Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-24
Ira 0. Butler Not Guilty
Of Attempted Murder.
Discharged After a Hearing
In the Municipal Court.
Man Stabbed in Melee will Prob.
ably Recover.

IL WAS case OF standing room only
Saturday afternoon in the local NUM-
cipal court room when the hearing
| of Ira O. Butler was held. The charge
against him was assault with intent
to kill. After hearing the evidence
Judge Bachelor found the respondent
not guilty and he was discharged.
Hon. s. w. Gould appeared for the
defendant.
| The trouble started Friday night in
what is known as keeneville, which
is the Five Points of Skowhegan. 1t
is here that the pocket peddler flourish
cs and the district has given the po-
| lice a whole lot of trouble during the
past five years. 1t began some time
| ago when the house where Butler
| boards was raided by the enforcement
| deputies. Butler is an old offender and
las served several terms in Jail for
| liquor selling. He had an idea that
some of the neighbors had given him
| away and that there is no doubt but
what there was hard feelings between
| him and the man who got the worst
of the argument, Lew Pitts.
| AS stated by an eye witness to the
affair Butler was in his boarding
| house, Which is run by woman nam
ed Mitchell, when Pitts came along
and evidently was looking for t; scrap.
He invited Butler to come out on the
| sidewalk and have it out He threat
ened Butler and the latter armed him
self with an axe and Pitts made a
| retreat. He is d man not over so years
of age and will weigh some $50 pounds.
Butler is a man past the prime of life
;,, -
After the first set to Butler went to
the house Of a ncighbor and was talk
ing with him when Pitts came along
for the second time. They got into
a dispute and it is alleged that Pitts
struck him and knocked him down.
While Butler was on the ground with
Pitts on TOP of him. Butler drew Il
knife and stabbed Pitts in the groin.
The wound was not a deep one, but it
cut one of the smaller arteries and
blood flowed freely.
Then there was something doing.
Keenevila turned out en- maSse and
the report was quickly spread that
man had been murdered. Deputy
Sheriff David w. Lewis was notified
and arrested Butler. He was taken to
the county Jail, followed by mob
of people who were led to believe
that riot was in progress. But there
wasn't Butler made no attempt TO
resist arrest and practically refused
to discuss the affair. He claimed that
W hen he was down he was kicked in
the face and that his jaw was broken.
DR.. Stinchfeld was called and dressed
the wound of Pitts 1t is not dangerous
and unless poisoning sets in Will
amount to but little.
After Butler was arrested Deputy
Lewis removed Il knife from his cloth
ing There was no blood on it and it
did not correspond to the description
of the weapon used by those who saw
the ARRAY Pitts did not seem to have
any hard feelings against Butler and
stated that he did not care to have
him punished.
G. NJ los. who had been a guest of his
brothers here. left Saturday for his home
in Cornwall. Ont.
Edmund stevens. who had been the
guest Of his parents. DR. and Mrs. r. II.
stevens, left Saturday by automobile for
Portland on his way to ambridse. Mass
The latter part of the week he will sail
from New York for Porto Rico.
Mrs. c. il. Baglcy passed Sunday with
her husband in Natervile.
Mss Mamie Gilb!air returned home
Saturday from visit with her sister In
Fairfield. Mrs. Johnson
Miss Zaidee Morrison, who had been
pursuing her art studies in New York for
the past year. arrived home Saturday to
visit her father l.. l.. Morrison.
c. e. Dealey left Saturday for Rumford
Falls to visit friends.
Mrs Martha l.. futile passed Sunday in |
Watrrville as the guest of Col. and Mrs.
f. +. Boothhy. Today she will go to
Oakland and before returning hcine will |
visit with friends in South Gardiner.
The morning service Sunday at the
Bethany BAPTIST church was conducted |
by Drew 7. Harthorn. principal of the |
Academy at Wilton. The other services
of the church were held as usual. The
pastor. Rev George Merriam, is on his
annual vacation and will return sometime
this week.
A large number of people visited Lake
wood Sunday. The attraction was the
concert given by Co. f. Military Band of
this place under the direction of r. +.
Washburn.
Mrs. f.. n. Merrill and daughter, Miss
Bertha. returned Friday from their cot
tagc at Boothbay Harbor.
Mrs. w. III. Bishop and two children of
Leeds are in town. the guests of Mr.. and
Mrs. Adam Simpson. The two ladies are
sisters
Mr. and Mrs. c. NJ. Holt returned home
Friday night from a vacation passed al
Northport.
Hon. a. II. Norcross of Ohio will give
a political address in Grange hall this
evening on the issues of the present cam