Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-10
Prosecutors Statement
CONTINUED from Page One)

preceding the death AiS4NS
herself responsible.
The cases against the MacLeans VIII
be presented to the Cumberland coun-
tv grand jury in May. however. as
result of their arrangement In bruns-
wick municipal court today. anu the
finding of probable cause after they
nleaded not guilty and waived hearing.
a thorough investigation will proceed
in an attempt TO check up every detail
~ the girls story and uncover an!
additional evidence, the States attor-
ney said.
Mrs MacIean arrived in Maine
from Tacoma. Wash, Monday. FEB.
26. accompanied by the child her
husband had never seen. and deter
oined to visit MIN. He did not know
che was coming, and her arrival was
.. complete surprise. The state Ida
witnesses who say that MacLean was
greatly displeased by his wltes IN
trusion and the prospects OF ner III
reference with his studies at bow
dom College, and the social e'en."
that form part of students me
Ouarrels on the street and in the
hotel followed it is said. Inc slri
has declared that her husband TOT
hade her to speak to him IN puplic.
He STAYED with her Tuesday night
at the hotel, the investigation mas
revealed, and left Wednesday nlght
at 1890 o'clock after some sort Oh
disagreement
Mrs MacLean made her alleged
admission concerning the incidents OF
Thursday morning to Mrs. Roberta
Head. agent here for the state board
of charities and corrections, VINO
placed the girl in a wealthy nome
here while she awaited arrangement
According to this statement wnlch
the county attorney outlined louay,
the mother arose Thursday mornlhs
in the room of the hotel. looked OUT
onto the railroad yard of the truns-
wick station and thought of her
sooo. mile tourney across the contin-
ont to see her husband, and or the
disbursement which had resulted.
She also considered the fact that she
had only So Of her own money. ana
she thought of the plight of her enid
Then, according to the alleged ad-
mission. she went over to her sleep
ing daughter, whose head was on
pillow and placed another pillow
over its face. holding it there Sc
curelv until all signs Of life had de-
parted. She acted in q sudden fren-
Nv, according to the states theory
which was akin to brainstorm,
Later that morning. the girLr hold.
ing the baby in her arms was seen
going down Main street in BrunS7
wick toward the Merebrook section
A woman has told Deputy Sheriff
William =. Edwards that she saw
Mrs. MacLean so down the road with
the child in her arms, and come back
without i.
The deputy discovered p place in
the woods where the snow had been
scooped away to the bare ground.
Mrs MacI.ean is said TO have stated
that she placed the child in THIS
snowy grave which she dug with her
own hands, covered its BODY over.
and then returned to the college TO
tell her husband about its fate.
MacIean had a dentists appoint
ment and kept it, At is said. while his
wife icurneyed back to the grave,
removed the body. and carried II TO
the hotel, where she removed its wet
garments and dressed it in dry
clothing.
Thi part of her story appears to
solve the puzzle Of the wet apparei
of n child which was found on the
radiator of the room of the hotel
after Mrs. MacLean was arrested in
Portland.
The husband visited his wife at
the hotel at II o'clock Thursday
morning. according to clerks there.
and apparently saw the dead child.
"A few hours later Mrs. MacLean.
while her husband was busy with his
studies at college. arrived in Port
land seeking san undertaken TO care
for the body she held in her arms.
While Mrs. MacIean is said to
have told the story of the child's
death in a matter of fact manner.
the State prosecutors cannot explain
her actions THURSDAY except by be-
lieving that she was in a dazed con-
dition.
MacLean, the husband. Is held by
the county attorney to be RESPONSE
BILE for the girls state Of mind. for
she is described by Mr.. Robinson
rs being passionately in love with
the student, who left her shortly aft
err his marriage in 1922 so that he
might start his college education at
Bowdoin. and who failed to see her
or his baby thereafter.
"The nature of the stormy scene
that is said 10 have occurred the
night before the baby was smoth-
cred may have an important bearing
on our whole case" said Mr.. Rob
inson. He pointed out that he could
not now tell what degree Of re-
sponsibility either of the two princi-
pals in the case has for the strange
death Of the baby. The investiga-
ton that will continue may clear
,,A lit nh nc ln
1.-The investigation may establish
that MacLean deliberately put the
girl up to the things she did. MAX
ing him an accessory before the
fact. or II may show that Ire at
tempted to cover it up afterwards.
making him an accessory after the
fact" said Mr.. Robinson. He re-
iterated that the girl has probably
been IN an unnatural state OF mind
and that her whole story may be
an unnatural and untrue story.
The MacLeans arrived here this
noon in charge of a deputy sheriff,
who escorted them from Brunswick,
admitted to bail for appearance at
the May term OF the superior court.
Henry F. Merrill and Walter 3.
Parker of the Rotary Club gave
bonds of $4,000 FOR MacLean, and
Howard ID. Ferris. secretary of the
Portland lodge of Elks. and Mrs
Rebecca Read gave sureties of $10,-
600 for his wife's release.
College authorities stated that
MacLean will not continue his
studies at Bowdoin. His father said
he would stay in Portland a week
and return to the West. The girl
and her mother. Mrs. Oscar Volk.
started their return TO Tacoma at
6.3D o'clock tonight The body of