Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-30
Cases Against Abbie Law
renee Tried Friday.
Verdict Of Guilty In House Of
III Fame Case.
Sentence Of 60 Days In JAIL.
Heavy Fine for Langlois.


case of State VS.. Abbie Lawrence
went on when the superior court open
ed Friday morning. Thomas ]. Lynch
testified that the rent of the building
occupied by Mrs. Lawrence was paid
by her husband, who was the only per-
son he had dealings with in the letting
of the building. Mrs. Abbie Lawrence
testified that when the officers visited
the house she was down stairs and her
husband was sick in bed up stairs. The
half pint bottle of liquor, which was
seized by the officers, had been brought
in by one of the soldiers, who was In
the house, and who came to see her
husband and bring him something to
drink She never sold liquor in her life.
Everett r. Merrill a cab driver, tes-
tilted that he carried washings to the
house and had been there for meals,
but never saw anything wrong about
the house. Had seen two women there
besides Mrs. Lawrence, knew but one
of them. The drawn jury with Z. Z.
Follett as foreman, before which the
case was tried, brought in a verdict
of not guilty.
Tae. next case to be tried was the
case of State VS.. Abbie F. Lawrence
appealed from the Augusta police
court. in which the respondent was
charged with keeping a house of Ill
fame. The case was tried before
drawn jury with Alexander Crane OF
China as foreman. City Marshai
Fletcher of Augusta testified to visit
ing the house between IL and II IN the
forenoon of Dec. q. 1908. Found TOUR
soldiers in the house, three of them I'M
der the influence of liquor. Made
search for liquor. Went to the door OF
q bedroom and found it locked. Heard
voice of a girl from within saying:
"I'll ooen the door, He went in and
found a girl in the room and a SOL
der. The soldier had on pants, SHOES
and stockings. The bed looked as. II II
had been disturbed. He found two 9TH
er women in the house besides MRS
Lawrence. One girl was in the sitting
room and the other in the kitchen In
the basement. In the sitting room
soldier was sitting on the lounge ana
one of the girls was standing IN the
middle OF the room. Knew one OF the
girls in the house. Her name was Nora
Garner. He had heard that the repu-
tation of the girls in the house was
bad. Was in the house about half an
hour and finally arrested the occu-
pants and took them to the ponce sta
ton. Officer John A. Buckley testlfled
to making the raid in company with
CITY Marshal Fletcher. He was sta
TONED bv the marshal at the door, but
later when called by the marshal went
Of tho soldiers
were quite drunk He had heard that
the reputation of the two girls was
bad.
Mrs. Lawrence testified that Nora
Garner had only been in the mouse
about 20 minutes when the raid oc-
Cured Lizzie Fortier, another Of the
girls. came Saturday night to stay
over Sunday. Mary Brooks had been
in the house about three weeks and
was staying there while her husband
was away at sea. Mr.. Lawrence was
an old soldier and soldiers came there
frequently to see him. Stevens, one OF
the old soldiers, who was at the mouse
when the raid was made, came there
to have some liver fried for his din
ner BECAUSE he could not get 1t at the
Home. Her husband had pension OF
about s12 a month and she was obliged
to take in washings and serve meals
in order to make a living. She had
never seen or heard from the girls
since they were arraigned in police
court. Her husband had the manage
ment of the house and paid all the
bills. Thaddeus A. Stevens testified
that ne had been acquainted with Mrs.
Lawrence for seven years. On the day
of the raid he missed the II O'Clock
car to the Home and went to Mrs.
Lawrence's to get dinner. He was, III
the cook room and Mrs. Lawrence was
there cutting meat when the officers
entered Saw several other soldiers IN
the house, but did not know them Saw
two or three women besides Mrs. Law
renee, supposed they were company.
Did rot see anyone that he thought
had been drinking.
K. w. Whitehouse appeared as coun-
sci for the defendant in both cases
The Jury in the house of ill fame case
returned a verdict of guilty and Judge
Hall gave sentence of 60 days in jail.
Wilfred Langlois of Waterville in a
LIQUOR nuisance case was given a fine
of $500 and costs and in default of
payment of fine and costs eight
months in Jail Demurrer was filed.
Clair for defendant.
Several Augusta liquor cases are In
order for trial today