Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-03-23

Il
nine-year-old Ethel Meggs of Paris, be
gan in the Supreme Judicial Court Tues
day morning. Interest In the case wa
manifest in the crowd which filled tn
court room throughout the trial-mostl,
men, except such women as were wit
uesses in the case. None were admitte,
after the seating capacity of the room
was filed, those who remained after th
recess at the middle of each session wer
required to remain until the adjournment
and the best of order was maintained.
John P. Penley, the respondent, VIII,
has been under bonds since his arrest
took his place in the dock, and in re
Spouse to the question of the clerk afte
reading the indictment charging hin
with the offence, replied in clear voice
81 am not guilty."
Penley is a man IS years of age, some
what below medium height, rather
spare in flesh, Drowned but not ruddy il
complexion, and wears somewhat thir
brown moustache. He has lost the end
of the first two fingers on his right hand
These details are mentioned here because
they have bearing upon the testimony
which appeared in the case.
For the state the case was conducted
by Assistant Attorney General Charles
p. Barnes and County Attorney Ralph
T. Parker; for the defence by Hon
James S. Wright, with the assistance Of
Alton c. Wheeler.
A number of extra jurors had been
summoned from nearby towns, and the
drawing of a jury proceeded from the
full list of regular and special jurymen.
Judge Cornish examined the jurors as
their names were drawn from the box,
and excused all regarding whom there
appeared to be any possible doubt, ex.
cusing those from Oxford and Paris
without questioning them at all. To
secure the twelve men, twenty-six names
were drawn. Three were challenged by
the defence, and two by the state.
The jury as completed was made up as
follows:
j, Everett Stuart, Hiram, Foreman. Contract
or and builder.
walter X. Hamlin. Waterford. Creamery
G. IS. McAilister, Lowell. Farmer.
d. A. Cole, Woodstock. r. +. ID. carrier and
farmer.
Irwin /. Bean, Norway. Shoemaker.
r. l. Peabody, Giiead. Teamster.
Frank W. Allen, Buckaeld. Farmer
Thomas W. Charles. Fryeburg. Grocer.
Clarence Perham. Woodstock. Carpenter.
Roy Herrick, Albany. Laborer.
Oscar Hardy. Hartford. Farmer.
Z. f. Howe, Rumford. Farmer.
When the jury was complete, all other
jurors were finally excused.
County Attorney Parker opened the
case for the state, detailing the circum-
stances of the affair, as brought out later
by the evidence, and saying that from
the testimony to be introduced the jury
would say whether the respondent was
the guilty party. Two plans were used
in the presentation of the case, which
were placed upon the board, one show
ing the vicinity of the Leonard house,
where the assault was made, and the
other the vicinity of Penley's house in
East Oxford, near the Paris line.
Without going into the details of the
testimony Of the several witnesses, the
story of the affair is briefly this, as told
by the states witnesses:
Ethel Meggs is motherlesz girl. sup
posed to be nine years Of age, who came
from Canada the last of the summer of
1908 to live with her aunt, Victoria
Leonard, wife of Fred Leonard, of Paris.
Mr.. Leonard lives about two miles north
of South Paris, on what is known as the
Hooper's Ledge road, a short distance off
the main road between South Paris and
Paris Hill. Besides Mr.. and Mrs. Leon
ard, there is in the family one adopted
daughter, Annie, about twenty years Of
of age.
On Friday, the 9th of October, Mrs.
Leonard and Annie were at work at the
corn factory at South Paris. Mr.. Leon
ard carried them down in the morning,
and returned home. After dinner he
went to South Paris with load of cider
apples, leaving Ethel Meggs at homo
alone. During his absence, as related
by the little girl, a man with gun and
wearing a cartridge belt came into the
house through the shed. He asked if
the folks were away, then wanted a
drink of water and something to eat,
which the little girl got for him, and as
she was about to take the dishes away
to wash them, he seized her, carried her
into the bedroom, took from his pocket
two bottles containing something which
he put on handkerchief and laid 1t over
her face, and accomplished his purpose.
After she had recovered consciousness
he said, '"My God, look at the blood!"
and after making some attempt to check
it and remove the evidences of the deed,
he told her il she told on him, there
wouldn't be much left of her in few
days, and left the house, as he came,
through the shed.
When Leonard returned, little after
O'Clock as he thinks, the girl said moth
ing to him about what had occurred,
but when later he went to South Paris
after the women of the family, she went
with him. After they had got started
home, Mrs. Leonard learned something
of what had happened, and they turned
about and came back to South Paris, to
the Office of DR.. Stewart. There it was
found that the girl was badly in need OF
surgical treatment, and DR.. Littleheld
was called in, and Deputy Sheriff Wilbur
L. Farrar was sent for, and Mr.. Wright
was called in as he was passing on bis
way home. The physicians described
the injuries as permanent in their effects.
She was under treatment for week or
two.
At the doctors office a description of
her assailant was obtained from the lit
tie girl, which was in substance that he
was a large man, with heavy black
moustache.
On the SOth of October, Penley was
asked to come to the court house, and
there was brought face to face with
Ethel Meggs, who was with Mr.. Farrar.
In reply to questions by Mr.. Farrar, as
to whether this was the man, she said
she didn't think it was. j. Hastings
Beau, who was a witness to this meeting,
stated that Penley's face flushed, and he
scowled at her with threatening e1.
preston.
When Ethel Meggs was called, she
took her stand by the end Of tue judges
desk, and at Mr.. Wright's suggestion
Judge Cornish questioned her, and pro
nounced her competent witness, when
under Mr.. Barnes questioning, she told
her story. Although she is supposed t.
be nine years of age, she is small for tina
age, has never been to school, but II
very bright in appearance, and told
very straight story, which was not shak
en- on crOss-examinati0n. She described
the man as wearing a black shirt, blacl
suit of clothes, black derby hat, carry
ing gun and wearing cartridge belt
She said she had seen him several time
before, once when he was at the Leon
ards one Sunday, once at the corn shop
once at the county fair, and one othe
time in the early morning at the Leonar'
house, when abe was alone, and he at
tempted liberties with her, but was In
terrupted by some one rapping at tn
door, and went and hid. At that tim