Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-17
Desperate Says He Is
Not Guilty Of Murder.
e|t-Detence or Accident May
Be Basis Of Fight.
Returning Militia Officer Seares
Youthful Cigarette Thief.

Greenfield, Mass, June 16.-Bearing
but little resemblance to the desperate
outlaw who had terrorized the hill
towns of northwestern Massachusetts
for three days, Silas Phelps, cowed
and detected, today pleaded not guilty
to the charge of numbering Deputy
Sheriff Emmett F. Haskins of Charlie
mont Sunday at Monroe Bridge. Judge
Henry ]. Field of the Franklin district
court held Phelps without bail for a
hearing June "a. A few minutes earli-
er upon his plea of not guilty, Phelps
had been held in bonds of $4,000 on a
charge of assault with intent to kill
VIM. M. Penman, superintendent Of the
Ramage Paper Cos. mill at Monroe
Bridge last Saturday.
Following the court proceedings.
Phelps was once more taken into the
detention room. Here, in the presence
of two or three officers, Phelps identi-
fled the weapon with which he killed
Deputy Sheriff Haskins. 1t was a
double barreled shotgun and Phelps
stated that it was the left barrel that
had been fired at the officer.
Upon his return to the county Jail,
Phelps talked for few minutes with
the newspaper men. When asked why
he did not shoot either himself or his
pursuers while he was being hunted
in the woods, Phelps said that there
was no need for such course. He then
explained that the killing of Haskins
was purely accidental. He said that he
intended only to frighten the officer.
In talking of his experiences in the
woods Phelps said that he slept fairly
wei! at night, but that he suffered from
fever as we'll as hunger and thirst. He
complained of considerable lameness
today.
Phelps has not vet secured an at
torney 1t is understood that his de-
fence will take one of two or three
"orms. 1t is claimed that Deputy
Sheriff Haskins had invaded the pri-
vacy of Phelps home without a war
rant and that in shooting him as an in
trader Phelps was within his rights,
It is also claimed that self-defence or
accident may form the basis of Phelps
fight for life and freedom.
The pursuit of Silas Phelps, the
Monroe Bridge desperate had it's Sc
quel in the Franklin district court here,
shortly after Phelps case had been
disposed of today.
After the capture of Phelps all of the
militiamen from this town returned to
Greenfield Among the number was
Second Lieutenant Philip H. Ball of
Old Deerfeld, three miles below Green
field. Late last night as Lieut.. Ball.
accompanied by G. w. French. princi-
pal of Deerfield Academy, was walking
along the street of Old Deerfield he
heard the crash of breaking glass and
saw the shadow of burglar in the
store of Fl. s. Belmont. The officer
drew his revolver and after threaten
ing to shoot ii the burglar did not sur
render, discharged ell six barrels A
search of the undcrbrush in the rear
of the store disclosed a human form
living face downward. At first Lieut.
Ball thought he had killed burglar,
but subsequent examination showed
tfat the form was that of badly
frightened but unWounded 16-year-ole
boy, who had broken int" the store to
steal candy and cigarettes.
The boy, Henry Munster of Fall RiV-
II, had been recently an inmate of the
LYMAN Truant school and was placed
in the care OF an Old Deerield farmer
by the state authorities.
In court today the lad was held fol
thu. grand Jury for breaking and en-
teTing.