The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1909-06-17
Municipal Court Matters.

Paul Page of lockwood was arrest
ed, Friday, by Deputy Sheriff Charles
ii. Chute, on a charge of rape, two
separate offences being laid against
him. He pleaded not guilty in the
hearing before the municipal court,
but probable cause was found and he
was held in the sum of $500 on each
charge for the action of the grand
Jury at the September term. Failing
to furnish bail he was committed.
Acting under instruction from Sheriff
Mooers, to whom Mrs. Page had
made complaint by letter, Deputy
Sheriff Chute made a careful investi-
CATION before making the arrest. As
subsequently appeared from the evil
dence of Mrs. Page and her daughter,
at the hearing, Page had threatened
his wife rel eatedly and sometimes
both mother and daughter had been
obliged to make their escape from the
house, the respondent, gun in hand,
threatening to take their lives, and
pass the night in the woods.
Searches were made, Friday, at the
premises of Joe Arsenault and Mike
Musroil, both of Madison, by Consta-
BILE II. H. Lessore of that town, assist
ed by Deputy Sheriffs Augustus Gill
blair and Elmore Walker, for intoxi-
eating liquors. No liquors were
found. These respondents were ar
rested, however, on warrants alleging
single sales and for being common
sellers, but deeming the evidence in
sufficient in its nature to overcome
the presumption of innocence, Judge
Lawrence discharged the respondents
on both charges.
Late Saturday evening, Sheriff
John A. Mooers was notified by tele-
phone that Ray, the son of J. II.
Stevens, had been found unconscious,
by the roadside in Mercer, under cir
cumstances that indicated an attempt
at murder or very serious assault.
Mr.. Mooers made arrangements and
went to Mercer very early Sunday
morning, by automobile, taking
Deputy Sheriff Fred d. Stevens of
Smithfield with him. They found
that the young man in question had
been sent to the pasture for pair of
oxen, late Saturday afternoon and
had been found, wounded and bleed
ing, by the roadside as above report
ed later in the evening. He had re-
gained consciousness in part by the
time Mr.. Mooers arrived and could
tell of going to the pasture fence and
throwing yoke over into the enclos
ure. Beyond that point his mind
was blank and he could relate moth
ing of what had caused his injuries.
Mr.. Mooers and his deputy found a
place in the pasture, near where the
yoke had been thrown over, where an
encounter of some kind had evidently
taken place. There were blood stains
on the ground and other signs of
violence and there was also blood on
the fence nearby, indicating that
young Stevens had climbed over after
his injury. He had evidently walked
from this point several rods to the
place where he was afterwards found.
A horse was in the pasture with the
oxen and it at first seemed to the Of
ficers that some of these animals must
have caused the injury but later they
felt this could not have been the case.
Neither did Mr.. Mooers find motive
or circumstances to justify a theory
of assault. The case seems a very
one but Mr.. Mooers thinks
it may be solved as the injured man
more fully regains consciousness and
is able to recall more of what occurred
in the pasture. Upon his returning
memory seems to rest the best pros
pect of accounting for his injuries.
Deputy Sheriff S. H. Frost of Pitts
field arrived here this week with AL
den Jackson of that place, commit
ting him to Somerset Jail to serve
sentence of 80 days for liquor selling
and 80 days additional unless the fine
of 500, imposed as part of the sem