The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-02-08

ONE OF QUARTET PLEADED NOT
GUILTY
Theodore Fremont. Leonard st.
Laurent, Robert Langeyin and Arthur
st. Laurent, all of Massachusetts
were arraigned, charged with break
ing, entering and larceny of an auto
mobile from James II. Murtha at
Jackman. On Oct. 49, 1922 Three
of the boys retracted their pleas of
not guilty and pleaded guilty, Arthur
st. Laurent pleading not guilty. The
night before the time in question the
four young men arrived at the home
of Heman Holden in Moose River in
a Chandler automobile. They were
without funds, it appeared and Mr..
Holden allowed the men to put their
car in his stable and spend the night
in his Office There were indications
that the men were travelling in car
which they had obtained under ques-
tionable conditions as the evidence
developed. When Mr.. Holden arose
in the morning he found the boys
gone and also the car, tracks show
irg the car had gone down the Hold
en- hill toward Jackman village. In
the meantime Mrs. James II. Murtha
awakened her husband, thinking
there was trouble in the garage and
Mr.. Murtha discovered his new Nash
car just leaving. the yard. The Nash
was later located and subsequently
the four men were found apparently
asleep in the Chandler car but some
of them with snow on their shoes.
Hemsn Holden told of the four
young men coming to his place, of
their staying there overnight and
that when he arose in the morning
about a. m. they were gone. Next
time witness said he saw them was
when their trial was held at his
home
James II. Murtha told of being
of his Nash car He followed in
pursuit with Deputy Sheriff W. B.
Hall and found his car, afterwards
footprints led to the Chandler car
where he noted the mems shoes were
snowy, he said. Witness also said
that he found a scarf belonging to
Mrs. Murtha in the Chandler car, she
having had the same in the Nash car.
Mrs. Murtha testified to having heard
disturbance at the garage that night
and said she remembered that she
saw Mr.. Murtha close the garage
door In the evening
Deputy Sheriff w. B. Hall told of
finding the men in the car and was
sure that four tracks led to the
Chandler car so he felt sure that all
four of the men had participated in
the theft Testimony was introduce
ed by Sheriff Mooers and Deputy
CrOcker as to brief case being found
In the Chandler car, in which the
boys arrived in Jackman.
The defense for Arthur St Laurent
was mainly that he had nothing to
do with the theft of the car from
the Murtha garage. The four boys
had come from Massachusetts accord
ing to the opening by w. B. Brown
of Madison attorney for the respond
ents. and were on their way to visit
an uncle of one of the boys in st.
Johns. Quebec. They got up early
to continue on their journey. but had
trouble In starting their car, so head
ed 1t down over the hill from the
Holden farm. The defense claimed
that the boys went to sleep in the
car but finally three of the boys got
up and went down TO the garage TAX
ing the car from the Murtha garage.
Arthur st. Laurent remaining asleep
in the Chandler car and becoming a
victim of circumstances over which
he had no control.
Arthur st. Laurent took the stand
in his own behalf and said that he
had worked at farming and was
learning the blacksmith trade. He
said that the car stopped on them
ard the boys went to sleep in the
same, that he didn't know the boys
were going to the Murtha garage and
that he had nothing to do with break
ing into the building.
1t will be recalled that three of this
quartet of boys broke out of the coun-
ty Jail, but Arthur St. Laurent re-
manned in the Jail With regard to
this Arthur testified that he had not
attempted to get away. The other
three boys testified that Arthur knew
nothing about the theft at the Murtha
garage. A verdict was returned of
guilty
This was the last jury case of the
term and the jurors were accordingly
discharged during Saturday afternoon
Justice Hanson voicing his apprecia
ton OF their service for the term.
CRIMINALS RECEIVE THEIR SEN
FENCES
Saturday afternoon the criminals
were brought into court and sentenc-
ed by Justice Hanson. Many of
these men were under twenty-one
years of age and several of them were
bright looking young fellows.
Louis ID. Mitchell, formerly OF Nor
ridgewock retracted his former plea
of not guilty and pleaded guilty. Nit
chell 1t appears went to the jewelry
store of w. NJ Harrington in Pitts
field where 1t seems he got dia
mond ring on the pretense of wanting
to show it to someone. and never re-
turned it, He stated that he was
thirty years old. a native of Norridge-
wock, laborer and unmarried. He
said when he got the ring he intend
ed to pay for 1t but had never at
tempted to make restitution He ad-