Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-08-07

Trial of SamI and J J. Jewell.
We gave our readers las, week, the verdict
of the jury in this case. The following are
the principal facts elected at the trial.
The first Of the two defendants is man of
more than seventy years of age, and his son is
about forty-6ve. They have resided for more
than thirty-6ve years upon piece Of land in
the town of Monroe, Waldo Co., which they
had cleared up and brought into state of cul-
tivation. They had never paid for the land,
however, and the title was in the hands Of R.
b. ALLYNE, who had obtained two several
judgments against the elder Jewell, one in
ls43, and another in ls45, In April last, AL
lyme disposed Of bis claim under these judg-
ments, to John Cousins, young man then
recently returned from California aud writs
of possession were issued, covering the prem
Uses, and put into the hands of Sheriff Cum
bingham, on the 25th. Being foiled in an at
tempt to execute them upon the 25th, the doors
of the honse upon the farm being barricaded
against him, and spirit of pretty rampant
anti-rentism manifested in the vicinity, he re-
turned next day with posse from Belfast,
among whom was Cousins, the new claimant.
Being again forcibly resisted, after vainly try
ing 10 induce the Jewels to listen to a COM
promise, the sheriff proceeded to break into
the house, during which proceeding, gun
was discharged from the interior, taking effect
upon Cousins and killing him Instantly. The
house contained only the two Jewels, their
wives, and another woman named Wyman.-
The evidence for the prosecution proved that
the Jewels had at various times, declared
their determination to defend themselves BY
force to the last extremity, and over and over
again refused TO listen to any propositions for
a compromise. 1t also appeared that they
were melted to violence by others, and that one
Larrabee. in particular, who was near the
house at the time, called upon them in pro-
fame language 10 use their guns. After the
apprehension of the two men, the father claim
ed that it was he who discharged the gun at
Cousins; but though the evidence appeared
rather TO indicate his son as the one who COM
united the deed, there was nothing in the
shape of positive proof against either, SO far
as this one act was concerned. On the part of
the defence, testimony was introduced 10 show
that the old man was insane, and that when
excited he became incapable of exercising his
reason. For years past he appears to have
been rather wild in regard to religious matters,
and TO have been in a very irreverent habit of
praying constantly when under excitement
He was engaged in this manner at the time of
the death of Cousins The family appear to
have been exceedingly ignorant, and the two
men had doubtless impressed themselves with
belief of their right to the farm which they
had occupied 50 many years. Others, equally
Ignorant perhaps, and more culpable, because
having no interest in the matter to blind them,
appear to have excited and urged them on to
created some surprise in the community, and
some are disposed TO censure the jury. The
Belfast Signal, speaking of it, says:
at is said that their verdict was the result
of compromise, arrived at on Monday morning,
after celebrating from Saturday evening !;
when at once they should have convicted the
persons of the crime charged against them in
the indictment. How this may be we leave
orr readers tojudge from the evidence But
if the jury have erred-if they forgot thai they
were bound by the sanc,iiy of an oath to do
justice to society as well as TO individuals-we
should not say as many do, that the system of
juries should be abolished. Ii has long been
and we trust will long continne to be one of
the bulwarks of justice and safeguards of lib