Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-16

II. 4. Stearns, Hebron.
NJ. w. Stearns, Lowell.
Edward q. winslow. Norway.
SECOND JURY.
Z. A. Cox, Norway, Foreman.
John L. BAILEY. Andover.
A. T. Eastman, Buckield.
Winfield b. Fsssenden, Fryeburg.
Adrian l.. Grover, Bethel.
Harry n. Head, Bethel.
Alm0n +. johnson, Brownfeld.
Oscar Judkins. Upton.
Chas. II. Martin. Paris.
ID. L. Pride. Waterford.
Ellsworth w. Sawyer, Porter.
G. II. Stanton, Oxford.
SUPPLEMENTARY.
j. Arthur Cameron, Rumford.
All but one or two Of the active prac
ticing attorneys of the county we're pres
emit in the bar at the opening of thu
court. The calling Of the docket and
the arranging of the trial list occupied
the remainder of the forenoon of Tues
day, and there was but little to do at the
afternoon session, the trials beginning
Wednesday morning.
A number of naturalization matters
were taken up Wednesday morning be-
fore the jury work began. After an ex
animation of the applicants, the oath Of
allegiance was administered to John
Ross of Paris, native OF
Prince Edward Island; Julius Henry
Hoch of Norway, native of Germany
and Joseph Antolini of Norway, native
of Italy.
Four other petitions were either dis
missed without prejudice, or continued
to await decision of the courts on &C
count of change In the law-this mean
ing simply that the petitioners will be
delayed in completing their transfer OF
allegiance. The petitioners in these
cases are Albert John Dyer of NORWAY,
Abraham Riley of Oxford, and Joseph
Textbook of Oxford, all natives of Eng
land; and Oscar Tikandsr of Paris, a ma
tive of Finland.
The examination in these naturaliza-
ton matters was principally conducted
by Mr.. Dodge, an investigator for the In
terror Department, who was here In the
discharge Of bis official duties, and he
insisted upon strict and technical COM
pliance with all the provisions of the
law.
RUMFoRD vs.. UPTON.
1t is supposed that every person has a
residence somewhere, whether he is
there or not; but, as has frequently been
noted in the operation of our election
laws, tax laws, and pauper laws, it is
sometimes difficult for man himself or
any one else TO tell whore he lives. By
the laws of the state, a person in order
to become a charge upon any town must
reside in that town for period of five
wears continuously without receiving
any support from that town as pauper.
Disputes arising under this law are com.
mon things, and sometimes get into
court, and it was such case which first
engaged the attention Of jury on We'd
nesday.
This was q suit brought by the town
OF Rumford against the town OF Upton,
for pauper supplies furnished Annie
Campbell, wife Of George r. Campbell,
commonly known az Robert Campbell.
There is involved in the decision Of the
case a bill of pauper costs already
amounting to about 500, and a future
indefinite liability. James b. Stevenson
and A. <. Stearns for Rumford; James
S. Wright and Alton c. Wheeler for Up
ton.
The only question at issue was wheth-
er Robert Campbell had pauper settle
ment in Upton. Campbell is laboring
man, who works in the woods and at
other jobs. He is supposed to have
been born in 1871, and at the time he
became twenty one was living with bis
mother in Upton. He has since been
twice married, his first wife being d.
yorced, and he and his wife Of the time
have made their abode for some period
in various places, by spells In Upton, at
other times in Dallas Plantation, In An
dover, in the woods in Andover North
Surplus.
The contention of the plaintiff, Rum
ford, is that until within Elk or seven
wears Campbell has had legal residence
in Upton; that his absences, even when
wife and children accompanied him,
we're only temporary; and that Upton
was his fixed home to which he return
ed. 1t was shown that tax was assess
cd against him In Upton every year for
a period of some ten years, though no
evidence Of payment of tax was given
except Campbell's statement that be
always paid taxes in Upton"
On behalf Of the defendant town, Up
ton, it was contended that Campbell had
never resided there continuously five
wears; that he had been q rover, living
in different places; that while he had
been in Upton for a number Of short
periods, he had no property there and
no fixed abode, and that q number OF
times be had moved to other places with
out any intention of returning.
The two principal witnesses 10 the
case were Campbell and bis first wife,
whom he married in Dallas Plantation in
1S97-and 1t was an interesting Incl
dental fact that although the certificate
gives her age as IA at the time of the
marriage, according to her own testimo-
nv she lacked some weeks Of being tbir.
teen years old at that time. There was
some disagreement In their testimony,
but Judge Spear in his address to the
iury gave them and all the other wit
nesses the credit Of apparently endeavor.
ing to tell the strict truth in all details
Much evidently depended upon the
question whether Campbell, when he
went from Upton to Dallas Plantation in
the spring or early summer Of 1897,
transferred bis residence to that place.
On the 10th OF July of that year he wai
20 years old, and II he still remained
resident of Upton he had acquired pau
Der settlement in that town. But II Q
few weeks previous to that date, he had
become q resident of Dallas, be had
broken the contipuity of his residence ir
Upton, and though he later returned te
that town, had not had five years CON
tinuous residence there.
Throughout tue case was closely con
tested. Frequent objections were made
on both sides to the admission OF evil
dence asked for, and numerous excep
lions were taken by counsel on boil
sides to the ruling Of the presiding jus
tice on the admission or exclusion o
evidence.
From the nature OF the case and th
evidence II moved slowly, occupying tn
larger part Of the day Wednesday and 81
day Thursday, the charge of Judge Spea
to the jury not being completed until al
ter six o'clock, and the jury did not g.
to their room until Friday morning.
Pretty nearly oil day Friday was spen
by the jury In consideration Of this case
They began on 1t immediately after tn
opening of the session at $50 In the fore
noon. In the middle OF the afternoo
they wore called In BY Judge Spear, wh
impressed upon them that 1t was In th