Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-04
WAkEl|N TRIAL
School Boy Says Father
Told of Daughters
Death Before Report
ed to Police

Cambridge, Mass, Oct 3-John Henry
Higgins. a nine-year-old Melrose school
boy. testified today at the trial of Joseph
Wakeiin and Sarah Ann Wakeln, his
wife, charged with manslaughter in con-
nection with the death of their seven
year-old daughter Loretta. that more
than an hour before the child's disappear
ance was reported to the police Wakelin
told him she was dead.
The boy, a schoolmate of the dead girl,
went on the stand and in plain
straightforward manner explained that
on his way home from school he saw
Wakeiin at work in his garden. He ask
ed him. he said, why Loretta had not re
turned to school after being sent home
nv the teacher for book, and the faith
er. he testified. said:
"Tootsie is dead. Tell the teacher TO-
morrow.
School had been dismissed at 80 and
the boy said it was about 1880 when ne
passed the Wakeln home. Wakelh tei-
ephoned the Merose police that ms
daughter was missing just before o CLOCK
according to police records. and some 'i"e
later reported the finding of the body
Mrs Nancy F. Higgins. mother OF
tho Higgins boy. was called 10 suo-
stan,iste his testimony as to the time
of his arrival home
Mrs. Mary Hosely, neighbor, IN de-
scribing tie search for the honF' salu
she saw Wakelin looking into an old
we'll and in barn. She nrst sa" 'he
body she said, at the roadside "here
Wakelin had placed it after bringing
if from the woods. 1t was lying there
while he went to telephone the police
and she placed an apron over it, she
said.
Chief Of Police George f. Kerr of
Melrosc testified at length regarding
several interviews with Wakelin. He
said the defendant at different times
had accused seven persons of being re-
ing responsible for Loretta's death.
When he and other officers arrived
at the scene. in response to Wakelln
telephone call on the afternoon of June
I. 1916, he found the father, he said,
sitting by the childs body. When ask
ed where he had found it. Wakelin
waved toward the woods but said the
defendant never showed him the spot.
For days. the witness said. Wakelin
repeatedly called the police station on
the telephone and complained of ap-
parent lack of results in the investi-
cation Of the crime
Two Melrose telephone operators
followed Chief Kerr on the stand and
testified regarding calls to the police
station at IS and 30 r. NJ. on the
afternoon of the crime, the first when
Wakelin reported his daughter miss
ing and the latter when he notified the
police of finding the body.
Patrolman William NJ. Doherty. Mrs.
Emma Towner. neighbor of the
Wakchns. and Alderman Albert NJ.
TihhettS of Melrosc testified as to
statements made by Joseph Wakelin
after the finding Of Loretta's body.
Alderman Tibbetts. who called at
the Wakelin home with Mayor Allen,
the day after the child's death, said
that Wakelin told them that Loretta
came from school crying because she
had been sent home for her books, that
her parents were unable to comfort
her, and that she was still sohbing as
she started to return. When some dis
lance from the house the child turned.
according to Wakelin, and waved her
hand to her mother as was her Gus
tom.
Patrolman Doherty testified that
Wakelin explai ned to him that the dis
covery Of a little bouquet of lady's
slipper by the side of the road led him
to search the nearby bushes. where ne
found the body.