Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-23

Salem, MASS, MAY llS N'i'NiiN~
for the prosecution in the trial in the
Essex county superior court OF EdSdr
w. Meikle, the 17-year-old lad, charged
with the murder of his father, >. u
Meikle, was not productive of develop
ments of striking nature today, eN-
cept perhaps the testimony OF Edward
Garritty, young companion Of the ac-
cused boy. Garritty testified that on
the Saturday proceeding the day OF the
shooting, he went to the Meikle house
at young Edgar's request to see If the
senior Meikle was at home. When
Garritty reported TO Edgar that he had
found the door open and had looked in,
Edgar exclaimed according to the wit
ness I'll bet my father has shot him
SELF
Three fellow employees of the elder
Meikle at the General Electric Works
in Lynn testified as to his normal con-
duct during the forenoon proceeding
his death, this evidence being put in to
contradict the suicide theory. Thomas
Nj. Carroll, who lived in the house next
to the Meillle home testified that he
walked down Congress street few feet
ahead Of the senior Meikle just before
are only few feet apart, and. accord
ing to the witness, Mcikle turned to go
into his own yard Just as the witness
reached his home Carroll said he was
about to enter his door, when he heard
shot fired.
Considerable time was spent by coun-
sci during nc afternoon seSsion'in dis
cussirg the admisibility Of testimony
which WAS EivCr at the inquest.
Eventually Court StcnoGraphcr Gay
was allowed to read from his shorthand
notes made At the inquest. testimony
given by Young Mciklc to the effect
that he rcVer wrote any letter to his
school teacher and signed his fathers
name 70 it. According to the testi-
mony, however, he wrote a note which
his father signed.
Albert Joseph Gadreau. who lives
across the street from the Meikle house,
testified that on the Saturday preceding
the shooting he smellcd Eas coming from
M@ikie's house and on investigating
found tho cider Mciklc in bed with the
gas in the room escaping from Il jet
| III" witness turned off the gas.
Edwin 7. Buttcrlield, q foreman al
the General Electric Works, testified
that he saw Meiklc on the forenoon OF
| his death. that the man was working
| as usual and that nothing unusual was
| noticed in his appearance.
George S. Hamilton testified that a
short time previous to the tragedy, he
walked part way home with Mekle
who told funny stories and laughed
| heartily.
James NJ. Blaisdell, undertaken, told
| Of 4 visit made to him by Edgar on the
| Thursday following the shooting, t.
sec his fathers body. The witness no.
| tioed that Edgar leaned away over the
| body and looked particularly at the left
| side of the head. where the wound was
| on cross examination by Lawyer Sisk
| for the defence, the witness was asked
why he kent using the words Leaned
| over" and he explained that it was
| because tho act struck him as a pecu-
| liar thing for the boy to do.
Ellen Shehan, whose residence is
back Of the Meikle house, testified that
some time after the shooting she talked
with the boy and that Edgar asked hcl
If State Officer Proctor had been to see
her and that she replied mo Attorney
| Sirk asked. in crOss-examination, if il
was anything strange for the boy t
| come into her house. She said that he
had been there two or three times be
| fore.
When court adjourned for the day i
| was expected that the government
would conclude it's case tomorrow.