The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-11-10

yenir Of the occasion. At any rate
after the Jury, who came in oncp for
instruction. returned verdict of not
guilty Mrs. Carl procured the stick
from the attorneys desk and carried
1t with her from the court room.
ELDERKIN RETRACTs PLEA
The case Of Frank Elderkin who
resides on the road leading to Dexter
from 81. Albans was In order for trial
Monday afternoon. After a e9nYer-
ence, the state mol pressed the charge
Of breaking and entering against FL
derkIn and he pleaded guilty to lar
ceny. On larceny matter .Elderkln
also pleaded guilty, retractfng his
plea OF not guilty and pleading guilty.
On motion Of the state. the second
case was continued for sentence and
placed on file. Verne A Merrill and
Ellis Thorne Of st. Adams furnished
bonds of 5000 for his appearance at
court from day TO day.
FAIRFIELD ARSON CASE
An arson case in which James r.
Mason Of Fairfield is charged with
wilfully setting fire 10 a two family
house belonging to W J.. Crawford
OF Fairfield. was before the court
Tuesday. County Attorney Thorne ap-
peared for the State and Merrill A.
Merrill for the respondent. The shed
and about two-thirds of the cra~
ford house was burned last Septem
her. Mr.. Mason had a short time be
fore the fire moved from the lower
apartment Of the house to another 10
cation. His motorcycle was still be
ing kept in the shed OF the Crawford
property at the time OF the fire. The
first witness for the State was Mr..
crawford the owner of the place. A
French speaking woman who was lfy-
ing in the upper apartment at the
time OF the fire testified through Den
uty Sheriff Thlbodeau as Interpreter
stating that she saw Mason near the
house the night of the fire and that
the conffagration started In the lower
part of the shed She testified that
she had no oil stove in the shed at the
time Of the fire and that the house was
lighted by electricity. Ella Hail. who
lived near the partially burned prop
erty. testified that she heard what she
thinks may have been an explosion
before she saw the fire. perhaps five
or ten minutes When she looked out
Wv NiiNh was III HdiltS. lJtpuIN
in Wallace A. Hill OF Fairfield told of
| investigating the scene of the fire and
searched particularly in the ruins for
the paddock with which Mr. Mason
| claimed he had the motorcycle locked.
He was unable to find any remnants
OF paddock In the fire. He testified
that he saw an oil stove which was
dug out from under the gasolene tank
OF the motorcycle In the ruins. Under
cross examination witness stated that
he didn't know whether things were
in the same condition when he went
through there as when the fire first
occurred. The odor of kerosene was
noticeable under the motorcycle. b.
II. Lawrence. chairman OF the board
OF Fairfield Seiectmen. who went with
the officers to investigate and Sheriff
9looers both testified they could find
no trace of any lock in the ruins. r.
j.. H2ggerty. an insurance man. tes-
Tilted that he had insured motorcycle
belonging to Mason for $500. Will
liam Sibald. a local garagemam. tes-
titled relative to the value OF Harley
Davidson motorcycles which Mason
claims was the make Of his destroyed
motorcycle. The defense claimed with
regard to the suggestion that the re-
spondent may have set fire to the
property with Il view TO recovering
insurance for the motorcycle, that the
car was well worth the amount OF
$500 for which. according to the
States testimony it was insured as
Mason had refused $3.50 for the same
The defense bearing upon the factthat
Mason was seen in the vicinity OF the
Crawford place the night OF the fire
was to the effect that after returning
from Il trip to Clinton where he and
his wife had procured some form pro-
duCe he had left the motorcycle in
the Crawford shed. but as he had pre-
viously had the car stolen he later
went back where the cycle was and
locked il. Remnants of the lock which
the States witnesses stated they had
failed to find were produced by the
defense. The defense also claimed
that the fire was in the top part of the
building and that articles fell through
from the upper floor into the ruins
The defense further. claimed that il
was custom for Mr.. Mason to flush
out his motorcycle with kerosene
TO clean the cylinders. and also
claimed that it would be impossible In
place an oil stove under the vehicle.
In order 10 complete the criminal
docket an evening session was held
Tuesday night. leaving the judges
charge to the jury until yesterday
morning.