Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-12-01
DR.. HOOPER HELD ON CHARGE Of
ABORTION AND MANSLAUGHTER
IN DEATH OF BERNICE RoUNDY

afternoon before Judge A. A. Matthew
of the Waterville Municipal court of
DR.. E. c. Hooper Of winslow on the
charge of abortion and manslaught-
er. The reading Of the warrant was
waived and the testimony Of the
witnesses for the State was heard.
Following the testimony Of the wit
nesses for the State a recess was de-
| clared. A conference of the attor-
| neys and the Judge was held. The
judge decreed that Hooper be held
for the second count, that of man
slaughter. en- $4,000 bail to appear
before the January term of the
superior court. Bonds for that
amount were secured. District At
torney Sanborn appeared for the
State. The attorneys for the de-
PENDANT were Charles w. Atchley,
Mark J. Bartlett and William r. Pat
| tangall.
Frank E. Roundy, father of the
late Bernice Roundy. around whom
the case centers, was the first wit
ness called. He said he is farm
er, living in Clinton, being 40 years
of age. He has been resident Of
Clinton five years the last time, hav-
ing lived in that place previously.
His wife is living. He had four
children, before the death Of Bernice.
The children were Fannie, aged 10
years, married and living in Water
vile; Bernice aged 16 years: Beulah.
aged 10 and Betty aged seved years.
Bernice had lived at home until last
April. Then she wento Waterville
with her sister. Fannie Wells. Since
that time she had also been in North
Vassalboro. where she had been
working just previous to her death.
Mr.. Roundy said he was first in
formed of her illness on Sunday, the
day before she died. He found his
daughter Bernice at the home of his
daughter Fannie and then she was in
q dying condition. When he first
fsaw her it was at 2.30 o'clock in the
afternoon. In answer to question
put him by Attorney Sanborn. Mr..
soundy said that he could not ac-
count for her condition. She was
conscious. She did not, talk much
because she felt so badly. Mr..
away at o'clock the next morning,
which was Monday.
The remains Of his late daughter
were taken to Clinton and have
since been buried. Mr.. Roundy said
that he inquired into the cause of
her sickness and death and had sign
ed the complaint.
The next witness for the State
was Mrs. Eva May Spaulding, who
is employed in the boarding house at
North Vassalboro conducted by Mrs.
Pooler and where Bernice Roundy
was also employed prior to the time
that she died. Mrs. Spaulding, a
comedy little woman Of &c years tes-
titled that she had roomed with the
late Bernice for some time. She
said that she went with Bernice to
North Vassalboro to work on the
18th Of last July. They had roomed
together most Of the time and she
did not suspect anything wrong in
the girls condition until just a short
time before Bernice said that she
was pregnant. Bernice began ROOM
ing alone about a month before she
died.
Bernice told voluntarily that she
was pregnant. At first the question
put to Mrs. Spaulding by Attorney
Sanborn was objected to by Mr.. Pat
tangall. Bernice left work on the
18th of November and said she was
going to live with her sister. Mrs.
Spaulding left for Waterville with
Bernice on the 230 car from North
Vassalboro. Bernice packed her
suitcase and then just before she left
she told that she was getting
through for good. Then she was
paid off. Then Mrs. Spaulding tes-
titled that Bernice told her she was
going to DR.. Hooper and she told for
what purpose she was going.
Attorney Sanborn asked questions
which brought out that Mrs. Spaulding
was also accompanied by her little SIS
ter by Irene Fortier and a young Ken
nedy girl, on the same car to Water
Vile. Bernice got of the car alone at
DR.. Hooper's and this was the car which
left North Vassalboro around go
o'clock. Mrs. Spaulding went on to Wa
terville. And she again saw Bernice
about 4 o'clock between the car and the
waiting room in Waterville.
Mrs. Spaulding said that she was go
| ing back to North Vassalboro on the
car which Bernice arrived on. She said
that previous to the time that Bernice
got off the go car at DR.. Hooper's he
appeared healthy. She was pink and
white,' as Mrs. Spaulding said. But
towards the last of her being in North
! Vassalboro she did act not we'll. She
said that when she saw Bernice again at
4 o'clock on the afternoon of the 18th
she was as white as a ghost. "she up
and told me-" was what Mrs. Spaulding
replied in answer to Bernice's condi-
ton. She said that DR.. Hooper operat-
ed upon her.
At that time Mrs. Spaulding said that
she saw Bernice Roundy about five min
utes. She had with her at that time
the suitcase which she had when she
left North Vassalboro. The two girls
were supposed to meet again in the ave-
ming at $50 and were going to the NOV
ing pictures together.
"She didn't show up" was what Mrs.
Spaulding had to say in regard to the
non-appearance Of Bernice. And that
was the last time that she saw Bernice
alive.
| A week before Bemice went to the