Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-26


Because Sidney F. Bennett cannot ac-
count for an hour of his time on the
night of Feb. q, 1870 two men instead
of one are held to answer for the MUIR
der on that date of Mrs Hattie French
Thomas. A coroner's jury this morn
ing formally accused Ira Grady OF
Unity of the crime and this afternoon
Bennett was held for the April term
Of the grand jury, probable cause hav-
ing been found by Judge Rogers in the
municipal court.
After hearing the evidence for more
than 10 hours, the coroner'S jury
brought in a verdict at $50 this morn
Ing as follows:
Harriet French Thomas of Belfast
in the county of Waldo, was murdered
on Monday evening, Feb II, 1910, by
being stabbed in the heart by a sharp
instrument, in the kitchen of her home,
on Cross street by Ira Grady of Unity,
the murder being committed in d
drunken brawl."
More than a dozen witnesses were
heard. several of whom were recalled,
including Sidney Bennett and Ira
Grady, who were at the Thomas wo-
mans house on. the night of the affair
1t Is said the crime has been fixed on
Grady chiefly though the evidence Civ
en- before the jurors by himself and
Bennett.
Grady when taken into custody, the
Of fhn
was intoxicated but denied any knowl-
edge OF what happened in the house
Bennett, arrested the same night, told
the police that the woman received
her death wound during Il scuff1e with
Grady whose face she had slapped and
whom she had pushed toward the door.
Grady will be arraigned Saturday
morning.
Bennett was arraigned this afternoon
and pleaded not guilty He took the
stand in his own behalf after nine wit
nesses for the State had given their
evidence. The States witnesses were
Medical Examiner Vickery and Drs.
Smith and kilgore, City Marshal Ham
monds, Officers Beach, Packard and
Chute and Joseph Decrow and Captain
K. II. Morse of Boston. John Avery
who appeared as a witness, was not in
condition to testify and was locked up
in a cell.
The most damaging evidence against
Bennett was given by Officer Chute
who said he had found tracks in the
snow. leading from the house where
the crime was committed to the rail-
road. up the track TO a box car and
from there to Benefits house, where
here was walk which had been trav-
aled so that It was impossible to fol-
low the tracks to the door. The tracks
at the freight car showed that the
man had looked about, but had not de-
c1ded to enter the car. but retracted his
steps down the track and gone to Ben
nett's house. The imprint in the snow
was made by rubbers corresponding to
those worn by the accused.
The other witnesses for the State re-
counted the circumstances of their con-
nection with the case. Medical En-
aminer Vickery said the woman was
unconscious when he reached the
scene of the crime and that he had car
ried her from the kitchen, where the
stabbinS occurred, to a bed room and
placed her on q bed. The room where
the crime was committed was not in
such condition of disorder as to SHOW
that struggle had taken place there.
ne SAID. While he was removing Mrs
Thomas to the bed room her combs
FELL from her head and her hair came
down, but it was not down when he
reached the house. She did not regain
consciousness during the time he was
here and was in no condition to make
any statement.
City Marshal Hammonds. who ar
rived at the Thomas home after the
arrival of Medical Examiner Vickery.
said combs, evidently from the head
of Mrs. Thomas. were laying on the
floor and the room was otherwise in
disorder. These things he had con-
sidered evidence that a struggle had
taken place.
Bennett. taking the stand in his own
Nehalf. testified that there had been a
struggle on the night in question be-
tween Mrs. Thomas and Grady and
that after it was over the woman had
shown evidences of being hurt. In re-
Spouse to his inquiry if Grady had cut
her she replied. 81 guess he did, anG
soon lapsed into Inconsistencies. He
hurried out after aid and later returned
to the house, after summoning assist
ance for the dying woman. He later
went home and after telling his wife
what had happened went to bed. He
was aroused about 2 o'clock in the
morning by the officers who took him
into custody.
In telling of his movements on the
night of the murder Benefits state
ments as to time varied from those OF
other witnesses. about an hour, be-
tween and 10 o'clock. being unac.