Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-01-18
FILE FORMAL CHARGE
AGAINST OSCAR MAIN
BROTHER OF SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE TO BE TRIED FOR
FIRST DEGREE MURDER.

supreme Judge JOHH r. MAIN Oh lHlS
city, on $1,000 bona following the
filing of formal charge of first de-
gree murder against him. and the an
nouncement that his trial would
begin March 5, are the latest devel-
opments in the sensation created by
his arrest at his home in Napavine
last Sunday on the charge of having
murdered Fred H. Swayne, a grocer
of that place and an intimate friend.
in the back room Of Swayne's grocery
a week ago last Sunday.
Mrs. Swayne, widow of the muir
dered man, joins with Mr.. and Mrs.
Main in portesting Mains innocence
of the crime and in repudiating the
rumors that the eternal love triangle,
an alleged infatuation of Main for
Mrs. Swayne, led to the preparation
of the crime Judge Main, who went
to Chehalis Immediately upon being
notified of his brothers arrest and
has since been aiding him in an un-
official capacity, also declares his
brothers. arrest "a grievous error"
Community Is Divided.
Sentiment in the little community
of Napavine and throughout Lewis
county is reported to be greatly mud
died over the affair. So far the only
motive suggested by the prosecuting
attorney and sheriff and the two de-
tectives loaned by Tacoma to work
on the case. is the love triangle. They
admit that the instrument with which
Swayne was murdered, believed to
have been a small. sharp hunting
axe, has not been found.
But the prosecuting attorney. H.
E. Allen of Chehalis. while he would
not state fatty that he (Main) is
guilty." says that "the evidence
possess has in similar cases convict
ed other men and feel it is suffi-
cient for jury to pass upon"
The presence in Napavine of sew
eral rough-looking men the day be-
fore the murder is pointed to by the
friends of Main as affording a clew
to the crime. They maintain that
the circumstances which can be def
pitely timed on the evening of the
tragedy will make an alibi that can
not be broken down. Yet the author
tiles say robbery was not the motive,
as Swayne's pockets were not rified
of the money and jewelry they con-
tanned. nor was any money taken
from the store.
Suspected at Funeral.
SUSPICION was first attracted to
Main. the authorities say. at Swayne's
funeral. at which Main was one Of
the pallbearers. They claim the man
now accused showed then rnmistak-
able signs of nervousness, and that
further investigation warranted his
arrest. the prosecuting attorney say
ing he has stronger case against
Main than he has disclosed.
Main was released on $1,000 bond
( within two hours after the informa-
ton charging him with first degree
murder had been filed in the Lewis
county superior court. The bond was
furnished by Harry c. Coffman. a
Chehalis real estate man, and Arthur
st. John of the Twin City Auto COM
pany Of the same city.
Main, who is graduate of the Uni
versity of Washington. has been in
! the real estate and insurance bust
ness at Napavine for three years past,
being agent for the David P. East
man company of Seattle. which had
engaged extensively in locating set
tiers on logged-off lands in the vicin-
ity of Napavine. He has a wife and
two children, boy of about and
girl of 7. Mrs. Main is a niece of w.
! T. Whitney, Seattle capitalist.
Murder Most Brutal.
The murder of Swayne was one OF
the most brutal ever perpetrated in
Lewis county. Sunday afternoon,
January 5, Swayne went to his store
to work on his books. His wife tele-
phoned him at 6 o'clock. intending
! to ask him to come home for dinner.
but received no reply. After waiting
until 9 O'Clock Mrs. Swayne called
Bob Meyers, 16, who drives the auto
delivery, to 60 to the store to look
for Mr.. Swayne.
| With Bob Evans, another 16-year-
old boy. Meyers went to the store,
opening 1t with his own key. and in
the wareroom in the rear of the store
they found the body of Swayne, his
head beaten to a pulp.