The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-07-15
COLOREO MAID
ONLY HOPE LEFT
Prosecutions Evidence Against
Mrs. Carman Fades Away
GIRL HARASSEO BY SLEUTHS
Prosecutor and Detectives Are Hoping
Celia Coleman viii Change Her
Testimony and Accuse Prisoner.


Celia Coleman viii Change Her
Testimony and Accuse Prisoner.
When doubt was thrown on the
testimony of George Colder and Ell.
wood Bardes, the two witnesses whose
stories at the inquest at Freeport, N.
Y, caused the authorities to arrest
Mrs. Florence Carman, the prosecu-
tion's case against the physicians
wife charged with the murder of Mrs.
Louise Bailey became so weak that it
is said the prosecutor fears to go be-
fore the grand jury for an indictment.
The doubts of the prosecution as
regards the strength of their case was
expressed by Assistant Attorney
Weeks, who went so far as to say
that Mrs. Carman might be freed next
Monday If more evidence cannot be
produced.
Colder has made an affidavit practi-
cally repudiating his Identification OF
on the porch a few minutes before the
murder, and Flora Raynor, a young
woman of this village, says that
Bardes was with her at time so
close to that of the murder that it
seems impossible, If her story is true,
that he could have seen and heard all
that he testified to.
1t is barely possible that District
Attorney Smith has evidence in re-
serve which he intends to produce at
a strategic moment, but as the case
stands superficially nobody in Free
port believes that Mrs. Carman could
be indicted, much less convicted.
Take, for example, the comment OF
ex-Judge Wallace of Freeport
mo testimony connecting Mrs. Car.
man with the killing of Mrs. Bailey
has been offered that approaches the
dignity of evidence. Any judge would
be compelled to direct jury to acquit
the defendant"
District Attorney Smith, disappoint-
ed and chagrined by the crumbling of
the foundations of his case, tried to
secure a postponement of the hearing
set for July 1S by Coroner Norton.
Mr.. Smith wanted a weeks delay, but
George M. Levy, counsel for Mrs. Car
man, would not consent. Mr.. Levy's
position was that the county author
tiles after eight days investigation put
Mrs. Carman in Jail charged with
murder and that it would be unjust 10
dilly daily any further.
IF they've got any real evidence"
said Levy, ''let them bring it into
court. They are afraid. They know
can tear to pieces every story they
have set up. They've got nothing in
the world but suspicion of motive
the circumstance of jealous woman
who used a photograph to overhear
her husbands conversations with wo-
men patients"
The truth is that the prosecution is
concentrating upon rather fright
ened colored woman, who has sudden
ly become of enormous importance to
District Attorney Smith and w. j..
Burns. Celia Coleman, Mrs. Carman's S
cook, has suddenly become the I'M
portant figure in the case.
At the inquest Celia stuck to 1t that
she was at work in the kitchen from
supper time until the murder-an hour
or more-and that Mrs. Carman did
not pass through the kitchen or go by
the kitchen door.
Mrs. Carman conducted herself
when they went to take her to Jail as
everybody in Freeport felt certain she
would do. She came quietly from her
bedroom and faced the officers with
her head up and her shoulders thrown
back. There were tears in her eyes,
but there was not a quaver in her
voice. She did not tremble or display
the least indication of nervous
breakdown.
Her tears sprang, no doubt, from
grief over her mothers dangerous
condition and from emotion caused by
DR.. Carman's lack of composure as
much as from her own plight. The
mother Mrs. Plat C0nklin, is so i'll Of
heart disease that the doctors feared
the news of Mrs. Carman's arrest
might end her life. DR.. Carman wept
unrestrainedly.