Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-19
DIVORCES TO
ORDER CHARGE
AGAINST TUFTS
New Line Taken in
Effort to Gust Dis
trict Attorney
Wife of Former Army Captain
Says Tufts Offered to En-.
tangle Husband - Attorney
Coakley Named as Counsel in
Crooked Deal-Service Co.
Testimony Closed

Boston, July lS.-Distrlct ATTORNEY
Nathan A. Tufts of Middlesex county
told Mrs. Charles f. Stearns that he
could make a case for divorce against
her husband, a former captain in the
army. Mrs. Annie Eastman Brown tes
tfed before the full bench Of the
supreme court today.
Mrs. Brown was the first witness in
new line of evidence in connection
with Attorney General j. Weston Al
lons petition for removal of the dis
trict attorney from office, charging
MI Tufts with entering a conspiracy
f. procure commission of crime by
Captain Stearns to enable Mrs.
Stearns to obtain a" divorce. He is
further charged with failure to plus-
tcUtc Stearns for the alleged crime
Mrs Brown testified that she and
Mrs. Stearns in 1918 called on the dis
trict attorney III his private office at
the East Cambridge court house.
There Mr.. Tufts told Mrs Stearns
that she had no case but that one
could be arranged Mrs. Brown said.
Lc lad in his employ or knew of per-
sons who coule arrange to catch"
Captain Stearns, but that it would
take a lot OF time and money and
that his name must not appear.
Mrs. Stearns told the district attor-
ncy that her husband was expected in
Boston on furlough about Decoration
Day as he always came at that time
to visit his mothers grave, Mrs.
Brown testified. The captain then was
at Fortress Monroe, Va. When Mrs
Stearns said it would have to be an
attractive woman to catch" Captain
Stcarns, Mr.. Tufts replied there would
be no trouble about that Mrs.
Brown said.
Mrs. Brown said she later learned
from Mrs Stearns that Daniel H.
Coakley had been retained as her
counsel. Mr.. Coakley has been named
by the attorney general in connection
with other charges against Mr.. Tufts.
In response to d question as to wheth-
er Mrs. Stearns told her Coakley was
to get 'one-third," Mrs. Brown said;
she told my husband that"
Another principal chapter in the
case against the MiddleseX county dis
trict attorney was closed tentatively
as far as the prosecution was con-
cerned today-the charge that Mr..
Tufts conspired with others to extort
$500 from the International Service
Co and its officers under threats of
prosecution LOT alleged violation Of the
banking laws.
Francis q. Fecley of Newton testify
that he was offered new suit of
clothes and $500 by man the attor-
ney general said was connected with
Mr., Tufts office. to drop out of a case
Of drunkenness.
Boston. July 1S--The deposition OF
Captain Starns, taken at Grand
Rapids, Mich, was read into the
evidence late today. In it Captain
Stearns told Of going to an apart
ment in Cambridge late in June,
1918, where he met q woman with
whom he had bASome acquainted at
Old Point Comfoft, Va. They had
several drinks, the deposition said,
and later two men who said they
were from the Office of Daniel II.
Coakley entered their room. StearnS
sand lie did not know the mems
names, but that lie thought he had
seen one of them in the East CAM
bridge court house.