Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-25
; DAILY KENNEBEc JOURNAL TUESDAY JANUARY Is. 1921

KENNEBEC JOURNAL IT,
arrested. defense contended. After he
returned, the first he knew of any
criminal proceedings was while he was
working at Kennebunk. The deputy
sheriff came and arrested him.
Defense In brief was a complete
denial Of the charge in every respect.
Case Of State Resumed
The first witness called by the state
in the forenoon was Mrs. Archie Prem
tiss of Winslow. with whom Elsie A.
Harrison is now living, having been
placed there by the State Board Of
Charities. She said that the girls
health was not good. but that she had
a good disposition. She had taken the
girls to Attorney Bridges Office In Wa
terville. and in the private Office there
were Mr.. Bridges. Mr.. and Mrs. Bel
lows and the two Harrison girls. FL
sic A. Harrison came out Of the office
crying ~ hard as she could and kept
crying till she went to bed that night.
= At the close Of the meeting in the
inner office she had been asked II the
girl could go home with her mother
until after the hearing. She. replied
that she had rather the girl would not
because OF the girls hysterical condl-
ton. Witness stated that there at the
office Lawyer Bridges wanted them to
make certain admissions. one in par
ticular. that the child Elsie had had
good bringing up. And she testified
that upon one occasion she had heard
Mrs. Bellows say that she was going
to find her (Mrs. Prentiss) house, a
house of i'll fame, and that Mr.. Bel
lows had said that she had better get
her best witnesses. She had never
heard such charges brought against
her house.
Cross-examined by Attorney Peacock
she said that she did not know Mrs
Bellows we'll before the child had been
placed in her charge. Their visit at
Attorney Bridges Office was before the
hearing at the Waterville municipal
court over the custody of the children.
She said that at that meeting, Lawyer
Bridges had told Mrs. Bellows that she
had better take the girl Elsie home
and give her a good talking to, say
ing that he could not make her out.
Elsie came to her house on August II,
1873
Witness upon redirect examination
told of certain conversations she once
had with Mrs. Bellows regarding the
girl Elsie. She testified that Mrs. Bel
lows had said that she did not know
about Elsie, but she did know about
Edna. because Elsie had told her about
Edna. And witness testified that Mrs.
Bellows had told her that Mr.. Bellows
had got his own daughter into trouble
Herman K. Mansur of Augusta, pho
tographer, testified that Sunday he and
County Attorney Sanborn went to
Winslow and with the Harrison girls
and Mr.. Prentiss they went to the
Bellows farm. here Mr.. Mansur had
taken number of photographs at the
request of Mr.. Sanborn. He had taken
a picture of the place on the farm
where the girl Elsie claimed she had
been assaulted. He identified the pic
ture he had taken, and also q pano-
rama picture of the vicinity.
Attorney Peacock objected to the
Offering of the first picture on the
ground that it was taken two years
or so after the alleged assault, and
that the contour of The ground had
changed since that time. The picture
was not admitted by Judge Beane at
that point in the proceedings Attor-
ney for respondent made no objection
to the panorama picture and it was
admitted. a't1f
third picture, taken from the
highway, was identified by Mr.. Man
sur and was admitted by agreement.
A fourth picture showed the general
locality on the east side of the high
way. 1t was excluded upon the objec-
ton of Attorney Peacock. There was
a fifth picture taken of the land desig-
mated by Edna Harrison. This was
also excluded upon objection. Other
pictures taken were identified by the
witness. .-r
County Attorney Sanborn stated to
the court that one of the witnesses for
the State was ill and could not be
present and by attorneys agreement
1t was admitted that Roy Coombs of
China who operated a public car, had
on May 16, 1920. conveyed Mr.. and Mrs.
Bellows from Winslow to Canada.
Elsie Harrison, witness, identified the
pictures taken by Mr.. Mansur, and the
locations.
At the afternoon session all Of the
pictures. States exhibits, were ad-
mitted by counsers agreement.
Maurice Prentiss of Winslow. ex-
amined by Attorney Peacock, testi-
fed that in June 1918 Bellows worked
on the road on the 18th, 18th, 18th,
goth and 21st He stated when ex-
amined by County Attorney San
born. that Bellows did not work on
the road in May, July and August of
that year. ~.
The States case rested at that
point, and the defense was outlined
by Attorney Bridges.
Nine witnesses were sworn in for
the defense.
Defense .....
The first witness called by the de-
tense was DR.. Charles Maybury Of
North Vassalboro, who testified that
two years ago in January he had at
tended Elsie Harrison and had found
that she was suffering with rheuma-
tism of the right knee, From his ex-