Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-05-21
cH1DREN'S CASE
In Municipal Court On
Thursday
Two Minor ofsnrings Of James Bel
lows and Wife Not Kent in Places
Good for Their Morals is Charge
Parents Have Left Town

sowo and Wife NOT Kept IN Places
Good fur Their Morals is Charge
Parents Have Left Town
Watsrvtile. Me, May "A hearing
was held IN the Municipal court before
Recorder Plumstead Thursday morning
IN charge made by James hodges. Sc
lecrnan Of Wiuslow against James z
Bellows and his wife, Mrs. Flura Z.
Bellows that two minur Children Of the
AFTER. Edna ana Alice Harrison. =
years old. twins. had been kept ar times
IN places that were not good fur their
morals
A number of witnesses were heard
fur the State but the defence represent
ed by A E Bridges offered no evidence
and II was stated that M and MIS-
Bellows had left town
Mr.. and Mrs. Ralph ". Crosby and
Mr.. and Mrs. Archie P-entiss were
sworn as witnesses and M Crosby was
the nrsz one called He stated that he
was acquainted with the Harrison girls
Edna and Alice. and thai Edna had
lived IN his family since last August
until her mother came after her about
two weeks ago. The Bellows family
live about three miles from the Crasby 5
and Mr. Crosby sad thai ne had known
Mr.. Bellows since the witness was
small boy That n his Judgment Nj
Bellows was a man Of bad character
GAIL -,Io
for the girls To stay.
On Cross examination M Crosby
said that the girls rad the appearance
Of being well brought IN He said ina.
he would like 20 have the girl stay in
MS family and when her mother came
after her. he told Mrs. Bellows that her
home was no place for the CIR and
thai she would not stay there. When
the girl went home Nj. Crosby said thar
ne did nothing himself but The girl
wanted 20 go see the selectruan anu
tDat mis- wife went with her Nj,
Bridges asked Mr.. Crosby if the reason
ne thought the Bellows home was not
good place because he wanted the FL.
II his own home ana M. Crosby an
swered. thai Il was not out that ne
didn't want 10 see her In Z place tha1
WIS not good for her
MIS- Ralph Crosby was then called
and said that Edna Harrison had told
her Of happenings IN the Bellows home
and that she should not call The Bel
lows home good place for the s5r.i 10
stay n because Of The mora atrnos-
phere. On cross examination she SAID
mat by her OWL observation sne mad
seen nothing detrimental 10 the girls IN
The Bellows home That Mrs Bellows
seemed 10. os Z good woman that the
girls nRd enough 70 weRr ana 10 cat.
but had - work pretty hard with he
hpusewnrk. She stated that Edna had
been a. her home once before fur a
pssraod Of several months The witness
surprised the court by stating that
Mrs Bellows firsI husband. and father
Of the girls N question was present n
he court room and he was called %
me witness s1anu-
Mr.. Harrison stated that has wife ief:
him ana his children seven Years arc
when me girls were seven vears 5f are
and that ne had TO lake care Of them
and send them 10 school or board them
gut That MS wife wanted divorce but
ne would nor allow her 10 get one for q
TIME but she leased and teased until
ana4ly he gave his consent buf he rpld
ner that she would have 10 take the
children and take care Of them ana
when she got done with them she must
RET them to him. During his exam
nation i developed that Mrs Bellows
had given birth 70 Z child about TWO
weeks after she had left Harrison.
On Cross examination M liar: son
said that ne mad no desire 10 nu1-- Bel
lows out he said. y never loved he
man. he broke I'D my family and would
You like man VINO broke IN your fam
uT He stated that he thought the
Bellows home was no place for any
living soul to stay. In answer 70 A.
torney Bridges Mr. Harrison admit
ted that when the divorce was granted
the court had given the custody of the
cnliuren 10 his former wife because he
himself thought that their mother could
take better care of them than sr-anE-
ers. But don't now said MrEa
son. she has gone ana lef. them ann
YOU can't leave children alone She is
not 1T 10 tEke care of them and I must
have them He said that he believed
that the children were well brought IN.
Knowing your wife as you do. vou
wouldn't think that she would LEI any
harm cume TO them 40 YOU II must
have been outside of her knowledge
asked Attorney Bridges.
We'll. perhaps" said Mr.. Harrison in
a doubtful tone. y have not seen the
children for a year. so ! don't know
much about il. A lct can happen in a
year"
The case of the Stale was rested al
this point and Recorder Plurnstead
ruled that the children should be piaced
in the custody of the State Board of
Children's Guardians. Of which there
was a representative, Miss Elizabeth
Leslie of Augusta present
The case was appealed TO the Superior
court by Attorney Bridges who claimed
that az the custody Of the children was
given 10 the mother by the Superior
cnurt at the time Of the divorce that
they were Still under the Jurisdiction Of
the Superior cour. and could not be
placed under another organization for
that reason.