Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-05-04
MRS. 0TTERS0N CALMLY FACES ACCUSERS
TELLS STORY OF ATTACK BY BANDIT PAIR
SWEAS DID NOT KILL BROTHER-|N -LAW
Account of
Fight with Robbers
= Brother in Law
Shot to D e a h in
struggle To Con-
tinue on Stand Today

concord. s. 4. May Mrs. Marion
-acrss 'st6rson. charged with the
-,,.-,3ar d.. her brother-in-iaw, Maui
-,~o 1-terson. an ex-service man. at
,-o -s-,..v ..orre IN Hooksett on No
~,r5er asst. took the stand today
- ser VII defense. For two hours
.,a submitted 20 direct and cross ex-
.r,,ra.f3n. answering questions with
nness ard poise. When asked If
soe adj -orErnitted the murder she re-
-4ao "a il strong, clear VOICE: 7 did
o.e Her cross examination viii be
.s1-.rued -omurrow.
he 4aiendant repeated the story
r; -.s -l-1a which she had previous
\ --sd "a officers and newspapermen.
-ec,..-c tka details of an attack by
-v-- -ot-ers VINO she said entered the
horse. Knocked her down and in L
sr-rgg. with her brother-in-law shot
4.r7 . leath. hen escaped in L high
power automobile.
When The bandits had left. she
sa.5. he went o the living room and
.eg-5 Maurice on the floor. She felt
his use ana realizing that his con-
5.tt5- vas serious. screamed for help
Size 1en stepped into another room
t.r hanCkerchief and when she re-
-v-red found that the dog, which she
had .et III: doors a few minutes be-
..-e tie robbers appeared. had come
back. She said she had noticed when
sne rad - nm out that he appeared
eceasy. She testified that she went
10 stairs for some aromatic spirits
%: ammonia ana when she returned
.o1-1 he police present.
re curtains IN the living room
-rera drawn. Mrs. Otterson said, IT
he suggestion Of Maurice. who had
remarked hat IN this way if she
~ere alone persons passing the house
~aa.d 10. notice the fact.
Wren -sked i she had made the
MARKS hat we're found on her face,
a-Es ana neck. Mrs. Otterson replied:
r lid not
DID roa Yourself upset anything in
70 house
Ne.
= rLe question whether there had
5esn sry II feeling between her and
441rce ~ any other members OF the
logsehold she answered:
~ eo1Ese not"
Hrs 0tarson was shown the ring,
~I.-a Tie state claims was her en-
augment ing and which was found
enaath . fold II paper IN a drawer
2 aec -A-1onle-. She said she could
aot positively identify il. but il
seemed 70 her that the setting Of the
staze night have been a little lower
n Eer VII mig. She added that she
rad ever said hat the ring had been
.-1.en. ~ hat i mad been either
s'1.ec ~ -rlslaId.
-ar.5r n The day her husband.
n Toward 1tterson. testified that
Lad ought The ring in December,
t.4 1E1 had gwen Il TO her soon
Yer. 4 representative of a jewel
IN mad previously testified that
"a a. sod he ing in 1915.
PIE cross ANIMATION had to do
VIA PRINCIPALS with Mrs. Otterson's
.29Ti5aEe II grcar-ns. She said that
5,- -s- husband and Maurice had
cen .sal@t1E 1er The use Of firearms
~ f1at - had shot her husbands
.T'r ana IaUrice's automatic pis-
~1a aaaed hat she rather pre-
.'- lie automatic 10 the revolver.
General Young produced
a.o.ro. which the state alleges
Seu 70 -onmIt The murder At
ernest the defendant described
'as.-2A = the box in the drawer
-17sa i ras Usually kept and where
san. Inns Il vas found.
-fs ''tersan under direct exani-
-'-12 oa!5 hat she had been ON
mig TBS with her raother-in-Iaw.
-c 7 Otterson. and with
--r1, Maurice ana she did the
7- ~a,.a aer rnother-in-Iaw re-