Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-20
DOVER-FOXCR0FT
Manslaughter Case No Yer
dict Reached Erickson in
Custody of Officer

I'VE are unable to agree on a ver-
dict" was the report given to Asso-
ciate Justice Charles j. Dunn, at
1000 Z. NJ. Tuesday, by Foreman
Sumner Cakes of the jury, on the
case of State VS.. AXel Erickson of
Monson, on an indictment for man
slaughter.
The indictment was the result OF
an automobile accident when &C.
CURED in the town of Abbot, at
spot 96 rods south of the Moose
horns in the evening of August 20,
| 1921, in which Gertrude Harmon or
! Abbot, wife of Sewall Harmon, was
seriously injured, and which the
state claimed was the direct result
! of her death, which occurred three
months later.
| For several terms the indictment
| has been unmolested, the respondent
appearing at the opening of each
! term in order that his bail would
| not be defaulted, and it was thought
| by those connected with the case
| that it would never be brought to
! light. County Attorney Hiram Ger
IRISH decided that it should come to
trial and called the case for Tues
| day morning.
The respondent was represented
| hv lanes Hudson of Guilford, who
made out very able defense Tor ms
| client. and in cross examination OF
the states witnesses often brought
out new testimony in the case.
The witnesses called by the State
we're: Sewall Harmon. Ralph Har-
| mon. VIM. Harmon. Kenneth Har-
mon. Laurice Harmon, lola Moore,
! Frank Witham. DIR. Guy Dore, and
| DIR. Holt The story of the state in
! part was that on the night of the
| accident Mrs. Harmon came from
| Abbot village in Ford car, and
| reaching her home, the car was
stopped on the opposite side of the
road from her house. She alighted
| from the car. crossed the road and
was Just stepping onto a plank
| driveway leading into her dooryard.
when a bort car driven by Axel
! Erickson came tearing down the
road from the direction of Monson.
at a terrific rate of speed. estimated
| by some of the Harmon boys (sons
| OF Mrs. Harmony to be 60 miles per
hour. The Harmon boys and Sewall
Harmon claimed that Mrs. Harmon
/. was struck by this racing car and
| knocked distance of 10 feet. Sew
all Harmon testified that his wife,
a woman weighing over 200 pounds,
shot through the air for nearly the
whole distance. the body being from
to Z feet above the ground.
| Attorney Hudson called as wit
! nesses ANel Erickson and two BROTH
! ers, William and Rudolph, and Max
Forbox. All were in the car at the
time of the accident, and a surveyor
| named Ring. The defense claimed
that they were not speeding. in fact
they were going at rate of from
| 20 to % miles per hour, and that
as they approached the Harmon car
the horn was sounded. When with
in a very few feet of the Harmon
car, Mrs. Harmon stepped out from
| behind it, directly into their path.
AXel testified that he pulled sharp
ly to the left, in order that he
might avert hitting Mrs. Harmon,
| but that she was SO close to his car
| that he could not set by. The boys
all testified that Mrs. Harmon was
not thrown through the air. but was
/ carried by the mudguard for a short
distance before falling off.
| In the charge to the jury by Judge
Dunn. he stated that it was possible
in charge of mansaughter for the
! jury to bring in a verdict on the
| charge of assault and battery or as
! sault This seemed to confuse some
of the members, as they sent word
to the judge at 8 o'clock that they
wished to be instructed further on
these different charges.
Later in the evening they once
more called for instructions, which
were given. They finally reported
at 1910 with the report of disagree
ment. and the foreman stated when
asked by Judge Dunn if he thought
it possible to come to an agreement
on this case, II do not" The Jury
was discharged and the prisoner was
placed in custody of an officer.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Crockett have
returned to their home in Dover
FoXcroft. after several weeks va
cation at Willimantic.
Miss Bertha Smith attended the
! fair in Exeter. Wednesday.
| Mrs. Eugene Scales of Guilford
i was caller on friends in town Tues
| day.
AKRON Day of Milo was a visitor
in Dover Foxcroft, Wednesday.
| Hugh Boyle has an excellent dis
play of silver cups won by the boys
of Co. L, 103rd Infantry. at the re-
cent shooting match in Auburn.
Many of the local people are
! planning to attend the Abbot fair
| Saturday.
! State Highway Police Charles c.
Palmer was an official caller in town
Wednesday.