Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-25
MRS. COOKSON ON TRIAL FOR.
SHOOTING HER HUI SBAND Will
MAKE PLEA OF SELF DEFENSE

servation has failed to show any
mental disorder or disease, 1t did
show conclusiveiy that she is men,
tally deficient" continues DIR. Tyson
in his report.
1.-The intelligence test applied to
her case indicates that her mental
development is equivalent to that of
a child eight years and eight months
of age. She was % years of age on
admission, therefore the ratio be-
tween her mental age and real age
gives an intelligent quotient of rat
ing of 55.''
Husband Testifies
Leon Cookson, the husband of the
respondent and the victim of the al
legged assault, which was committed
on November 10, 1925. was the first
to testify for the State. He stated
that his wife is % years old and that
they have been married something
ever two years. Last May they be-
gan to build house and in Novem-
Der it was sufficiently well along so
that some furniture was in it and It
was fairly comfortable.
About the first of November he had
had trouble with his wife who per-
sisted in working at a shoe factory
in Gardiner, and he told her that if
she did not come back to Waterville
he CulG get a housekeeper. After
some talk with her he had procured
a housekeeper.
On a Sunday a couple of weeks
before the shooting Mrs. Cookson had
returned to Waterville on the late
train and after getting into the
house had started a row. breaking up
the furniture and generally carrying
on" At that time the housekeeper
was In the house.
On the day of the shooting he had
gone toward his home after getting
done work at the Maine Central
coal pocket and when near the house
had heard someo-" inside Believing
that it was his wife he had gone to
the house of a neighbor named Ber-
ube and had stayed there until about
S.45 when he went to the house of
another neighbor. Livingstone Lyon.
Later. upon going to the back door
of the house. Mrs. Cookson had fired
a shot from revolver at him as he
opened the door. This shot did not
hit him and he jumped back and shut
the door. She followed him into the
kitchen and fired several times at
him. hitting him in the head and
arm before he wrenched the revolver
from her ~rasp. While he was try
ing to staunch the flow of blood from
his arm, Mrs. Cookson disappeared.
He said that at the Lyons house he
had been told that his wife was in
the vicinity. She had previously
threatened to burn the buildings,
Grilled for Hour
Dox
terville. counsel for the defense gave
the witness a bad hour on the stand
in cross examination. He injured
in minute detail into the life of the
couple, especially with reference to
any family rows. Cookson stated that
there had been constant trouble since
they We're r. ''i"1 but later qualified
the statement by saying that once in
while there I been happy periods
OF week or so.
After considerable questioning as
to the payments on the house and
land. which developed that Mrs.
Cookson had made the initial pay
ment H the lot and perhaps one or
two others, Attorney Rogers again
went back to the question of the
family rows
Wasn't the first fight when Marie
tthe housekeeperI came around the
house," he asked. "No. sir" was the
answer.
I mean after the house was built.
wasn't that the cause of the first
tght?' continued the attorney.
L don't remember" answered the
witness.
He testified that the Sunday before
she had shot him she had said that
she had someth'"g in Gardiner that
she would fly him with" and this
was the reason that he did not go
nome when he thought she was there.
Displays Clasp Knife
A long wicked looking jack knife
with lock blade was here produced
and Cookson was ased Whose knife
is that?'
Picking it up he said, That knife
is mine" and closing it he started to
put it in his pocket. After getting it
back from Cookson the attorney for
the defense re-opened it, laid it on
the rail of the witness stand and be-
gan to question the witness as to
any possible threats he might have
made to his wife. He denied that he
had ever threatened her or that he
mad ever told anyone that he was 60
ing to get rid of her.
The questioning then reverted to
Marie and Cokson said that he
had first seen her when she applied
Tor work at his house. She had ONLY
been there a week. In answer to a
question by the Waterville attorney
he said that he is now boarding at
No. Green street. .Waterville, and
that Marie is also living there.
lie was questioned as to how he
had paid Marie for her weeks work
and said that she was to get $3.50
and that he had paid her partly in
groceries and partly in money. He
mad delivered the groceries to her
at the home of Mr.. Berube. where
she went after leavin~ his house.
The defendants counsel here in
troduced several exhibits consisting
OF pictures of women, and asked If
ne had shown them to his wife. He
fnally admitted that he had and in
answer to question Didn't YOU use
them to get back at herr" he said. 81
might have" He later said that a
portion of the time he kept them in
her trunk and that he used them ito
get back at her" for the stuff she had
said to him.
Just before the shooting didn't
you SEND letter to your wife in
Gardiner" asked Attorney Rogers.
Il don't remember.
Wasn't it on a postcard?"
IL don't remember.
Here the attorney produced a post
card and an envelope and presented
them to the witness for inspection.
Ihey were not written by him. he
declared and the attorney taking a
piece OF paper and pencil asked him
to write the names of himself and his
wife. the word Gardiner" and the