The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-11-13

ouens in this little lockwood county struggle between the family code Of freedom of modern youth.
 Miss Maxwell has been held In the Wise county jail since the slay- ing last July q. The mountain girl learned the soft feel of store clothes" while she attended normal school in the outside world" She experienced life that was directly ai5posite to the code of the Pound" --tawdry spattering of mountain sl1acks where she resided. She could not reconcile herself to accept again the hill code that it was indecent for young girls to be out after dark.
 Father Tried to Spank Her
 She is charged with beating her father. Trigg Maxwell, 52, to death with a shoe, at their cabin near the '"Trail of the Lonesome iPne," when he attempted to spank her for staying out until nearly mld- night. :.
 But that is only the technical points in the case.
 The true battle when Edith goes ora trial before H. A. Skeen. the spectacled mountain judge, is be- tween the 8 o'clock curfew of "the Pound" and the right of modern you to come and go as it pleases.
 Miss Maxwell says she killed in self-defense. Her attorneys, W. w. Dotson and A. A. Skeen, will base her case on doctrines of the mod ern world. It will be stubborn last stand of the Blue Ridge Mountains against the invading dogmas of the outside world.
 Mother Also Accused
 Miss Maxwell will take the stand with hopes of freeing herself and her 48-year-old mother, who also is accused in the death of the village s''smithy."
 The country school teacher said she will tell how on Saturday night, July %, she came into Wise and met young. strapping Raymond Mead, her 22-year-old neighbor. She asked for a ride home in his auto- mobile.
 Miss Maxwell reached home shortly before midnight. Her fath- CT, she said, was angry with her for keeping late hours. The creed of the mountains and modern youth were thrown together in open con- ffict.
 The father believed in the curfew tradition of his forefathers-that unmarried girls and women, of whatever age, even those of 21 who earn their living by teaching school, must be in the home by sundown. To ignore it is admission of inde- celicy and a disgrace of conduct. Against All Modern Things
 The teacher said her father had resented every mode of new living brought to the Pound" He was displeased with her going away to school at East Raeford Teachers college, East Raeford. Va. He con- t1emned even the highways which are invading the hill country, his daughter said.
 Miss Maxwell said her father lec- tured her and attempted to beat her. There was furious argument. N4l6S MdAWCA 1CoAoVCSl, 1AA0 OO kAO- tect herself, seized the nearest ob- ject.
 By strange irony, she grabbed up q high-heel slipper bought while at tending normal school. She alleged Iy beat her father on the head with it. During the night he died.
 State attorneys say the girl, her mother, and her 11-year-old sister. Mary Catherine, tried to deny the quarrel. They said Maxwell fell, striking his head on meat block. Physicians who examined Maxwell found he was struck four times on the head.
 8 Girl Held Without Bond
 Miss Maxwell and her mother were arrested. The mother later was released on bond. The girl was held without bond and later, ac-