Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-10-25
lanes w. Purcell
Freed A fter Four
.Years-Convicted in
Staying of Station
Agent at Embden in
1920 Jury's Stand
Aids in Release
Frazier, Serving Six
Years for Robbery,
Also Given Pardon

Insxering the plea for clemency
ssn.d by the - 3urymen at the time
,h,y Judged the merits OF the case at
,,,al the Governor and Council on
r,,day granted a conditional pardon
n lanes W. Purcell OF New Bed
t,d Mass. serving life term at
.,.,,', prison at Thomaston for the
uurder OF Asa l.. Entrekin, station
.rert at Embden. in November 1920.
Tho condition imposed in the par
don IL that Purcell must report to
he state probation officer every
month for two years.
Tba Governor and Council also
cave A conditional pardon to Henry
Frazier, formerly Of Pressure Isle.
rho IA serving a sentence Of not less
than three nor more than six years
I, the states prison for robbery.
Pardon was denied in the case of
Carroll ]. Coop r OF Vienna, serving
, term in the Franklin county jail
a, pennington for the transportation
~ liouor without a federal permit.
Action Is on seven other petitions
bsard during the day was deferred
until the November meeting.
purcell was one of five "lifers
whose pardon pleas were considered
,esterday and his was the only one
hat was unopposed. 1T was an ex-
,remey busy session. Il total OF 10
ea,es being aired. From morning
mill night. pardon cases only were
consIde-ed and an evering session
was held for the transaction of bus
mess Of routine nature.
Tho four other offers" whose pc
n,Ions were tabled were: Edward
Gaffam. formerly OF Portland; Gio-
yanni Noto, formerly OF Jay; George
n Champion, formerly OF Newneid:
and Edward r. Cole, formerly OF
Portland,
Tho Purcell Case
Col. Sherman Shumway OF Skowhe-
Gan was counsel for Purcell. VINO mas
been confined Mt Thomaston since req.
u, 1921 He reviewed the testimony
IA tho effect that Purcell, who hau
come from Massachusetts to Maine TO
he employed in the logging operations
had fallen into bad company and was
present when his two companions
Brown and Spur,ock. assaulted the sta
ton agent at Embden. the attack re-
sulting In the death of the victim.
Attorney Shumway pointed out tnal
while Purcell was implicated with MS
eompaniorS to the plot to rob the sta-
ton agent, he was not guilty or Nlo-
lsnce. and when Brown and Spuriock
dubbed tho station agent Purcell ht-
tempted TO leave tho scene but was
forced to remain through the threats
Of his companions.
When the jurors had heard the evil
asnce In the case they asked the pre-
siding Justice If they could render III
the Purcell case verdict different
than the one in the cases of the other
two boys. hut were instructed by the
Presiding Justice that as n matter OF
aw that could not be done. that the
three boys were all present when the
murder was committed. The jurors
returned 10 their room and several OF
them still refused to bring in verdict
q guilty against Purcell. They tasked
the presiding Justice if anything couio
u done and were Informed that they
had no discretion under the law.
While they brought in a verdict OF
guilty against all three respondents.
the jurymen did make an exception
for Purcell by signing plea recon-
mendng clemency. which although II
could not have any weight with the
court might be brought before the
executive council Mt any time pc
if'on was brought up for his par
don.
Edward Merrill OF Skowhegan,
former county attorney OF Somerset.
spoke briefly OF the investigations
ne made relating to the matter,
Pointing out that Brown and Spur.
ioek had both declared that Purceli
nad nothing to do with the actuai
violence which was committed on
station Agent Entrekin.
=, A. H. Ward Of Madison. who was
"a. me foreman Of the jury that heard
sne ase. and ]. S. Hazeltine Of Pitts
ned, a member of the panal. testi-
aea as to the Jurors deliberations
suestantially as outlined by Attor-
uey Shumway.
Frazier Petition
a, MISS Anne G. McGill. secretary or
Me he'd Cross at Pressure isle. ap-.
Emared in behalf Of the pardon OF
snehry Frazier. serving a sentence
~, ,H robbery. She pointed out that
we Young man was injured In the
,.tsrvice, that he suffers greatly and
aat ne needs medical care and Is ELL
SNoe Tor treatment under the U. 5.
.Wefans' Bureau. She presented a
n Tuition for clemency signed by 70
Mo'ninent citizens Of Pressure Isle.
don. WAY ' 0fp0S''''" W ~
The GRAHAM Case
naere was no appearance In be-
NJ NJ OF the petitioner in the case OF
ssard GRAHAM. formerly of Port
sn uu, serving a life sentence for the
s. saoer Of Clifford Mosher. In his
L, asuon, GRAHAM had alleged that he
innocent Of any participation or
n"u"wiedge of the crime alleged and
tos st during the % years at Thomas
tha, hls every word and act have been
- OF an innocent man.
R.,, opposition. County Attorney
4 ~ Al. Ingalls, of Portland spoke
h, ae cruelties which GRAHAM had
evsSced against dumb animals as
ssiS lance Of the mans character. He
br,,,e mat the Mosher murder was
titsoa' AFFAIR. He presented the Pc
han, signed by so citizens Of Cor
,hs who lived there at the time of
hot Sslme. asking that pardon should
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