,hc time that Or Briggs was in
the doc, k he gazcd steadily about the
court room. seeming but little disturbed
at the wondering eyes fixed upon MIN.
ON tho conclusion Of the reading of
thr Indictment, Clerk Sweet sail:
"WilIiam II. II. Briggs, what say you
10 this indictment. are you guilty or not
guilty."
Il an not guilty, sir replied Dr.
briggs in a remarkably steady voice.
Immediately Deputy Sheriff Spratt
took Briggs in custody and returned
him to Jail.
Following the arraiGnmcnt Of Dr.
IsriCrS. Redmond Jocc, alaiS James
Wclch, was placed on trial. WEIGH was
indicted by tn" grand jury for robbery
and he pleaded not guilty to the charge
i'm the sunreme court late Monday af-
teruoon. From the States testimony
il developed that one James Beers cane
10 Bangor from Prince Edwards Island
on July ~ with two Canadian SO bills
and some other nancy in his pockets.
The next day he fell in with Welch,
gave him Il dinnc-. and later WEIGH IN
Vitnd Beers to- take Il stroll up the rail-
road track toward the water works.
When Beers attempted to turn back, he
testified Wclch hit him and it Wa
some time before he rCgained con-
scousncss. His money was gone and
on examination he was found 10 lie
badly injured. He recognized Welch as
his assaiant. Other witnesses testified
that they saw Wclch in possession Of
much money that day and 4 st"rckeC1-
rr said that NJ changed two Canadian
SO Hills for WEIGH. several stated that
they asked the respondent where he
got IN" money and in reply he stat!
that he had Knocked Il man down and
got il from him.
on the conclusion Of the states tcs-
timony. Edward +. Murray. Esq.
counsel for WEIGH, announced that his
client wished to rctract his plea. Ar-
cor'inGly Wclch h. when replaced in the
dock pleaded guilty tn the charge OF
robbery County Attorney Patten NOV
ed for sentence. Mr.. Murray address
cd a few words to the court on behalf
Of his client and County Attorney Pat
ten called the courts attention to the
past career of Welch in his former
home in Halifax and in this city.
After remarking on the seriousness
Of the crime Of robbery, Judge Pow
ors sentenced Wclch to four years at
hard labor in states prison.