The New York herald., 1845-04-12
Trial OF Nicholas 3. Gordon for the murder
OF Amasa SPraRue.

"WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, April0.
The Court met at o'clock. and the examination of
JAMES H. sAsIN.Was clerk of T. Amy in the fall Of
ls4s John Francis left gun there, appears by the
book, October Sth don't know to whom the gun was
sold II appears by the book to have been sold to en-
Gorton."
Attorney General BLAKr-who is here meant by an
WirNEss.-When wrote N. Gortsn, ,"I did not know
who it meant did not then know Nicholas g. Gordon
ILn,soaAsr LIZ ALms.Question BY the Attorney Gene
Gordon on the 7th Of October, ls43
Am-i only know from my book; the entry is In the
handwriting OF my clerk.
AIRY GEN.-To witness.--Do you know, from your
book whether you sold gun to Nicholas Gordon, on
Ars.-The gun is marked to NJ Gorton; !" suppose II
means the same az Nicholas g. Gordon My books show
al meaning the same person. Gordon once spoke to
about misspcllng his name; said wrote it with in
| stead OF D, az il should be
Cross examined Il had conversation with Nicholas
Gorden, about the year ls40 1912, when he told
about spelling his name wrong suppose knew, when
the gun sold, that Gordon had middle name Ihave
no personal knowledge beyond the book of the person
whom the gun was sold; think it sold to the pri
| soner.
DR.. CLEAvELANp-(Keeper of JaiD-Tusday morning.
after Nicholas Gordon was committed, Sheriff Potter
called 60 see him was present at the interview; Nicho
was in his store on Monday he asked to go to his
store and look for his gun he said it gun he had
bought OF - Almy, the September before
persons IN IL looked for the gun, but did not find it.
YOUNG MoRGAN-l made ram.r0d for O gun two
| three weeks before the murder; Benjamin Waterman
asked me to make it had wood to make it Of and he
got me piece OF cross grained walnut and made it
ArDsEw BRIcos-The lat Saturday in October or the
first Of November, Benjamin. Waterman brought me n
rather rough looking walnut ramrod to get me put
| ferrule and wormer put on composition ferrule.
and Mr. stone put on wormer; the wcrmer was too
large wsdgsd the ferrgle with single wedge this
JAsEz J. .PorrER-Ar ested John and Nicholas Gordon
on Monday evening. about O'Clock, alter the murder
20 skosro
found pair OF boots said they were his they
we're wet about as high the ankles searched for
attic noticed small bruise on Johns face some one
spoke to him abont it. and he said he got Chrismas
with the house, were fastened by Nicholas before
| came away.
side OF his store after calling him OUT arrested John in
The stores Nicholas asked what he arrested for
and who issued the warrant and told him after exa
mining up stairs examined the bed between the
store and kitchens found only bed and a chair; two
oiher officers, think, with me; took nothing
IRON the house that night we carried John and Nicholas
Direct Nicholas said he could where he
when he arrested and intmaed that some one would
have to pay tor the time he was kept in duress.
N1TaAr A. CHASEs was with Mr.. Potter when John
piece gun had been found near the place of murder
and searched for gun in the store and house, noticed
bruise on John Gordons cheek bone the skin not
broken but the face was much swollen; asked him how
he came by it7 he said he in town Christmas
W
could prove where all day on Sunday; John then
said he could prove where he was; said he came in
town on sunday attended mass and went out agsin I
DO not recoect that he gave other account Of him
SELF
JoHx M. sHAw-went to prisoners house on Tuesday
there were only two females in the house, prisoners
ther and neice Of Nicholas there great many
round the house. and the old lady tmid
hst but finally let US in wo found the store door was
fastened the old lady said Nicholas fastened forced
II, thinking might find Nicholas there searched the
h1v hofOr lofk
found two or three pair two three vests and
shirt The shirt was bloody the sleeve. and there
vests had blood on it. found in the pockets
percussion caps some powder, half dozen balls and
wet the knees We lound also an old blue coat in
the chamber which was damp We found powder in the
store, some in cannisterlsome In small box. Found
pair Of boots quite damp in the chamber put of
boots into the track said to have been traced to the
house and fitted precisely The snow meally and
bottom OF the track did not retain the impression made
gum but found none. witness was shown the articles
lie described and identified them Brought all the clio.
thing mentioned away with him.
RICHARD krIsHr.-Was present with Mr. Shaw when
BY him Compared the po%de oSnd e n the
With that in the store and found It the same, as nearly
RsoEs W. PorrER-Received the srticles found at
Gordons house, at Mr. Sprsgues tired Of the balls
und in the vest, and found would fit the gun found in
with that the store and found them resemble each
other.
Cross-erGmtnef f-The resemblance between the two
parcel: powder was in size and color only, far
noticed ; am not now acquainted with powder and
know very little about It, don't know where the hat in
JOHN NJ SHAW, re-called-I brought the old hat from
G,rdon's; don't know what brought it for
BENJAMIN WATERMAN II went to Mr.. Morgan to get
him to make ramrod; sent by Nicholas Gordon;
n I'd to get piece Of wood to make it of Mr. Sprague
gave me the piece Of weod carried Mr. Brss; to
and Mr. Scott took piece OF wood out Of the old wormer
but said the wormsr was too large and did not Ax III
be put on the wormcr, after winding thread ud
the ramrod Iefered Mr.. Morgan fourpence hslfpenny
Gross ssaminsd NOBODY ever said anything to me
about coming here, about this transaction. am
poor mis- erable fool and can't read WRITE cipher
don't know what year 1t was got the ramrod made
I'm fool, but tell Gois truth and shame the devil
RoarRs-Can You tell what kind of gun Gordon had,
and that you got the ramrod made fer?
WrrEss-Havn't you got the gun here7 can tell the
ramrod the darkest night that was; that's it, slr
b,ind'od me now, and see If can't tell il.
Jon WnBUR-Wss with Nicholas 8 Gordon at T. AL.
mys auction; some time in May or Jnoe, ls4a Nicholas
aw GBn oToS Ss
before the murders stopped and talked With hm did not
noce that his face was bruised; think should have
coat which think resembles the coat found in the
swamp; cannot say 1t was the same.
BENJAMIN kENNER--I think John Gordon was at my
house fore part Of Christmas day Didn't discover that his
face was bruised or swollen.
The Court now half past six o'clock took rscess
III O'Clock tomorrow morning.
THURSDAY MeRrrNo, April TO-
The court met at nine o'clock, according to appoint
ment
Durv GREEN sworn-Has compared the powder found
in the pepper in the vest with that drawn from pistols
they are precisely tho That found in the boxes
not 20 good That in tho box found in the coat nearly
the that found in the box in the The small
difference probably FROM that in box having
been little damp. have dealt in powder thirty years
JOSEPH A. BLAKE-A dealer in powder twelve or four
teen years, testified to the facts stated by Green
Crosseraminsd d-Thcre Is nothing peculiar in the sp
day.
Bnrori WArERMAr-Resided within hundred rods OF
Nicholas Gordon time ofhe murder Saw him have what
thought to be pistol week two before the murder
was committed. Saw John Gordon the morning before
the murder was close to him did not notice that his
face was bruised in the store the shutters and
door were closed and it little darkish, but could
see him plainly.
CHARLES SEARLE kept the articles produced in court
from the time they found till they delivered 10
the sheriff Mr. sprague had but pistol and that
Colts revolving
. AIRY. GErrnAL-Do you know whether John Gordon
knew Amaaa SnraRue2