Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-20
ALVIN |. MEADER
IS BOUND over TO
THE SUPERIOR court
On Charge of Cheating by False
Pretences-The Court Takes
Prompt Action in Case of Ne
elected Children


alias A. l.. Harris, who was arrested
wednesday evening as he was leav-
ing the stage at the Augusta Opera |
house, where he had been appearing |
in amateur vaudeville, was arraigned
before the municipal court Thursday /
morning to answer to a charge of
charge was preferred against him by
Clarence S. York. Meader was repre- !
scented by M E. Sawtelle and entered
a plea of not guilty.
1t came out in Mr.. York's testimony
that Thursday, Oct. Is, Meader got
a pair of shoes at the York store I'M
der sthe name of A. L. Harris, and
agreed to pay for them the following
Saturday; that he came in again on
the day agreed upon but claimed that
he had no money and would pay on
the Saturday following the latter date.
MIR. York further stated that he did
not see the respondent again until a
few days ago, when noticing him look
ing at a store window on Water street
he stepped up and addressed him as
Mr.. Harris, whereupon the respondent
told the witness that he was wrong
that his name was not Harris, but
Meader, whereupon the witness went
over to the municipal court to seek
the advice of Judge Lancaster relative
to what could be done in the case, and
a warrant was issued for Meader's ar
rest Owing to the fact that Meader
appeared in court still wearing on his
face the paint in which he had APP
peared in vaudeville, Mr.. York had
some difficulty in identifying him, but
identified the shoes which Meader had
on in court as of the same style as
the shoes which he had secured at
the York store. George Piper. a clerk
in the York store, was called, and his
testimony was mainly corroborative of
that of Mr. York.
Meader was placed on the stand and
from his testimony it was learned that
he is a native of South Gardiner, %
years of age, and cannot read or
white, also that he has been married
about one month, In regard to Mr..
York, Meader claimed that he did not
know him, had never seen him before
coming into the court room, had never
bought any shoes of him and did not
know that he had a store. On cross
examination of the respondent the
court brought out the fact that Mead
er was in jail for two months last
summer for stealing dog, and that
he was arrested at Richmond for
stealing a motor boat at Bath.
At the conclusion of the hearing
the court found probable cause to hold
|. Meader in the sum of s1o0ffor APP
/ pearance at the January term of the
superior court, and as the bonds were
not forthcoming he was committed TO
Jail to await the sitting of the court.
Another case which came before the
court Thursday morning was an ap-
plication from Mrs. Ada F. Hunt of
Augusta, State agent for the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chill
dren, asking that suitable and proper
provision be made for the care, custo-
dy and education of the three child
rem of Elwood B. and George Will
Jams, they being Percy, aged five
years; Mary, aged two years, and
Everett, aged seven months. The par
ents and the three children were
present in the courtroom. The case,
so far as the children were concerned,
was one of the most pathetic which
has thus far been brought to the at
tention of the court
1t was learned during the hearing
that Monday, July 6. the Williams wo-
man took the three children and left
her husband and his home after hav-
ing sold everything there was in the
house, and went to Lewiston with an
other man, who returned to Augusta
within a day or two, she following in
about ten days. In the meantime
Williams had found other interests
and taken up his abode in old Fort
Western.
The children were taken care of by
the mother until within a few weeks
when they were placed out to board
and were in a pitiful condition. A
brother of Mrs. Williams then took the
children but could not keep them. and
the case was reported. The case was
disposed of by the court placing the
childrensin the temporary care of Mrs.
Hunt, while Williams and his wife
were-ordered to pay IS per week to
Mrs. Hunt for the care Of the child
rem for the period of one year, and
in case of failure on their part to car
ry out the order of the court the man
and woman will be given six months
in JAIL