Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-13
SUPERIOR court
Langdon Bates Will Be
Tried for Murder

day Morning at the Courtnouse-
Was Indicted at September TERM
for Murder Of Mrs. Edith Cole at
Winsiow on Aug. - Last
LanSdon Bates. aged A. years. Tor
merry 4 machinist employed at the
Iollinssworth & Whitney pape.
mill at WINSTON. will at the session
Of the kennebec superior court
which VIII commence TuesdaI. Judge
Fred Emery BeaHe OF Hailoweli pre-
siding, he placed on trial for tie
murder OF Mrs. Edith Cole at Wins
Bates was indicted by the grand
jury at the September term but was
sent to the Augusta State hospital
! for observation as To Ills sanity. The
case is now ready for trial and the
State will be represented by AtIor-
ney Genera! Guy II. Sturgis OF Port
land and County Attorney Walter
NJ. Santorn Of Augusta. this being
Count. Attorney Sanborn's first
term. Bates will DE defended by Ex
Attorney General William Il. Pattan
gall Of Augusta and Carol! y. Per
kins Of Waterviile. Although. -Attot
ney Pattangall prosecuted a nun, oe.'
Of murder cases during the two
terms that he was the. attorneE se..-
eral Of Maine. yet tits is the fret
instance where he :us ever acted
for the defence in a murder actor.
The State will claim at the trial
t;.at Bates killed Mrs. toic instead
Of killing Miss Alice simpson. WIKI
whom ne is iiageI 10 have he~n
euamoured. and whom !; y elaine.
he intended 10 pnt out q ire way
As Il was. Miss Simpson vas ll. l..
I bullet III ;he Shoulder anG fingered
between lie and death for several
days.
Mrs. Cole and Miss Simpson, ae-
corcing 10 the opening " the State.
were walking along the highway n
lie town of Winslow on tie night -
August g last on their way to q
lawn party. when people IN tie
-leig borllood heard shots ringing IL
the evening air.
John Gocdine and Chester Var
both RI WINSTON. who were gong UP
Simpson hill. ahead OF Tie ,wo wo-
men. Mrs. Cole and Miss Simpson,
all On their way 10 TIE lawn party,
told the police .hat they met Bates
w.o was carrying a rifle and asked
him what ,e was going TO do with
the weapon.
4 am looking or biz and i;,tic
game" is said u have been the re-
Ply # Bates.
Tie state will further claim tia:
Bates continued on his way until
he had gone g. couple of RODS past
Mrs Cole and Miss Simpson and
then according to witnesses. Turned
and fred at the two women. At the
:.rst si4ot both women dropped to tie
ground. Mrs. Cole exclaimin- You
lave SHOT me, and Bates replying
1t might jus, as we'll be row : airy
time The aSsailant is ale ed 10
lave fred six shots in ail. Mrs
Ccic vas instantly KILLED Will Miss
Simpson crawled into n clulap of
bushes later being rescued am TAX
en to the hospital at WaterviIc.
After the shots lad been fired
Bates disappeared, going in re il
rection Of some woods. il is { nten-
ded. saying rs lie went that e was
going to Kill himself
About 1920 o'clock on that night.
two hours after the tragedy Bates
entered tie police station at Water
vile, saying that he would give
himself up to the authorities but
further than that he would noc dis
cuss the shooting in any way.
Bates has wife and two children
and had the reputation Of being a
crack rifle shot
Mrs. Cole. WHO worked in tie paper
mill at Winslow lived with her aged
parents. Mr.. and Mrs Harvev
Getchell
Miss Simpson has thoroughly re
covered from her wounds