Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-10-29
CONFESSIONS ADMITTED.

senee of the jury.
CONFESSIONS ADMITTED.
The Court this morning heard ev-
| idence as to the circumstances under
which the alleged verbal confessions
| by Roland Mcdonald to Detectives
Wood and Brown and to Mr.. Judkins
were made, and the confessions
themselves. Justice Dunn ruled the
evidence admissible. The jury was
called in and the evidence laid be-
fore it.
The detectives testified as to ad-
missions made to them at the town
hall in Amherst by Roland Mcdonald.
Questioned concerning the dollar bill
before referred to, the boy first said
his mother had given it to him, but
when he found his mother was to be
sent for to corroborate his story, he
broke down and cried, and told the
detectives they need not send for his
mother He then told the detectives
he got the bill from the purse of Lou
Use B. Gerrish, taken FROM a pocket of
the leather coat she wore, after he
had shot her. He told two stories
of the shooting-first that he shot
to frighten the teacher, and then that
he shot at a squirrel on a rail fence
and killed Miss Gerrish. He told
about taking the watch from the
body and hiding it at his home, and
accompanied one of the detectives
and the sheriff to his home and pro-
Il ho +nb f,n,, no Gill
of the shed. The purse, containing
small change and rings, he said he
lost through a hole in the pocket of
his coat.
He afterward accompanied the de-
tectives to the scene of the crime,
pointing out where he stood when
he fired the shot, where he first saw
the teacher approaching, and his dis
posaI of the body after he had shot
her He took the detectives over
the trail to the spruce tree where.
the body was deposited the first night
and then on to the grave where he
buried the body the next day. He
posed in the grave in the position;
in which he said he had placed the
body, while his photograph was taxi
en-. lie was then brought to the
Jail in Ellsworth.
MIR. Judkins testified as to con-
fession made by Roland Mcdonald
to him at the county jail. The boy
said he was told to kill the teacher.
by a young man who told him he
would kill him (McDonald) if he
did not kill the teacher. Sheriff
Wescott was called in by Mr.. Judkins
and to him Mcdonald told the same
story, but a few days later retracted
the story, telling Sheriff Wescott
that he had "marte it up" The
sheriff testified to the same effect.
Somewhat OF a surprise was caused
when, soon after the morning recess,
the States attorneys announced that
it would rest at this point Record
evidence of the age of the respondent
was introduced, shaving him to have
been born on March 5, 1909.
DEFENCE OPENS. $50
Attorney MurraY's opening for the
defence indicated that the defence
will be mental ilTesponsibility for
INC cltlo as ~ CDClltCN Wy thS oIdlC,
the facts not being controyerted.
Drs. Tyson and Hedeen, who made
preliminary examination of the boy
by request of the court were called.
They testified that in their opinion
Roland Mcdonald was sane, but was
mentally undeveloped. They placed
his brain development at that of a
ten and one-half years old boy. q
AT noon to-6ay Attorney Murray
was formulating long hypothetical
question which Drs. Tyson and
Hedeen will be. asked to answer this
afternoon. 1t is understood no other
witnesses will be called.
The case will be considerably
shortened by the turn it has taken,
and may reach the Jury tonight, or
early tomorrow morning.