Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-14
Hear Adultery Case
In Municipal Court

Tuesday, Mrs. Sara w. Withee, of
Norridgewock, wife of Percy Withee,
now of Skowhegan, and Chester
Sheaff, of Norridgcwock. were before
Judge Maurice P. Merrill at a hear
ing of the Western Municipal Court
charged with adultery at Norridge-
wock on Saturday, July 10. The
State was represented by attorney
w. Folsom Merrill. junior member
of the law firm of Merrill &, Merrill,
Skowhegan; Mrs. Withee was repre-
sented by attorney Frank l.. Ames, OF
Norridgewock and Mr.. Sheaff was
represented by Hon. l.. r. Folsom, of
Norridgewock. The respondents
waived reading the warrant and
pleaded not guilty. The witnesses
for the state were Ralph C. Weston
and Percy Withee. both OF SkoNhe-
gan. Mr.. Weston, who resides on the
state road to Waterville, was the
first one to testify and he said that
on Saturday night, July 10, that he
accompanied Mr.. Withee to the home
of Mrs. Withee in Norridgewock,
leaving Skowhegan about 1890
o'clock and that he was assigned to
the case by Deputy Sheriff Elton
Markham. Mr.. Weston stated that
he is a member of the Skowhegan
Police force, and that going to the
rear OF the house they looked into
the kitchen through window where
the curtain was up about six inches
and that when they first looked in
and saw Mr.. Sheaff and Mrs Withee.
Durhing cross examination by Mr..
Ames, Mr.. Withee admitted that he
was searching for evidence on which
IN hac =
he had been going to the home of
Mrs. Wtthee for several weeks on
Saturday evening in search for such
evidence and that he was to pay Mr..
Weston for his assistance in the
matter and that since March 1924
that they had not lived together much
OF the time and that he had worked
in Skowhegan. He said he was al
ways willing to give Mrs, Withee
money when she wanted it and stated
that once he offered her SIS which
she refused to accept and threw it
back into the automobile and that
last fall he offered $50 to purchase
things for their daughter and that
this money Mrs. Withee also refused
TO accept. Certain questions were
OBJECTED to by the states attorney
ana the objection was sustained by
the court and evidence only pretain-
ing to the happenings of last Sat-
urday night was permitted.
Mr.. Ames stated that his object
for wishing to bring into the case
| other testimony was to discredit the
| witness probability and prove tina,
the affair was frame up on the part
OF Withee who was DESTROYS of get
ting divorce which suit Is pending
and that Withee had stated that
prior to Saturday night he had no;
| had sufficient evidence. During the
! cross examination by Ames Mr.
Withee told of several visits TO the
home of Mrs. Withee late at night
some times accompanied by some
companion and other times alone
Rev. Samuel F. Emerson, a grand
father Of Mr.. Withee, was called to
produce the record Of the marriage
at which he was the officiating cler-
gyman and which occurred on Sep
TENDER 4, 1909, according to the
record
Spirited arguments were made by
the three attorneys. Mr.. Folsom arr
gued that 1t was not reasonable nor
plausible that they witnessed q
| criminal action in room well light
! ca and readily seen from the outside
/ and that as Mr.. Withee himself had
stated he was searching for evidence
for divorce procedure that the re-
spondents should be dismissed
Mr.. Anes took considerable more