Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-02

sweater at 50 and shirt valued at 81
from the w. Harris Williams store
at Arson on the night of July 2, 1923.
This case was heard before the fol-
lowing jurors: Foreman. E. E. Green
wood of Skowhegan. Lyman Scribner
of Cornville. George Nichols of Jack
man, j. w. Norton of North Arson,
Grace Stevens of Skowhegan, Cliff
ton +. jewell Of Canaan, Harold Doe
OF Bingham, E. L. Williamson Of New
Portland, Walter Rowell of Madison,
Clyde r. Hersum of Mercer, John l.
Wright of Madison. The case was
opened by County Attorney Thorne
who stated that a break was made
in the Williams store on the night
of July 2 and also at the Green res
taurant across the way. The wit
nesses for the State were Sheriff
Mooers, Deputy Sheriff H. E. Crocker
OF Canaan. Mer Viola Williams. wife
OF the proprietor of the store and Mrs.
Lottie Green of the restaurant. The
State exhibited a sweater worn by
the respondent and a shirt also
found in his possession which exact
ly matched similar garments
brought by Mrs. Williams from her
store. Deputy Sheriff Crocker, the
second witness for the State told of
his and Sheriff Mooers investigating
the place of the break and on their
return from Arson to Madison they
overlook the respondent. Sheriff
Mooers invited him to ride with
them and Long said he would be
glad to. Before he got into the car
,Crocker stepped out on the running
board. opened the respondents coat
and found that he had on two
sweaters which was heavy clothing
for July 2 and also was carrying a
concealed weapon and a magazine
outfit and the search further revealed
boxes of cigarettes and timed goods
which were missed from the res
taurant. Long. the respondent HIM
self questioned Crocker after his
testimony especially concerning a
skeleton key which they found in
the respondents possession. Mrs.
IIottie Green was the last witness.
Her testimony was brief and she
told of the breaks in the restaurant
The Judge in this case gave a very
short charge, and the jury. after be-
ing out a very short time brought in
verdict of guilty. The criminals at
tended by three deputies were re-
manded to Jail.
The third case was that Of State
VS. George LaChance of Skowhegan
charged with operating motor We
hicle while under the influence of
intoxicating liquor on JUL Z, 1928.
The jury drawn to hear this case
was made up of foreman j. T. Nc
Michael of Pittsfield, Ira Knox of
Fairfield, Roy Caldwell of Starks,
Helen f. Knight of Skowhegan. Har-
old Spiller of Madison, Frank n
Collamore of Palmyra, Frank A.
Meader of Skowhegan, Edd Wood
Of II, ~ I'D
of Norridgewock, F. f. Brigham of
Pittsfield. Helen Brown of Arson and
Robert T. Tobey of Fairfield. The
witnesses for the State were Bertice
Daggett. Peter Nachon. Mrs. Peter
Nachon and Arthur McManus. Peter
Nachon was the first witness and he
told OF LaCharce coming to his
place on July Z. 1923, bringing with
him half pint bottle two thirds full
of liquor and that they each had
small drink at the house after which
I.aChance took Mr.. and Mrs. Peter
Nachon and their two daughters. the
younger baby only a few months
old for ride up on the Athens
road. After going up couple of
miles they turned around to come
back and there they each had an
other drink and on their return Mr..
LaChance ran his car into the Smith
pond bridge. Mrs. Nachon was the
second witness and she told practi-
cally the same story as her husband.
Mr.. Daggett told of driving down the
road behind the LaChance machine
and that it was running from one
side of the road to the other going
very rapidly and also Of the accident
at the bridge and said that Mrs. Va
chon was very anxious to get home
with her little baby and he brought
her home. After McManus. the last
witness for the State who lived near
the scene of the accident said that
he went down to see if he could as
sist them and that LaChance offered
him a drink. LaChance. who was
without counsel was given a chance
to speak Once when questioning
the States witnesses he attempted to
argue his case but the Judge said he
could not do that at that time but
at the close of the States testimony
he was Given a chance to do so, and
in rather a dramatic manner he ask
ed the jurors if it would be reason
able for an under the influence
of liquor to take a mother and her
little children for a ride. LaChance
stated that there was something the
matter with his steering wheel, that
ii was loose and it did not matter
which way it was turned it would go
from one side of the road to the
other and he said that everybody
knew that ii was n very bad turn at
the Smith pond bridge and as there
was another car there in the way he
must either hit that car or the bridge
so he chose the bridge. At the close
OF LaChance argument Attorney
Thorne briefly argued the case and
Judge PhilbrOok gave his instructions
to the jurors. who after being ont 1
minutes. returned verdict of guilty.
During the II minutes while
George LaChance was waiting to
hear the verdict in the first case
against him the following jury was
drawn. foreman. F.. L. Williams of
New Portland; Lester Richardson Of
Fairfield: J. w. Norton of Arson:
Frank A. Donohue of Flagstaff: Clar-
cnCe +. Jewell of Canaan; Clifton j..
Jewell of Canaan; Grace Stevens Of
Skowhegan; Ralph Hilton of Nor
ridgewock: +. Z. Greenwood of
Sk0whegan: Walter Rowell of Madi-
son; Harold Doe of Bingham and
George Nichols of Jackman, the
charge in this case being felonious
assault upon his sister-in law, Isa-
belle LaChance on the night of July
%. 1928. In opening the case County
Attorney Thorne said that Mrs. La
Chance who was not living with her
husband. was working in the spin
ming mill and supporting her two
little sons one 10 and one 13 years of
age and that as she came home one
evening she found the younger child
missing and that she went to the
boarding place of LaChance where
she found her little son in his room