Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-24
ROSE WlSAVERY
MILITANT PRISONER
BUT NO FARMER

Rose E Howard, better known as
Rose Carson. also known Tor her jail
and State prison record, was before
Judge Lancaster in the municipal
court Friday morning TO answer 70
charge. Threatening to kill" Rose
Carson served several years in the
State prison at Thomaston. sentenced
in connection with the killing of a
man claimed TO be her husband. The
present case was far less serious blu,
highly amusing 10 the overflow at.
tendance in the court room as the de-
tails were rehearsed by Rose, the
militant prisoner.
When Deputy Sheriff Bucklin in.
troduced Rose to the cell room late
Thursday afternoon. she chose mill.
fancy to a hunger strike. Surveying
the somewha, empty room she spiec
the cells, a number Of windows. and q
broom. She first tried the broom or
the deputy and meeting with very
little success in that quarter she
rushed to the windows and stabbed
the handle through two large squares
before she could be placed in hand
again. Even after Deputy BuckIin
took her away from the windows he
could not have placed her in a cell
without help except by using her
roughly which he did not have to do
as two other officers were present. one
OF whom held open the cell door while
the other aided him in causing the
ovS ~ - q M nd
militant Rose Carson.
Rose Carson lives beside her mother
on the old Carson place near Togus;
the complaint was made by a neigh
Dor, Mrs. Ida l. Towle. Mrs. Towle's
story was TO the effect that, following
threatening remarks made to her lit
tie daughter katherine. Rose Carson
approached the Towle home on load
Of hay, jumped off. swore strenuously
at her, Mrs. Towle, pursued her with
a stone in hand. and threatened to
kill her. Rose Carson and her moth
er denied this on the stand but the
mother and Rose could not make
Judge Lancaster understand how Rose
could be in two places at once and as
parts Of the testimony connoted such
duplicity OF presence the veracity OF
the explanations were apparently
doubted. The respondent was held in
$500 bonds to keep the peace and fail
ing to provide the bonds was COM
mitted to the county Jail about
O'Clock.
Rose Carson attracted large crowd
TO the court room. She was highly
entertaining when upon the witness
stand. Rakishly dressed, her enor-
nous pink f1ower-hat accentuated the
mannishness Of her features which
present high cheek bones and spare
bass singer. grown a trife feeble
with age. She wore a pink waist
which failed to connect with the
skirt, due possibly to the incon-
yeniences Of preparing ones toilet in
IA Jail cell.
Rose declared that the entire quar-
rel was the fault of Mrs. Towie. Mrs.
Towle, she declared. was a source Of
constant annoyance.
Why her hens is always in our
garden" she confded to the court in
her mellow bass, "and there's trouble
all the time. Two years ago she
made a fight with me and l amt had
nothing to do with her since. Got
along pretty we'll with her since
amt had nothing to do with her
Once 1 told her l know twice as much
as she does and 1 don't know nothing
But her hens bothers US and every
thing and. yer Honor. living near her
out there-why, it's He'll all the
time"
The case hinged on the cutting Of
some hay. Rose Carson asserted
that Mrs. Towle had cut hay belong
ing to her. that she had told Katy
Towle that her mother should cut no
more Of her hay, and a few minutes
later had been cursed by Mrs. Towle
and so violently threatened that she
had at once gone to Gardiner to have
a warrant sworn out for Mrs. Towle's
arrest. The complainant claimed and
evidently showed to the satisfaction
Of the court that the threats had been
made by Rose Carson and that the
quarrel was hers. Speaking of minor
details. Judge Lancaster asked:
Who pitched the hay on to the
load?"
Il did," Rose replied.
who pitched it OFF,
Mr.. Meserve.'
How much hay do you cut"
"Oh, I don't know"
We'll about how much?"
We'll, yer Honor, some years
there's more and some years less"
WAS this one Of the more or the
less years."
"One OF the less"
How much grass ground is there
about the school house you mention ?
"Oh. / don't know. yer Honor;
couldn't make no guess. I amt nc
farmer-but should say about q
quarter of'n acre"
And Rose declared: "Once she (Mrs
| Towle) gave me some poisoned whis'
key to drink"
Did she sell it to your asket
Melvin II. Simmons. her counsel.
NO she give it ter me, but they sa!
it's against the law to give 1t away II
this county, don't know nothing
about the Others"
Judge Lancaster asked her II she
threatened to kill Mrs. Towle.
mo. yer Honor. She called me q
jail bird and swore at me, but didn't
say I'd kill her. Why should want
fo murder herr don't want 70 go &c