The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-11-20
MUNICIPAL COURT
Chester Barker Bound Over TO Await
Action of Grand Jury. Boy Ordered
10 Reform school

Action of Grand Jury. Boy Ordered
TO Reform school
Several hours were occupied Thurs
day last III ID hearing which resulted
Out OIL d breaking. entering and lar
lcuy case during the might OF Oct. 10,
last. At that time the restaurant OF
the Proveucal d MeCoombs had been
broken INTO and The sum Of $239.20
had been removed from the safe and
Sz2 ION the cash register. 1t Will
be recalled that this happened while
5.er4 Mooers @as in Jacaman inves-
ueatIng the BARLEY murder Since
his return he has been working quiet
o. the case and d few hours be
lore the hearing, had arrested Chester
Barker and Ralph Wentworth, charg-
ing them with breaking, entering and
'J;aeHy. The first witness called
was NJ. {. ProYeneal. who told OF the
coud ions Of the restaurant at the
time be closed shortly after 2 o o'clock
in the morning. He stated that Bar
ker who was one respondent in the
case. had worked in the restaurant
in the past Night watch David
Withee. who in the absence OF Sheriff
Mooers had notified Chief OF Police
Thompson, told of meeting Ralph
Wentworth and Chester Barker at the
electric light store lie said they
hailed him and at their suggestion
/ they all went To the restaurant for
something to eat 1t seems that
+ Withee tended fires at the restaurant
and was privileged to serve meals
TO customers during the night He
discovered the break and he with
Barker and Wentworth made various
I Investigations about the place noting
the break and robbery b. A. Me
I Coombs cO-partuer with Proyencal
/ in the business. testified to conditions
as he found them upon his arrival fol-
! lowing notification of the break that
4 Barker had been there frequently in
the past Chief of Police Thompson,
also told Of the appearance OF the
restaurant and thought that Barker
had spoken Of the possibility of es-
tablishing a clue from finger print
on the screen Of the window. Ros-
coe Abbey told of being with Barker
and wentworth and of assisting them
in a search for Withee in order to OBJ
.I,.,.
cal & McCOombs lunch room. 1t
seems that according to Abbey's tes-
timony Barker said that Withee might
be in the kitchen OF the lunch room
and in order to investigate he went
into the alley way. leading to the kit
chen and it was probably from four
TO five minutes before he saw him
again. 1t was through this alley
wav and the one window looking
i from the kitchen into the alley that
entrance was made over pile or
ashes. Ralph Wentworth testified OF
the movements of himself, Barker and
/ Abbey and of Barker going into the
alley and Of his being out of sight
about three minutes. Abbey and
Wentworth, it appears, were standing
across the street not far from the
railroad crossing, while Barker was
in the alley. At this point Abbey
left the group and went to his home
according to the evidence.
Sheriff Mooers told OF examinations
he had made and of his having VIII
liam Goulette, restaurant employee,
20 through the performance the same
as whoever committed the theft must
have done. This feat was accom-
plished In less than two and ens-half
minutes. In defense Barker said
that he just stepped in the alley and
called Withss. He said he emily
stepped into the alley, about three
steps and denied tho accusations
against him. Sheriff Mooers was call
ed in rebutta and told of previous
conversations which he had with Bar
ker, which did not agree with the
testimony offered by the respondent
at the hearing. Inasmuch as he had
claimed to the Sheriff that he did not
leave the sidewalk Deputy Sheriff
r. b. Cole, who was present at one
interview between the Sheriff and
Barker. offered similar testimony to
that of Sheriff Mooers. The result
of the long hearing, which was very
carefully handled, was that Barker
was bound over to await the action
of the grand jury, bonds being placed
at $500 Wentworth was discharged,
the case being dismissed for want of
prosecution Attorney Harold j.
Phillips appeared for the State and
l.. l.. Walton represented Barker and
Maurice p. Merrill represented Went
worth.