Oxford Democrat., 1914-04-28
William Adams was Released.
AUTHORITIES SATISFIED THAT MRS.
CUMMINGS COMMITTED SUICIDE.

In the Norway Municipal Court Tues
dav afternoon, William Fl. A. Adams of
Albany, who had been held charged with
the murder of his daughter, Mrs. Ethel
Maud Cummings, was discharged, the
officials who had been investigating the
case being satisfied that Mrs. Cummings
committed suicide.
To summarize briefly the history of
the case, on Tuesday, April IA, at the
home of her father in Albany, Mrs.
Ethel Maud Cummings was killed by a
shot gun wound in the mouth. 1t was
at first supposed to be suicide, but a
coroner's jury empaneled by Coroner A..
p. Bassett of Norway on Wednesday re-
turned verdict that she came to her
death by a shot from gun fired by
some person unknown. Certain things
which looked suspicious led the author
tiles to investigate, and Mr.. Adams was
arrested on Friday.
The hearing in the case bad been con-
tinued until Wednesday afternoon, but
as County Attorney Dyer wished to at
tend another engagement on Wednesday,
and Mr.. Adams counsel was entirely
willing, it was arranged that the case
should be taken up on Tuesday.
County Attorney Frederick r. Dyer
conducted the case for the state at the
hearing, which lasted less than an hour.
The respondent was represented by AL
ton &. Wheeler, but he had no questions
to ask of the witnesses. Indeed, there
was no occasion for this, as Mr.. Dyer's
examination of the witnesses was such
as to bring out all possible facts which
bore upon the matter. At the outset
Mr.. Dyer stated that he thought it advis.
able that the matter should be cleared
in manner which should do justice to
all, and it was apparent almost from the
first that he regarded the case as one of
suicide.
DR.. II. l.. Bartlett OF Norway, the
medical examiner, who conducted the
autopsy, described the wound in detail.
He said that death must have been in
stantaueous. There were no signs of
violence on the outside, other than a
little burning on the throat and chest
which came from the burning clothing.
The course of the shot was directly back
from the mouth. Asked as to the posi-
tion of the muzzle of the gun when it
was discharged, the doctor said it was
in the mouth, and about as far back in
the mouth as it would go.
The gun was produced, and DR.. Bart
lett, asked if the girl could have shot
herself with it, said that in his opinion
she did, and demonstrated at least two
ways in which it might have been done.
She could not have pulled the trigger
with her hand.
Sheriff VIM. o. rockingham told of
the position OF the body on the floor, as
it had been marked, the feet near the
stove. aud the body lying on its back In
line with the stove, the gun beside It,.
He talked some with Mr.. Adams, and
got willing replies.
The gun was examined and scratch
and dent on the hammer we're pointed
out by Mr.. rockingham.
Albert P. Bassett of Norway testified
that be was called as coroner to the
Adams house on Tuesday, the 14th, and
arrived there about I O'Clock. He de-
scrbed the position Of the body and the
gun on the floor as 1t had already been
indicated by Mr.. rockingham.
Mr.. Bassett said that Mr.. and Mrs
Adams were little inclined to talk, but
the younger sister, Ivoreen, told him her
story. This was in substance that she
and her father and mother had been out
10 the yard, and that her father had gone
into the kitchen, when they heard some
thing that sounded like shot. She and
her mother went into the house, and her
father was sitting on the couch in The
kitchen taking of bis rubbers.
There was some talk about wbat
the noise was, and Mrs. Adams went an6
opened the door into the front room
The smoke poured out, and the body
was found on the floor with the gun be-
side 1t.
Two letters were introduced by Coun
Ity Attorney Dyer, and Mr.. Basset
stated that they were found, one by hiu
and the other by another man In his pres
ence, on Friday, in the room where th'
girl was found. The letters were moi
read In court, but 1t Is understood tha
they purport to be written by the deat
girl, and indicate that she was about t
make way with herself.
Charles r. Morey of Albany, nea
neighbor of the Adams family, and
cousin of the dead girl, told Of the incl
dents occurring soon after the shooting
and also said that the girl was at hi
house the day before, and expressed hel
self as very downhearted, saying ths
she didn't know what to do, nobod
wanted her. She had appeared despond
eut on other occasions before.
i Sherman G. Cummings, husband Q
the dead girl, who has been Of late i
Qroton VI. taafiflad that hia Nifa ha