Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-14
MRS. T0URT|LL0TTE IS,
NOT GUILTY, JURY SAYS.
Old Town Woman Tried at Belfast on Arson Charge
Is Acquitted by Jury After Three and a Half
Hours De|iberation and Is Discharged.

! ed that account of the fire was pub
| llshed in the newspapers and that she
was accused. She made no effort to es-
cape and did not attempt to conceal her
| whereabouts.
| The following day she was cleaning the
pantry and took from the shelf revolt
yer which had been given her when her
father died. Sunday she wrote some let
tiers and went out to mail them, when
City Marshal Fernandez emerged from
an alley and detained her, taking her to
his Office. where she was identified by
II. G. Hills. She told them she had a
key to the cottage. but this was untrue,
as she did not consider it anw of their
business. She had Just heard of the
death of her son in Georgia and was in a
state of great mental agitation. Witness
then told of the visit to her rooms for
the purpose of changing her clothes be-
fore going to Belfast. Six men escorted
her to her room. She said she went to
throw something over the revolver on her
table because she believed the officers
would use the fact of it's possession
against her if they saw it.
| Mrs Tourtilotte said she had on only
some light clothing under a kimona, over
|
slipped out to mail her letters. When she
was taken to her rooms to change her
clothes three of the officers, City Marshal
Fernandez, Deputy Sheriff Rackliffe and
c. A. Dickey, refused to leave the room
and she was obliged to effect complete
| change Of clothing in their presence.
They agreed to turn their backs, but
| while she was inspecting one garment
| preparatory to putting it on, Racklife
| said: "Put it on; it is Clean" and, look
ing up, she saw all three gazing at her
and laughing, she stated. Mrs.
| Tourtillotte. while telling of the
dressing episode, gave way to tears
and the court had to wait
eral minutes before she could compose
herself. She was shown the letter said to
! have been written by her to a friend in
| Milo, asking that the suit case be sent
! back to her, and said that the writing
looked like hers, although she had no
| recollection Of writing the letter. She
| also said they refused to let her get any
| thing to eat while at her apartments.
| They took her to Cousens hotel, where
| she was given some tea which made her
| vomt She thought she detected the
| taste of laudanum. Two of her custo-
dams remained in her room all night.
| She sat up in a chair and the men slep.
| all night. Dickey, she said, refused to
| allow her to call up ner counsel while
waiting for the boat next morning.
| Characterization by Attorney General
| Philbrook brought out an admission that
| a rifle had once been discharged from her
| window, but she was too scared to OBJ
serve the direction in which the bullet
went The weapon belonged to her broth
| or and was accidentally discharged while
| she was cleaning it. She said sne did
not remember threatening to shoot or
break the head of Tommy Gray. She ad-
| mitted the Sullivan she telephoneu for
was her former husband who, with the
exception OF Mr.. Gray, was her best
friend. Sullivan did not stay at hotel
She noticed her presence made matters
unpleasant for Mr.. Gray and LETT North
port the next day.
! Mrs Tourtillotte was confronted with a
portion of the letter said to have been
written to a friend in Milo, asking her
to DESTROY or conceal the contents of the
suit case, except one or two articles of
wearing apparel. She did not remember
writing It,
Mrs. Mary King of Old Town testified
to apparently unchanged friendly rela-
tons between defendant and Mr.. Gray.
Mrs. Florence E. Norton testified along
the same Hnec.
Mrs. Helen B. Shire, stenographer in
the lower court, corroborated her trans
cript of c. A. Dickey's testimony in the
lower court, which he denied in this
court. The defence, rested at go. The
state presented one witness in rebuttal.
Milton Hills. who testified to locking the
window over the refrigerator at the Gray
cottage.
Mrs. Tourtilotte was recalled in re-
buttal for the defence and testified that
the accidental discharge of the rifle took
place Sunday morning. when there was
no one in Gray's cottage.
F. ]. Martin of Bangor, counsel FOR
Mrs. Tourtillotte. made very strong
plea for his client, speaking an hour and
half.
Il ATTORNEY General Phibrook summed uI
, for the State. his address taking about
an hour. The jury went out at 6 o'clock
after a very impartial charge by the
! court
After celebrating 81 hours the jury
returned a verdict of not guilty and
Mrs. Tourtillotte was discharged. She
! went to the Windsor House, where she
nassed the night with friends.
Il SHNcK AT MILAN.