Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-09-01

IU
~ \. .he busiest meetings yet held
!. ,,s present Governor ana Couhc!i
IN session from 10 O'Clock until
~ssday with only brief recess lot
a,.r TWO pardon petitions were
=. and other matters of Importance
=. discussed with action in several
=. Henry W. Schrader OF SAN
-. serving a tenyear sentence Tor
,..,u,orv offense, was represente@
con George ". Emery of Sanford
;. advised that the convict was
.arht to be not guilty of the offense
= mich he was committed to Thom-
~, Sen. Emery made brief but
Il. n1aa and in executive session the
,.r,jon was tabled pending further
ri,n. The pardon petition OF John
Roberts of Smyrna. serving a HE
.-n for murder. was finally acted up
and the pardon refused. The pur-
ase of the Hebron and Fairfield san
riun1s by the State was approved.
h highway commission was author-
VI to 90 ahead with the Jackman-
rkwood road work. The Governor
a pointed discussion OF finances
m the trustees of the State JuVe-
H. institutions and with Superlntend-
cr,r,,da At NJcDonaId Of the Hal
oRell Industrial School.
Tho Roberts Petition
The Roberts pardon petition con-
smed nearly three hours. The petit
ton was presented by Frank II. In
|raham of Rockland who asked a par
ion, conditional pardon, or commute
On of sentence, fortthe convict serv-
life sentence for the murder Of
Edgar Dickinson at Smyrna Mills,
1t. IS, 1906. Mr.. Ingraham was an
bur and As minutes presenting his
II and took 20 minutes in. rebuttal.
|h;ea for a PARDON w6a based on
sssunsption that Roberts is inno-
~ the crime and was unfairly
Voted.
4 reviewed the evidence and re-
bred the incidents Of the murder
lar as they are known. He said that
tabout Ala o'clock on the morning OF
Il Is, two men passing the home Of
tknson, saw a lantern going from
kbarn to the house: that few min
ts after passing, probably at 4.30
hg heard a shot; and that later il
u found that Dickinson had been
covered dead on the floor in his
kns at about that morning, a bull
lodged in his head. He was found
4his son, according to the story, aft
Mrs Dickinson had told him that
snething was the matter with his IA
liz.
The Murder Motive a.,
hdeveloped from the plea Of Attor-
hgraham that Perley Dickinson,
Nson, later lost his mind and died
ndN has been suggested that he knew
more about the crime than he ever
3d. It was also stated that Mrs. Dick
as0n was indicted jointly with Roberts
Jul the case against her was later mol
posed because of the lack Of evidence
convict her. Roberts had been en-
Eyed by Mr.. Dickinson and it was
aFged that he had made threats
$aihst Dlckinscns life. prompted by
gu 'ht'macy with Mrs. Dickinson. Evil
.ence was introduced at the trial to
NOV mat Roberts had often been seen
|Sl'h Dickinson's wife. The suspected
man was found in lumber camp and
e was convicted under the ASSUMPTION
aat ne knelt outside the house and
meo through a window with a 1910
"mcnes'er rifle which he owned. The
'0iet which made a clean hole through
WINDOW. was found in Dickinson's
ssaa and was such as might have been
-'eu from this rifle There was much
s sa laid upon the fact that the State
aau Roberts did not agree as to his
Wv .e.eaoouts on Oct. II, the day before
ss murder, and Mr.. Ingraham declar.
NJ. "s had Roberts been able to prove
,b,, ~ ~ was not in Island Falls upon
tad NY. ', ne would have been acouit-
en-. ne turther stated that his pres
sirrjsa ~ island Falls that day had no
vesd 's al except that the jury con-
| had ,,s mn. because they believed he
dav W, Nv about his presence there that
dsnes w. ~ lnsraham went into the evil
Q, n. IN minute detail and MANY parts
'o lie covered several times.
coua archibald assI Strongly Opposes
,,yosed "a A''0rney Archibald of Houlton
s.sla ssa tn. the Granting of the pardon and
aw - s ,ua1 Roberts was fairly convict
sah.,.. deliberate murder He said tbs,
II. u,us, . . had not exhausted all
To-, 1 paa avenues of legal procedure be-.
Roberts hi 80 was sentenced and that
hi, ais himself. who was given two
ny dis ssS disappointed when the first
you'd sssse saying he had hoped thew
n. asree and have it over w,th thsn
asal was Jury convicted him and an
ss.a ' nsa further stated that S be- Ssd
sss ,s,s st'n Ia, an Aroostook woman who
aa and md W.T., s.th Mrs. Dickinson since the |
ssavae need INA, ,sa. the woman says she 'i is
Dickinson mat mat both b, Roberts and Mrs. s.
d at ~. Hnow all about it. II Us s,at
sAo was ,. nearing that Mrs. Dickinson.
saat.d that ete II, put on the stand. has in
10 all that al. -, VIII tell on her DEATH
Astorn.v Ie KNOWS about the murder.
One Of y. SsnsraI Gives Adv;c.
Ss"''"usd on Pag. 1o-c tas Council nc