The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-10-05
CRIMINAL CASES FOR TRIAL

assigned Monday for trial as follows:
State vs. Jefferson Steward, larceny;
State VS. John Brown assault and bat
terry Tuesday, State VS. Ned Burke,
sale (2) State VS. Ralph Heating, IL
legal transportation; State vs. Theo-
dore Lamothe, sale; State VS. Joseph
Pooler. sale; State VS. Cleo II. Smith,
illegal transportation. Wednesday:
State VS. Leo Godin, sale (2l: State VS.
John W. Haines, assault and battery.
Thursday: State VS. Flayia Farrell,
felonious assault; State vs. Basil
Stoves, manslaughter. Friday: State
VS. Basil White, assault; State VS.
Basil White, rape; StateGvs Mahon
White, rape; State VS. Mahlon White,
assault; State VS. Fred Mckay, rape /;
State VS. Fred Mckay, assault. Sat
urday: State VS. Henry Varnum,
nuisance; State VS. &. A.. Tilton, il
legal transportation. d
HEN CASE
The first criminal trial was that of
State VS. Jefferson Steward of Embden
charged with the larceny of sixteen
hens from the hen house of Allen
Sprague on July 8, 1922 at New Port
land. The case was opened by Coun-
ty Attorney James II. Thorne. 1t APP
pears that Sprague and Alvin Bolster
are near neighbors in the town of
New Portland and that ON the night
of July 8 Bolster was aroused by a
noise some time after midnight. AS
it was getting light he heard some
one attempting to start car. When
Mr.. Sprague went to feed his hens
the next morning he noted that only
two of the Rhode Island Reds came
up to eat. Bolster examined the
tracks around the car and found
Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth
Rock hens feathers around the place
where the car had been. Deputy
Sheriff Atwood was notified and they
followed the tracks of the car quite
distance. The car apparently had
chains on and one of the cross pieces
appeared to be gone. The ear was
traced into the ChadbOurne yard and
ear was found there with Il chain
corresponding to the tracks and
Plymouth Rock hens feathers We're
found in the seat. Upon inquiry at
the Chadbourne place for Mr.. Stew
ard it was found that he had gone
and the back door was ajar. The
grass looked as though someone had
gone through it, Sheriff Mooers who
was in the searching party went down
the road and waited and finally Stew
ard came along. He denied all con-
nection with the larceny. Witnesses
for the state were Allen Sprague, AL
vim Bolster, Sheriff Mooers, Deputy
Atwood and Deputy Crocker.
w. b. Brown of Madison as attor-
ney for the defense and Mr., Steward
took the stand. He claimed that he
went on Sunday, the morning after
the theft of the hens, to Leslie Chad
bourne's to get some medicine for a
sick child at the Guy Chadbourne
place where he had spent the night.
That at night he started to go to Har-
old Smiths to work and feeling i'll de-
cided to return to the ChadbOurne
place to remain until the next morn
ing. He was on his return when
stopped by the sheriff. He accounted
for the hen feathers in his car from
the fact that hens had been kept in
the barn where his car had been left
and had persisted in roosting there
on. He was unable to account for
certain tracks sir the road leading to
the Chadbourue nome accoTding to the
claim of the state. A verdict was re-
turned of guilty.
ASSAULT CASE,
The case of State VS. John Brown
resulted in IA verdict of not guilty.
County Attorney Thorne appeared for
the State and w. b. Brown for the re-
spondent. This was a case in which
Franb L. Connors of North Arson,
proprietor of store there, and a vet
eran of the Civil War, claimed that
Brown had assaulted him on July 4
last while in his store.
SINGLE SALE CASE
In the case of State vs. Ned Burke
of Lake Moxie for single sale of in
toxicating liquor, County Attorney
ThQrne appeared for the State and
George Chapman of Fairfield for the
respondent. 1t was alleged by the
State that Burke had sold liquor to
Sturgs Durgin, the case having its
Origin IL appears do lllV i''uit Va +"
fracas at The Forks last summer NO
witnesses were heard in the defense
and verdict of guilty was returned.
RETRACTS PLEA
In the case of State Vs Roscoe
Sprague, commorant OF Fairfield, for
indecent liberties, Spraguo retracted
his former plea of not guilty and
pleaded guilty.
HARMONY MAN SENTENCED
Guy Downes of Harmony retracted
his former plea of not guilty and
pleaded guilty to sale Of liquor. He
was represented by Atty, VIM. Folsom
Merrill who explained the situation
asking for clemency in the case. 1t
appears that Downes who is the pro
prietor of a store in Harmony sold va
nilla to a resident of that section, who
drank a portion of it and then by mis-
take during the night drank from
bottle of muriatic acid, from the Ell
fects of which he nearly died. This
doubtless brought the investigation of
the sale to light thought the attorney.
A petition signed by eighty-two Har-
mony people was presented, 1t was
Ii