The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-02-17


the Embden station Albert Hol-
brook of North Arson stated that
when his studies were over at Arson
Academy. the day Of the murder, he
found his bicycle missing, having last
seen 1t about 2:45 He got 1t out OF
the North Arson jail the next day.
THE ROUND UP AND ARRESTS
George Nash OF Jackman. a deputy
Sheriff, testified that he went with
Sheriff Mooers to Madison the night OF
the murder to assist in finding the be-
lieved murderers. He saw two young
men In a restaurant whom he thought
looked suspicious and interviewed.
them. He asked them where they came
from and they said they came from
Portland and then had come from
Bingham. He notified Sheriff Mooers
and had assisted in searching the boys
and in taking them to North Arson.
Sheriff Mooers was the next witness.
He told of his efforts to capture the
men with the assistance OF the Madi-
son police force, and of going to the
Curtis restaurant where he found
Brown and Spurlock. He took a
knife from Brown and sums of money
from both the men which he found
upon searching them. He testified
that the men said they had come from
Bingham down by the railroad track
and that they didn't know where Emb-
den station was. He handcuffed them
and took them to North Arson. He
thought the knife which he took from
Browns person was smeared with
blood. Under cross examination by
Attorney Halves for the defense, he
stated that he did not make minute
examinations of the boys the night of
their arrival at the Skowhegan jail. A
shirt which the sheriff said was wore
by one of the men and the respective
sums of money which were taken from
the men and sealed in envelopes by
the sheriff were identified by him
while on the stand. The shirt bore
discolorations which the sheriff said
on the night of the murder looked like
fresh blood stains.
Mrs. James Purcell, mother of one
of the accused men, was somewhat
late in arriving in the court room
Thursday morning. During the fore
noon Mrs. w. H. Halves, wife of the
defending attorney, sat with Mrs Pur-
cell within the bar, the mother being
seated just across the table from her
son.
William Folsom Merrill was the last
witness for the State Thursday after
noon He told of his visit to the
scene of the murder, the night the
tragedy occurred, having gone to Emb-
den with his brother e. F. Merrill at
that time the County Attorney.
THE DEFENSE
Attorney w. H. Halves opened the
defense shortly after 2 o'clock with
rather a brief Introductory opening.
Homer Spurlock alias Earl Morris of
Ashland, KY, did not care to testify
In his own defense. John Brown OF
Boston one of the accused men. was
the first witness to testify. He stat
ed that his full name was John Wins
low Brown and that he was born July
%, 1899. He lived on East Brookline
street in Boston and attended the
Hammond street school and the Philip
Brooks school in Roxbury. His ia
Their died when he was about five or
six years old and his mother died last
February. He was taken away from
his mother in his childhood and placed
with the Church Home Society in Bos-
ton. They placed him in private fam
lilies to board when he was about four
teen years old. He went to the Fox
boro high school and then to work for
printing company. He worked for
RI
Germs and afterwards went to sea, an
occupation which he followed for
quite a time. Last October he hired
to work in Kineo and went to Kineo
expecting to get $3.50 a day. He
started from the North Station in Bos-
ton, October 10, at 825 in the even
ing. He reached Kineo, October 20,
and first saw Spurlock and Purcell in
the depot camp at Kineo. He was
first set to work in the yard saving,
then to telling trees and afterwards
went to saving wood by the cord. He
left the camps in the morning of No
vember LIST, having received s1175 in
payment for his labor. He stated
that he used to get soaking wet before
giving up his work and decided that
he would try and get different job
indoors. After leaving Kineo he went
to Somerset Junction, walking the dis
lance of five or six miles. He sub
sequently went to Bingham, with his
companions Spurlock and Purcell. and
to Scion seeking for work They had
purchased some canned goods and
built a fire not far from the railroad
track and ate their supper They
were ordered away and so walking a
little distance further they lighted a
second fire and spent the night under
the pines. The next morning they
had no supplies for breakfast. They
went to Embden and warmed them
selves in the railroad station. They
talked with Mr.. Entreken and asked
him where 1t would be possible fol-
them to get work. He advised then
to go to North Arson, suggesting they
go by the highway rather than the
railroad as they would be more apt tc
get a ride. They were not fortunate
In this respect and walking thru to
North Arson reaching there about
1915. They bot bread. cheese and
some cookies he believed and went tC
the vicinity of the saw mill They
tried to get work but were unsuccess-
full.