The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-04-01

murdered by Coolidge that he might possess
himself Oft.
Trial of DR.. Valorus p Cool
idge,
TRIAL FOR MURDER.
For THE ALLEGED MURDER OF EDwARp
MATHEWS OF WATERvLLE, Me.
-r-er AUGUSTA, March Ia, 1849.
The Court asseMbled mt DIR. Tappan's
Church, betweenl 10 and III o'clock, A. NJ,
for the trial of this case, Judges Whitman,
sShePley and Wells being present. Attorney
aGeneral s. Ii. Blake and Lot M. Morrill, APP
,.peared in behalf the State, and Hon. Geo.
Evans and Edwin Noyes, Esq. for the prison.
er. The prisoner was brought INFO Court.
being neatly plainly dressed, and bearing
himself with remarkable calmness aud pro.
ipriety. He is about 81 years of age, and has
a very quiet, intelligent and pleasant express
sion of countenancc. The most fastidious
observer could no: complain of the bearing
and whole appearance of the prisoner, or ar
que from it either guilt or innocence, although
il certainly shew him 10 possess great self
possession, and nice sense ofEthe situation
in which he is placed. His head is rather
small and narrow, perceptive faculties large,
with keen deep set eyes and heavy eyebrows,
giving to his countenance sharp, penctrat-
ing although quiet expression.
The Clerk then called over the names Of
the juors, who responded, and were impau-
neled.
The Court appointed Francis F. Haynes
of Livermore as Foreman. The prisoner was
then directed to listen to the indictment which
was read. The indictment contains four
CountS-
The first sets forth in due form that said
Valorus p. Coolidge, ofWaterville, Physician,
in the county of Kennebec, on the 18th day
tofSeptember in the year of our Lord one
Thousand eight hundred and forty seven with
force and arms, in and upon the body ofEd-
ward Mathews, feioniously. wilfully and of
his malice afcrethought, did make an assault
with q stick of wood, and did strike, aud pen
citrate, wound, bruise and fracture the head
of said Mathews, giving him near the top of
the head a mortal wound and fracture Ofthe
length ofthree inches ofthe width oftwo inch
es, and of the depth Of one inch-of which
said mortal wound the said Edward Mathews
then aud there instantly died.
Cd. Set forth in form that the Prisoner
committed the murder by administering pois-
on, prussic acid to the said MatlIews-that
he mingled said prussic acid with quantity
ofbrandy which he gave to the said Mathews
to drink and by reason ofwhch the said Ed
ward Mathews sickened and died.
Sd. Is in substance as the second that the
naurder was committed by poison called ely
droeyanic acid," and charges the prisoner
with mixing it with brandy, and procuring or
persundiag said Mathews to drink The same.
4th. Sets forth that the prisoner mixed the
poison with brandy which he knew the said
Mathews intended to drink, and which he did
drink. m .|
lOn this indictment the prisoner was arraign-
ed on the 18th Of October last and plead not
guilty. @ 4ts.
The Court proceeded to the examination
of witnesses. fs,
David S,orey, sworn--I keep tailor's shop
'under the Office formerly occupied by pris-
,oner, and did on the 18th september last.
saw the body ofthe deceased OIL Friday morn
ing, after lying on the wood, with feet little
out ofthe door, bodying lying hack on the
wood in the cellar. / should think this was
between and 8 o'clock There were a num-
Der present. Mr. Dooli,tle, now dead, was
present. A Mr. Ira Doolitlle, and several 9th
ers were also present. My attention was call
ed to this situation of the body. The outside
cellar door was pushed little open--say a
foot and half; the body lay in on the wood
little inclined on the right side; the wood rose
from the door; the feet, one if not both, pro-
,gected out of the open space. These doors
were outside heavy doors, made to swing in;
athe door gould not go back further on account
,of wood against it on the inside; it was
double door. opening from the centre, did
not see the body removed, at that time /, did
not know who it was, examined to discover
but could not tell. The hat was off; lying by
the sde Deceased had on boots. They had
no signs ofhaving been worn In the mud, were
but little amy soiled, and had the appearance
of having been recently polished. He had on
"a dress coat. His coat vest and pantaloons
were drawn up-the brace on the pantaloons
broken or unbuttoned. WITNESS here de-
.escribed from plan exhibiting the relative po-
'silion of DIR. Coolidges Office, with his shop,
from which it would appear that there was
door leading from his shop. to the wood eel
lar where the body was found. That DR..
Coolidge had access to this cellar and kept in
1t fuel and some medicine, and could pass
from his office into the tailor's shop and
thence through said door to the celar.) ] u
&sually shut up my shop about 9o'clock. Tint;
night the female help boarding with me came
home about O'Clock. | have boy who has
charge ofmy'lower shop, and another, who
has charge ofthe upper. The former is. a
bout l6, and the latter about 10 years of age.
j Went to my shop between seven and eight
O'Clock the next morning. The boy was in
the act taking the blinds from the doors
and windows when arrived. -
On Cross Examination. This witness point
ed out stillfarther from the plan referred to,
the relative position of. DIR. Coolidge's Office,
as bearing upon the question Of its being Sc
'ciuded or otherwise. He also testified that