Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-28
TUFTS TELLS why
HE DID NOT PUSH
ROADHOUSE CASE
Middlesex District At
torney on Stand in
Own Defense
Claims Evidence Available Was
Discredited by Varying
Stories of Girls Present at
Woburn Midnight Frolic-
Told Coakley Witnesses Had
Been Tempered With

Boston, July 27.-District Attorney
Nathan A Tufts of Middlesex county
today denied that he had made any
threats or promises TO New York mo-
ton picture men after the midnight
dinner at Mishawum Fanor, Woburn
in March. 1877, at which the producers
and several women were present
Testifying IN his own behalf before
the supreme court in the proceedings
which Attorney General ]. Weston
Allen has brought for his removal
Mr.. Tufts asserted that he did not
present the Mishawum Manor case to
the grand jury because the Only evil
dencc that he possessed had been dis
credited.
This evidence. Mr.. Tufts said, com
prised the testimony of Theresa Sears
and Bessie Mcdonald. who were pres
ent at the dinner and who gave to the
the affair than they had previously
May. 1917.
A transcript of the Sears girls tes-
timony taken at the hearing was read
today. The first version of tho dinner
contained in this paper indicated a
much livelier affair than she made it
out to be later to the district attorney.
The Mcdonald girls testimony of
the Woburn hearing was also read. In
ii she asserted that there were 16
girls and i men at the dinner party
and that - bottles of champagne were
consumed. Brownie Kennedy, propri-
etress of the manor, sent for the wo-
men, the testimony said.
Under cross eXamination Mr.. Tufts
asserted that after Chief of Police
McDermott of lWoburn had talked with
him about the case on May g. he sum
moncd the two young women. Miss
Sears, Tufts testified. said she didn't
know what happened at Mishawum
Manor and didn't think it amounted to
much"
She denied her police court testi-
mony." he added.
Tho Mcdonald woman also. Mr.
Tufts asserted, told him different
story of the affair than she had told
the Woburn police. According to the
witness testimony today she said:
Mr.. Tufts. 7 don't know anything
about it. l think L had something to
drink that night"
Not long after this interview, Mr.
Tufts said, the women disappeared.
The district attorney said he then
wrote to Daniel H. Coakley. counsel
for the motion picture men. that the
witnesses had been tempered with.
Concerning Mr.. Coakley's first vi
sit to him on May - after Coakley
had learned that the district attor-
ney's Office was investigating the
Mishawum affair, Mr.. Tufts testified
that Coakley told him his clients
were business men and had not
done anything wrong, except to get a
drink.
Il told him" continued the witness
THAT isn't the way [ unde rstand
the story. ] understood that instead
of going out for bite to eat and a
drink, they went there for immoral
purposes.
Mr.. Tufts said he granted Coax
ley's request that he be allowed
time to get the facts in the case He
denied he had ever said that if the
complainants were taken off his
back he might feel differently.
When he talked with Coakley. he
said, he had intention of presenting
the Mishawum case to the grand
-. Continued on Page 5-CoI. 81