Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-30
Grim Faces of Houser Clan Turned Toward the Setting Sun Today
TUFTS WEEPS
fContjnued from Pace One)

inal prosecution and that pursuant
to the alleged conspiracy the district
attorney had caused the company
and three of it's officers to pay Lev
enson $500 to prevent prosecution.
Corcoran testified that the case
was brought to him by Levenson
and that he took the matter up with
assistant District Attorney Wagner.
Mr.. Tufts, he said. was not consulted
and took no action in the case. Cor
coran said he represented to Mr..
Wagner that prosecution would hurt
the company's stockholders and not
it's officers. He agreed to the climi-
nation Of certain Objectionable fea
lures from one of the company s
circulars and the case was not pre-
scented to the grand jury.
Corcoran testified that of his 81
500 fee Levenson paid him $1,000
down and the rest in installments.
Captain Gordon was sworn in as a
witness in this connection but had
not begun his testimony when court
adjourned until Monday
Earlier in the day Mr. Tufts tes-
titled that he ordered an investiga-
ton Of the international Service
Company in May 1920. after rcceiv-
ing complaints that poor people of
Lowell were being solicited to en-
trust their funds to the conn any as
bank. He turned the case over to
his assistant, Mr.. Wagner. he said.
IL II
counsel fof the company and never
talked with him about the matter.
Mr.. Tufts broke down and cried
while testifying under cross exam
nation by Attorney Gere -al Allen
concerning his fathers dying words
in giving him large sum of money
and asking him to lOk out for his
mother He gave his testimony in
explanation of his having receive d
considerable money in 1917 at a time
when certain motion picture produ-
ce.s We're distributing 100000 10
stop litigation growing out OF their
attendance at a party at MiShaWum
Manor. Woburn.
Two justices and a former justice
for the defense today. Chief Justice
John a. Aiken testified that MIDI =
sex county stood first among the
counties of the state in the activities
of its district attorney and that Mr.
Tufts had repeatedly asked him for
extra sittings of the court to clear its
calendar.
7 - H.
Go;ernor Cox. said he had not al
ways followed the recommendations of
the district attorney. He told of
cases in which Mr.. Tufts had urged
imprisonment and the court had
made other disposition. He said it
was the practice in some counties'for
assistant district attorneys to mol
tie district attorneys.
William 3. Stevens, who resigned
some time ago Us a justice and who
tor several years was district attor-
ney of MiddleseX county. testified
that he could not recall cases placed
upon file or mol pressed without
peas when he was presiding at
election as district attorney. He had
no doubt, he added. that such action
had been taken under proper cir
CumstanceS
Chief Justice Aiken. Justice Cox
and former justice Stevens all tCsti-
lied that they had not observed any
acts of malfeasance, misfeasance or
non feasance upon the part oil Mr..
Tufts.
Testimony that Mr.. Tufts had re-
fused to recommend leniency in tie
case of a ply stefan charged with
ton, which resulted in the death of a
girl, was given by William ]. Tier
ney of Lowell. who was counsel for
the physician. Tie ney said he had
told the district attorney that the
doctor was 81 years Old, in feeble
health and prominent in the com
munity. that he had not been Il pro
fessional malpractitioner and i'm
prisonment probably would cause his
death.
When the case came up in court
witness said. he repeated the state
ment he had made to the district at
torney. Mr.. Tufts moved for q, pri-
son sentence but Judge Bell direc-e !
him to mol pros that part of the in
dictment alleging death and imposed
a fine of $500 for performing an lille
gal operation.