Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-20
READFlELD FARM CASE.
-ocs on Trial Thursday Afternoon
Before First Jury.

BEFORE st jury.
The case of Pierce VS.. Cole went on
ial at the opening of the afternoon
s. ssion before the first jury with Her
9trt II. Kelton of Augusta as foreman.
his is an action. alleging fraud,
fought by George A. Pierce of Read
lid against Charles J. Cole OF Read
field. The ad damnum is $1,000. 1t was
lained by the plaintiff that the de-
fendant misrepresented the value oil
hp farm, particularly as to the amount
Ct lay cut, he claiming that it cut 30
tens of hay whereas it only cut about
Il tons. The defendant claimed that
Ia4v representation made by him as to
lie farm was made in good faith. Jo-
IS "a Williamson appeared for the
9laintif and George w. Heselton OF
ardiner for the defendant
George A. Pierce of Readfeld, the
plaintiff, testified that he was 81 years
If age and was formerly in charge OF
OK President Cleveland's farm at Tam
North. N III. Witness came to Read
deld Nov. !. 1897 and on NOV. of the
anne year purchased the Cole farm at
Rfadfield for S4100 The farm had
about - acres in orchard and moving
field and witness bought it for dairy
farm. He said that Cole told him that
the farm cut 80 tons of hay, but he
found only about u tons of that year s
crop in the barn. Witness had i'm
proved the farm so that it cut more
/ hay but at no time did it cut much
more than II tons for the whole farm.
The witness rather upset the dignity
of the proceedings when, after he unroll-
ed several bundles of hay. Attorney VIII
hanson asked him what it was.
"Hay." was the reply in a surprised
tone Even the court smiled
J An attempt was made to explain to the
! Jury the difference between the appear
ance of the bundles cut in different years
! Mr. Williamson and Mr.. Heselton took
! turns in fnterrupting the witness, until
Judge Spear remarked:
at is evident that you both are de-
feent in bucoies' 1t was again neees
sary to rap for order
1t developed on cross-examination thai
he witness paid $1,000 for the farm, that
lis previous experience was largely gar
dcning. and that 1907 and 1908 were bad
hay years.
| The next witness was Edward c. Pal
lner of Readfield. who lived near the Cole
place. He had been inside the barn sew
eral times in the haying season wher
MIR. Cole was there and testified as to
the quantity of hay in the barn. Wit
mess on cross examination said that Mr..
cole talked over with him the quantity
of hay cut on the place but he never
told him that he cut as much as 80 tons
on the place.
! "Without the use of grain. how much
: hay would il take to carry a COW through
1.-THE winter?'' asked Atty. Heselton.
about two tons" replied the witness.
! The farm was not all in a good state of
cultivation when it was sold to Mr..
Pierce Witness on redirect examination
testified that the farm would cut slightly
more hay since Mr.. Pierce bought it than
before.
Herbert D. Wood Of Winthrop testified
! that he pressed hay on the Cole place
as far back as 1895 before Mr. Cole Went
there In 1899 witness pressed part OF
three years crop. which was about p
tons In 1906 he pressed for Mr.. Cole
about eight tons Mr. Cole seemed to be
surprised that there was not u tons.
Miss Lillian Keith testified that she li,-
d on the Cole place in 1899 and 1900. Wit
, farm cut in 1899 except that Mrs. Earle
who owned the farm at that time, told
her
Several more witnesses for the plain
! tiff remain to be examined and these will
be put upon the stand when the session
of court is resumed, Friday forenoon.