FARMINGTON – A Cumberland Foreside woman’s contempt case was continued in Franklin County Superior Court on Friday.

Linda Bean Folkers was subpoenaed by the court to turn over documents essential for a state’s case against Kenneth Teele of Gray, who allegedly stole more than $31,000 worth of railroad relics from the Phillips Historical Society and sold them at auction.

Folkers purchased two of the artifacts, two circa-1879 books of stock certificates, at auction in February for more than $10,000, according to Assistant District Attorney James Andrews.

According to Franklin County Detective David St. Laurent, Teele, former president of the society, admitted to knowing the books belonged to the society but claimed other items auctioned were his. Members of the society believe otherwise. Teele was charged with the crime earlier this year but was not arrested due to health issues.

Folkers said she has been out of state dealing with family health issues so was not able to comply with the initial subpoena, issued in October, to appear with the documents. She received a second subpoena Nov. 22. She did not have the documents with her Friday and told Justice Joseph Jabar that she was not sure she will be able to supply them.

“Is there a reason you can’t supply them?” asked Jabar.

“I don’t know how to answer that,” she answered, her voice faltering. She told the judge she did have the books “at one time” but doesn’t have them now. She did not have an attorney.

“I’m not understanding who’s on trial here. Are the books stolen?” she asked.

Jabar continued the case until Dec. 21, saying that Folkers either show up then with the books or an attorney. If she does not turn over the evidence, he said, she could be held in contempt of court and kept in custody until she complies with the subpoena.

Afterward, Andrews said the documents are key to his prosecution. He will need the actual items to present to witnesses from the historical society, in front of a jury, to verify that they do, indeed, belong to them. He was perplexed by Folkers’ question about the books being stolen, saying that she definitely knew about the case having previously spoken with him about it on the telephone.

Folkers is the granddaughter of L.L. Bean, founder of the Freeport-based business bearing his name, Andrews said. In 1998 she was chairman of the acquisitions committee of the Maine Historical Society, according to the Maine Antique Digest Web site.