Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-26

Associate Justice Warren c. Phil
brook of Watervile, after lengthy
hearing in this city late Saturday
afternoon issued an order admitting
DR.. Charles d. Edmunds of Bangor,
who is being held for the grand jury
in Penobscot county to bail in the
sum of $4,000. DR.. Edmunds was
arraigned in the Bangor municipal
court on Jan. 10 on the charge OF
murder in causing the death by
means OF criminal operation of An
ma Vivian Stairs of Houlton. Judge
Alfred |. Butterteld of the Bangor
court found probable cause and DR..
Edmunds a wealthy citizen and q
man who has been in the practice Of
medicine in Bangor for 35 years was
held for the May session of the
grand jury without bail and he was
committed to Jail. Joseph Gilbert of
Houlton, whom is alleged was res
pcnsible for the condition of Miss
Stairs, was witness at the hearing
telling of the incident of visit to
DR.. Edmund's office and how the
dead girl returned to her home in
Aroostook county on the same day
that the alleged operation occurred.
The proceedings in the case Satur-
day were in the form of a petition
brought by F,X-Attorney General
William r. Pattangall Of this city
and George +. Thompson and Ed
ward Z. Murray of Bangor, counsel
for DR.. Edmunds, asking that he be
released on bail. Counsel argued at
, length, citing several instances of a
similar nature where bail had been
allowed.
Counsel for DR.. Edmunds further
contended that the evidence was not
sufficiently strong for conviction
for murder and that in the history of
the state verdict of guilty had new
err been rendered by a jury in SIM
liar case.
Attorney General Raymond w.
Fellows of Bangor fought hard and
vigorously against the admittance of
DIR. Edmunds to bail. stating that he
believed that the evidence was suf-
hcient to hold him without bail on
the charge of murder to await the
action of the grand jury at the May
session of the superior court for
Penobscot county.
Associate Justice Philbrook stated
that he would admit DIR. Edmunds
to bail under a clause of the consti-
expressing no view whether the
State has not a strong case against
DR.. Edmunds so far as the charge Of
abortion went or even so far as the
charge of manslaughter was con-
cerned. He further stated that he
did not regard the evidence present.
ed at the preliminary hearing as pre-
senting strong presumptive case
on the charge of murder.
The first instance In this case
where a person accused of murder
was admitted to bail. was in 1905
when the late Judge Albert G. An
drews Of the Augusta municipal
court allowed bail in the sum of
$40. 900 in the case of Mrs. Alice
Cooper of. Windsor. who was charged
with the murder of Charles d. Nor
f! thy. Jr.. of North Whitefeld. Mrs.
Cooper had been in Jail for several
days and her attorney was the late
Herbert NJ. Meath of this CITY. Mrs
Cooper was early in the following
year acquitted of the charge
other cases We're those of Mrs. Ell
sic Raymond. charged with the MUIR
der of Matte Hackett at Readfeld,
| Benjamin NORM of Rowland. charg-
ed with the murder of q companion
during a drunken brawl I'D DR.. +. A.
Brown Of Skowheean. all of whom
were charged with murder we've ad-
mitted to bail. and all in the sum OF
! $4,000. The Brown case was SINH
lar to that OF DR.. Edmunds.
Frank ID. Edmunds of New York. a
noted criminal lawyer. and brother
of DR. fdmunds, was present at the
hearing Saturday afternoon.
DIR. Edmunds was admitted to bail
at Bangor late Saturday night.