The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-04-24

and that he didn't know where he
was. although he had tried to find
him. Lorinda Boutin, wife of the
respondent, followed her husband in
testimony relative to the case. Ow-
ing to a defective warrant, due to
the manner in which it was made out
by a trial Justice, the case was mol
pressed after the evidence was in
and the respondent was discharged.
County Attorney Thorne asked that
the man be kept under observation
by the sheriff until new warrant
could be sworn out for his arrest and
he was accordingly detained to await
this action.
REVOLVING CASE
BURNS Getchell of st. Adams who
was indicted for the crime of incest
was arraigned and Grover c. Oliver
of Starks was chosen foreman of the
drawn jury. Justice Sturgis kindly
excused the one woman juror remain
ing and called attention to the delica-
cy of the case in order that women
spectators and minors could leave the
court room The case was opened
/ by County Attorney Thorne and was
! particularly revolving in nature.
/ Getchell who is married, was accused
of committing the crime with his
daughter, Lorena NJ. Getchell, who is
about fifteen years Old. The family
live at the Five Corners in st. AL
bans and the wife and mother was
/ said to be away when alleged crime
was committed. Getehell was repre-
scented by w B. Brown, Madison. The
states side of the case was completed
prior to adjournment Tuesday night
The girl is at the Industrial School
at Hallowell.
The defense was taken up by At
torney Brown, who began his open
ing yesterday morning. In his
opening, the attorney spoke of the
improbability of the charge against
the respondent, the hostility which
he believed evident toward the Get
chell family on the part of their
townspeople and the confidence of the
mans family in him. The defense
claimed that the trouble started
/ through Alice Getchell, wife of Avon
Getchell. who is also awaiting trial
on the charge OF incest The woman
is a sister-in-law of the accused man.
Mr. Brown stated that BURNS Get
chell had always been handwriting
man and that he had tried to shield
his daughter and not do anything
wrong. A large number of the Get
chell family were called as witnesses
and Mr.. Getchell was the first to tes-
tify He said that he had an argu-
ment with Alice Getchell over her
relations with man at his house
and that he had had to threaten his
daughtep Lorena because she had
been too friendly with boys. He
stated that he didn't know of his wife
being away and that he did not attack
his daughter as previously testified
to- Mrs. Getchell said that she and
her husband had been married seven
teen years and that they had six
children. all of whom We're living.
She stated that she believed Alice
Getchell was the cause of her daugh-
ter telling the story about her father
before the Grand Jury and that her
daughter had told her that Alice Get
chell was the cause, but that the re-
lations, she had said were true be
tween herself and her father, were
untrue. Under cross examination the
witness said that when the sheriff
came for her daughter, and took her
TO Skowhegan, she did not know
what it was for.
A verdict of guilty was returned
against Getchell,
A directed verdict of not guilty
was returned in the case of State VS.
Maurice L. Small for Illegal posses
sion of fox skins late yesterday af-
ternoon.