Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-11

Although he did not state it in SO many
words Justice Haley intimated that the
heaviest sentence possible would be given
Dr. Dudley.
The jurymen filed out of the box
and the court turned its attention to
clearing up civil cases on the dock
ct The Jurors called at the county
treasurer's office for their pay at IL
o'clock.
Miss PeIietier's Disappointment
The abrupt termination of the trial
will prevent Miss Pelletier from ere
ating the sensation in the courtroom
which she has fondiy counted upon.
She recently sent for local dress
maker and ordered three new frocks--
black velvet suit and two SILK dress
es were fitted to her in the jail. The
bill came to $50 and she ordered II
sent to Dr. Dudley, whose cell al
Joins hers. Miss Pelfetier also pur-
chased two new hats of a local MILL
ner to add to the impression she had
hoped to create in the court room.
Rat little Katie Michaud bought noth-
ing. The surrender of the defence
Thursday was due almost wholly to
Hates story which convinced his law
yers of the hopelessness OF ther
cause. The girl held back nothing pus
her story told heavily upon her phy-
steal powers and she tossed and turn
ed in her narrow cell without clos
ing her eyes during the night. she
passed Thursday forenoon in bed.
The news of DR.. Dudley's plea OF
puiltv caused Alice Pelletier to COT
lapse Thursday forenoon and this was
the reason her appearance in court
was delayed.
Any. shew Addresses Court
The following is the full testimony OF
what was said in the court room lhuis-
day morning:
At the opening of the court X. w,
shaw Esn senior counsel for the de-
fence, arose and said:
NAV 1t please the court: the State nav
inr practically closed its case, and couh-
sci for the defence having taken the mat
ter under consideration over night we
deem 1t our duty to advise the accuse0
IN MEAD guilty to the charge OF man.
slaughter, if the attorney general ana the
county attorney are willing 10 MOI prs
that part of the Indictment charging maj
ice, which goes to make the CRIME OF
murder. We have felt that we were oIif
GERS of the court, and. having peen ap-
pointed by your honor to defend the ae-
eused. we are bound by our oaths to keep
faith with the court as we'll as to be
faithful to our client We have, there
fore. made the proposition to the attor-
ney general, and he has made some sus-
gestions to us. With the consent OF the
court l will ask that the attorney generai
have leave to reply
Atty. Gen. Wilson: May it please the
court, This matter has been presented
to us. We have been informed that the
respondent is willing to retract his plea
of not guilty to the charge of murder and
plead guilty to the charge of manslaugh-
ter. My. colleague. the county attorney,
and myself have given the matter very
careful consideration, and. appreciating
that the charge of murder is based upon
a technicality of the statute and feeiing
that proper justice can be done TO the
respondent for the crime which he now
acknowledges to have committed under
the plea of manslaughter, we feel that, In
the interest of justice 1t would be proper
for use to accept that plea and to mol
pross the charge of malice '8ss~xs -
The court: That may be done.
will say that the court approves this
action. A mol pross of that part OF the
indictment charging maiace may be
made
Court Addresses Jury
The entry was then made by the
clerk. The respondent was then asked
if he wished to retract his plea OF not
guilty, to which he replied that he
did. He was then asked if he was
guilty on the charge OF manslanghter
or not guilty, and in a low voice.
scarcely audible, he replied, Guilty.
In discharging the jury, the court
said: Gentlemen, as you have learn
ed, the matter of trial has been dis
posed of by a plea OF guilty by t'e
prisoner to the charge or mansiaugn-
ter, which is lesser crime than the
crime of murder. the crime for when
he was indicted. In many states II
would not have been murder, IT is only
murder in this State by reason OF the
statute, and, after consultation, IL mas
been deemed wise by the counsel tor
the prisoner and the attorney gener-
al and county attorney with the APP
proval of the court, to accept the plea
of guilty to the lesser offense. The
punishment for this crime is severe
and it will probably do as much good
as if the trial had proceeded to the
end and the result had been verdict
of guilty of the crime charged. or
course it is not known what the de-
Tense may have proved as tending to
excuse the act. The case having been
thus disposed of, of course there is no
need of your services further in the
matter"