Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-10-22

IOu6 etIdIBut COutiCstOu, auu QUO COL
viction OF an offence less than that chare
ed in the indictment. In the othe
cases, there was either Q verdict OF no
guilty, or, what amounts to about tn
same, . disagreement.
Joe Bill, who was convicted Of tn
murder of his wife year ago, was sen
fenced to state prison for life, the mo
ton for new trial having been deniet
by the law court. Jail sentences vary
ing from thirty days to one year wer,
imposed upon eight, and quite al
amount was paid in fines and costs.
The case of James G. Cannon ct a
vs.. John p. Libby, which was on tria
on Saturday of the first week, also occu
pied the whole of Mondays session, auc
did not 60 to the jury until Tuesday
! morning. As before stated. this was
slime case'', involving the location OF ,
certain lot of cumberland in Hartford
II was argued Monday night by Mr.
Swasey for the defendant and Mr.. Morey
for the plaintiff, with much force. II
was given to the jury about 10 O'CLOCK
Tuesday morning. They stayed out un
Til $40 P. M, dinner being brought t.
them in the middle of the day. They
returned a verdict for the plaintiff, fix
ing damages at $1.00
The case will 60 to the law court.
CRIMINAL BUSINESS.
Wallace r. Purdy pleaded guilty OF
assault and battery on Warren d. Nc.
Keen at Stoneham on the first of Decem.
Der, 1911, and fine Of $50 was imposed,
which was paid.
Two indictments bad been returned
against Bion w. Sanborn of Upton, one
for breaking and entering and the larceny
of a rifle from the dwelling house OF
Charles A. Ellingwood at Grafton.
other for larceny Of other property fri -.
Ellingwood. In the first case the county
attorney mol pressed the breaking and
entering, and, Sanborn pleading guilty,
for the larceny sentence of four
months In Jail was imposed by Judge
Savage. The other case was continued.
Work on actual trials on the criminal
docket began with two cases In which
assault with intent to commit rape was
alleged. Ia the first case the respondent
was Watson L. Randall of South Hiram,
who was indicted at this term of court
The victim of the alleged assault was
Elsie Prescott, a niece OF Randal's wife,
who lived with Mr.. and Mrs. Randall for
nearly five years. As charged by the
state, the assault was committed on the
9th Of March, 1912, in . sleigh, while
Randall was taking tho girl from his
home in Kezar Falls village to visit her
sister at Leslie Norton's in Porter for q
few days. At that time the girl was less
than ten years Of age.
The principal witnesses for the state
we're the girl Elsie Prescott, who failed
TO give direct testimony of much impor-
lance, and Mr.. and Mrs. Orion j. Black
of Porter, who while driving on the
road met the team driven by Randall in
a comparatively lonely place, and de-
scribed what they saw at that time.
Randall ON the stand directly and pos
lively denied even any improper acts
with the girl, and explained the situa-
ton when the Blacks met him by saying
that he was fastening Elsie's dress waist
and coat, which he had discovered were
unbuttoned.
After being out about two hours, the
jury returned verdict of guilty of as
sault and battery.
County Attorney Parker for state; Fox
and Wright for Randall.
The next case was that of Fred G..
Newton of Dixfisld, charged with as
sault upon Vida Hawkes., a girl less
than ten years of age, on the 9th of
August, 1911. This indictment was
found at the October term OF court In
1911. The little girl gave quite direct
testimony as to the affair, which was
described as taking place in the late
afternoon or early evening of Saturday,
Aug. 9Th, In the store OF the respondent.
On the following Monday afternoon, as
was shown by the testimony of number
of witnesses, Newton was requested to
meet some Of the citizens Of Dixfield In
the office OF Browns stable, and there,
according to the testimony of several
who were present, he was questioned by
the father of Vida Hawkes. as to whether
be had done anything wrong to some OF
the little girls in the village, and finally
admitted that he had. 1t was brought
out that after this admission Newton was
rather roughly handled BY Hawkes..
In defence Mr.. Newton denied the
charge, and also denied having made any
sort of admission in Browns stable un-
ill after he had been assaulted by Hawkes.
and was dazsd in consequence, and that
then he did not know the nature OF the
accusation against him. A long list OF
witnesses were put on to show the i'm.
probability of the states contention. 1t
was shown that Mr.. Newton was at Weld
at ball game on the afternoon of Aug.
5th, from which he returned after
O'Clock, then getting his supper at the
hotel and thence going to the store.
Mrs. Newton and Miss Cummings, who
worked in the store, both testified that
they were in the store all the afternoon
and evening until closing time, eating
their supper In the store, and numerous
other witnesses were called to substan
tiate this. There was also considerable
testimony to show that this was q busy
day In the store, and that the store wal
30 situated that there was no part OF !,
which could not be seen from outside
through some of the windows.
In addition to all this the defence en-
deavored to put on evidence OF con
spiracy existing against Mr.. Newton te
drive him out of business and out o.
town, but Judge Savage excluded al
that, saying that 1t was another cast
than the one they were trying.
In rebuttal the state impeached the
veracity of one of the Witnesses, b!
several witnesses, and then there wore
number of charges and counter chargel
| "a to what was said about the case ant
| the motives connected with II, which
brought out q lot Of contradictory testi
| mony, and disclosed Qf that were neces
| saryl that this affair had made quite
stir in the village Of Dixdeld.
County Attorney Parker conducted
| the case for the state. G. A. Hutchin
and A. <. Stearns for the defence.
After having occupied more than
day In trial, and having been strenuous
iy and ably contested on both sides, viii
a very clear and impartial charge b,
Judge Savage, the Newton case va
given to the jury about $3.50 Wednesda,,
afternoon. They remained ont unit
about 80 In tho evening, when, havin
agreed, they were allowed to 60 hom
according to tho orders Of tho court
Thursday morning they returned vol
dict of not guilty.
A case which was very short In tb
court room but very long In the 1ur
room was next tried. This was IN II
diotment against James Carney an
Harry Siddsll, both OF Rumford, 10
breaking and entering In the daytime
with intent to commit larceny. Tho Q
legged break wss made at the house
: / Aieck JAnos, Lithuanian, ON Holyok
Avenue, on Sunday, Aug. 10, 1912. N
!, I anns and his family won't away for %