Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940

Mawson and Wheaton, who denied any wrongdoing, were placed in separate cells at Franklin County Jail in Farmington.

While incarcerated, they willingly posed for Evening Express photographers for newspaper coverage. On October 13, they were charged at Franklin County Courthouse before a large crowd, many of whom couldn’t fit inside. Despite their presence at the scene of the crime, the charges were eventually dropped, and they were released after several months due to lack of evidence.

The investigation then focused on Ethel Bean, Otis's wife. Prosecutors suggested jealousy as a motive, citing marital issues and Otis's alleged infidelity. Ethel was arrested and charged with murder, leading to a high-profile trial in Franklin County, notable for being one of the first in which a woman faced such charges.