Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-09-11


court room Thursday morning and the
proceedings continued through the
noon hour before Judge Cony finally
ruled on the cases. The two cases
were tried Jointly and the State pre-
scented a particularly strong array OF
witnesses, all Of whom told straight
forward stories Of the alleged assault
on the Jockey grounds near the Wind
sor Fair grounds Tuesday night.
1t appeared that although Attorney
Martin was undoubtedly pursuing his
examination of the witnesses in sim
cere effort in the interests Of his
clients, the big crowd watching the
proceedings apparently got the I'M
preston that Mr.. Martin was brow
beating the witnesses unnecessarily
and that he was playing to the gal
lery," while the Junior Blair hung on
the verge of Inconsistencies and many
times appeared on the point Of coll
lapse.
Imposing Array Of Exhibits
On the Judges desk during the hear
ing reposed the States exhibits in the
case, which included a shirt very much
smeared with blood, q 30-pound rock,
also bloodstained; . brown felt hat
with knife cuts and blood clots, hand
kerchief covered with similar stains, a
IS note, and an ordinary pocket clasp
knife one blade Of which was also
stained and which it was alleged was
the weapon used in the brawl at
Windsor when two men, A. Richard
Mum Of Gardiner and Mike Blair. Jr.,
of Weeks Mills, were rendered uncon-
scious.
When the two Blairs. father and
son. were arraigned. their attorney
waived reading Of the warrants and
entered pleas Of not guilty. Deputy
Sheriff William J. Cole was the nrst
witness for the State and recited the
circumstances Of the call to the sher-
iffs ONCE on the night in question and
Of the assembling Of the several arti-
cles presented by the State as evidence.
Victim Of Assault TestifIes
A. Richard (Dick) Mum Of Gardiner
upon whom the murderous assault was
alleged to have been made. proved to
be a fine witness and told straight
forward story Of the incidents leading
up to the fight and to the point where
he was rendered unconscious by blow
which he declared was struck by young
Mike Blair. Mum said that he and
the younger Blair had agreed to swap
horses with the payment of SIS boot
by Blair. The money had been passed
and each led up their horses. when
Mum perceived that Blair had not
brought the horse which he had bar
gained for and so informed the young
man. Mike had declared that that was
the horse he was going to get.
II don't want that horse" Mum
said. And rather than have any
trouble will give you back your $15
and we will each keep our horses
II held the money, five and q ten
dollar bill In one hand, and the hal
ter on my horse in the other" he con-
tinued, And Just then Mike struck
me on the side Of the head and was
knocked senseless. I do not know
anything more that occurred, except
that just remember young Mike
saying to his father, kick him, kick
him in the head.
Artell Cookson Of East Pittston,
testified to having overheard the
horse swapping talk and to seeing
Mike strike Mum down, after which
the younger Blair beat the uncon-
scious man with his fists as he sat
astride his head, and the elder Blair
kicked the PROSTATE Mum.
Snatehed Knife Away
Edwin e. Croker Of East Pittston
was another important witness for
the State, and testified that he was
attracted to the scene of the affray
by men who said "They are fighting
with rocks and knives"
Mr.. Croker declared that when he
came to the place where young Mike
had Mum on the ground, he observed
the respondent pounding his victim
with q small rock clenched in his fist,
while he called to the senior Blair.
who was behind the pair, Get that
knife father and stick him good"
Mike Blair, ST.. was very much in
toxicated, according to the witness,
and was having considerable diff
Guilty keeping his feet, while he part
ly supported himself against a small
oak tree and endeavored to reach for
the jack knife which was laying open
on the ground.
Croker testified that he snatched
the knife out from under the elder
Blair's hand and threw it into the
roadway and then after attempting
to pull young Blair off Mum and re-
ceiving a stone in the chest for his
pains, he ran to the Fair grounds
dining hall to get the special officer
on duty there.
Alleged Mum Knitted Him
The defense was q categorical de-
NAL Of the allegations and q claim
that Mum had used the knife at the
outset of the argument and had slash
ed young Mike in the back of the
head and neck as the two men stood
facing each other. Young Mike de-
clared that his father was nowhere
about the place of the fight and was
In his carriage too drunk to get out.
The old man denied all knowledge
OF the knife. and of the fight between
mis- son and Mum, but did say that
ne Wasn't In the team at all and
had been out long time"
After an eloquent summing I'D .f
the case in which he belittled the
testimony Of the States witnesses,
ana declared that he believed a war
rant should be taken out against
MUM for murderously assaulting
Mike Blair, Jr., Attorney Martin NOV
ca the discharge of the respondents
whom he represented.
Has Bad Rputation
Judge Cony in finding probable
cause for holding both Blairs. said
tnat II ne were to guess as to who
wieued the knife he would name
NIKE Blair. the father. Both men werA
oroered to furnish bonds in the sum
OF $4,000 for their appearance before