Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-20
Cote Murder Trial
lContinued from Pace Onel

when asked if she knew anything
was going to happen to her husband.
She also denied that she had been
intimate with Fielding during the
past two or three years. or that she
had made any advances to him on
several occasions. as he had claimed.
She emphatically denied that she
had Rugged and kissed him fifteen
minutes after she heard he had shot
her husband. who. she said. had
branded Fielding as nut" and said
He lied"
Mrs. Cote, who has been so. calm
through the trial, as we'll as the pre-
liminary hearing, that her APPEAR
ance has been typed as bold" gave
way to her emotions when tn STAY
ing of the man she married ten
years ago was first mentioned.
Mrs. Cote testified, as did Susie E.
Sanborn. her 16-year-old daughter
who preceded her, that she warned
her husband not to go hunting with
Fielding the morning they started
out after deer.
He remarked to me" said Mrs.
Cote, that he would not go hunt
ing with him and that he would be
I right back"
She then told of the return of
Fielding with her son. Ralph.
He came to me in the Kitchen,
she said, land told me that he haG
fixed him. ! knew what he meant.
and what had happened" She then
told of statements Fielding made to
her and testified that he Lad tod
Ralph to stand by him or get States
prison for life.
1,.o Do tn, s1n
said Mrs. Cote, land he was crying
1t was during this part of the tes-
timony that she broke down and
sobbed bitterly. causing a temper
airy suspension of questions by her
attorney.
She had known Fielding for IA
years. and had nown his wife since
she was II years of age.
She was like a sister to me-
said the accused woman, when ask
ed about their friendship. Fielding's
attentions toward her were more,
pronounced during the last year.
she said, adding that she had in
formed he husband of the fact and
that he and Fielding had trouble
over that.
Questioned about a conversation
with Fielding in the municipal court
room, she said: "Fielding asked me
what would become of his wife and
baby, and l told him that after l
got out l would see that they were
taken care of. loved his wife and
baby then, and l do now, and will
care for them
George c. Clement. Sr.. of New
York city, a visitor at North Cor
ham at the time of the murder, de-
scribed himself as a "peaCemaker'
between Fielding and Cote. When
ever they had trouble between
themselves" said Mr.. Clement, they
would each come to me and tell
their story" The witness told of
trouble the two men had last sum-
mer and of Cote complaining about
Fielding being at his home.
He'll get the worst of it, yet" Mr..
Clement testified that Fielding e
marked on one occasion. He said
Fielding was always Dragging about
himself, repeatedly showed him 4
revolver which he carried in his
right hip pocket. and displayed his
Portland special police officers
badge.
He had noticed that Fielding had
a peculiar look ana appeared to be
downcast."
He never looked you in the eye
when talking" Clement supple
mented.
Did you ever hear Cote ten of
having trouble with Fielding?" Gle
ment was asked.
Yes, he told me that he expected
to have trouble before he got
through"
Ralph Barton Sanborn, 10, son or
Mrs. Cote by her first husband. de-
MED that he knew Fielding was to
shoot Cote. Terror of the self con-
fessed slayer forced him to help hide
the body, to help bury it. and to aid
in concealing the crime for eight
days, he testified.
DR.. Forest c.. Tyson. superintend-
ent of the state hospital for the in
sane at Augusta, testifying as an
alienist, declared Fielding to be sub.
normal and suffering from mental
condition the symptoms of which in
clude eXaggeration, unreliability ana
inaccuracy. He asserted Fielding
has an Inadequate personality" but
is not insane.
The defense rested its case at 54o
p. NJ, after the cross examination OF
DR.. Tyson by the state. 1t is expect
ed that the evidence will be complet-
ed by ten o'clock tomorrow morning
and that the jury may get the case
late in the afternoon.