Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-03-19
Reported for The Osfrd Democrat

FIRE to stable attached to Stage House,
Paris Hill.
The trial OF Henry W. Davis, Tor malicious
burning. in setting fire to the buildings
burned IN ,hi, village, on l7th ult., was
commenced on Monday last. Q. W. WAL
ToS and W. W. vIRGS. Esqs., appeared for
prisoner. and the County Attorney, S. c.
ANDREWS, Escs. for Government.
To the indictment, the prisoner plead not
guilty.
The Attorney for the Government then
opened tho case as follows:
We shall show that defendant was In the
bar-room on the evening Of the FIRE was
using threats OF the seyercs, character had
an alteration with Morse. From 10 20 %
minutes after, defendant left the bar-room.
lie inquired Of Mr. Child when he was
about TO 60 home. as he wanted a ride.
Mr.. Child went % the stable aii9r his horse.
Davis LEFT the bar.room. When Child lee
the stable there was no FIRE. Ten minutes
after. Davis was seen coming from stable m
n quick manner. Went 20 Cummings
hotel in an excited manner. Stopped about
five minutes. and went to Morso's, and en-
tered the bar.room in q quick manner.
Shall also show remarks made since tie fre.
WITNESSES TOR CONVENIENT, called.
Rufus H. Morse. Hiram jackson. Horace
Cummings, Lewis W. Child, =. NJ Sawyer.
/ Ann Morse, Elizabeth Rawson, j. II. Raw.
son. stephen Rawson. Ezekiel W. CLARK,
Josiah Dudley. James II. Bates, Mariner
j. Davis, j. Cplburp.
RuTus X. MoRsE, sworn, saws II am
proprietor Of Stage llou-o have resided
I here between q and ! weeks stopped Nc
Stage House, kept by Mr.. l.. W Chili-my
/ family was with me. I purchased the prop
orty Of Mr.. Child. have decd of the prop
erty. ! purchased the property the 18th
day Of last February. About an hour and
twenty minutes before the fire, the deed
passed had occupied the hOusc week or
\ 10 days. employed Der. as osilsr. kept
| him one week aud two days. discharged
\ him . DAYS before the fire. AZ the moment
| I discharged him. he asked me 10 hire him
over told him had hired another man
no said I should 80 what the new ostler
would do; be was angry afterwards ho
sad was id old bloat said should
get my paw for IL, and swore he would have
revenge he threw an apple at me. Night
Of Ere he was az my house be wanted some
rum, and would not let him have i, no
asked Child % carry him home some ono
asked him 20 eng II they would give him
money; ho got seven cents aud then wanted
some more. told him he should no, have
any more, ever be jumped up and said hc
would have revenge; said he was going 70
Cumming Child and sawyer were In
there when Def, was singing; Def, stay.
el in bar.room until about one minute DO
fore Child came 20 door with hrs horse.
After Davis went out. il was not lar from
~ minutes before fro vas discovered Il
was not a great while. did not look az
any watch or clock thought NJ the time it
was not Eve minutes when the fire broke
ont. Mr. Davis followed inc into the house
and asked me II thought be- 1T the fire.
told him II be set il on fro. be knew who
il was be followed me around from room
IN room, helping me 90 get out the iurni-
turc he cot the bed cords be kept asking
me II thought he -, the Gro; finally told
him there were enough who knew who set
the fire be pulled down the whole blnnis-
tors have seen him light his Pipe with
matches DO not rccollcct whether he was
smoking when he went out, he had been 4
few minutes before The day OF tho FIRE,
the hired girl asked why she could not -
out the back door. and asked DAVIS who
nailed 10 up, and ho said be did she asked
him why be nailed It up, and he said You
will find out the door was in III storyl;
she said she should break open ;hc door ho
said he would nail 1t up again. | hired
Davis when ! frst went into the house
Davis knew had bough, out aud taken
account Of stock.
Cross Examined. Der, was not 20 in
toxicated but that he could travel and talk.
| know he had had liquor in him DO not
think no had drinked % excess - as 10
change the man; he had little moro
tongue sometimes than others discharged
him two days before the fire be dad not
work Tor me after be- was discharged; stop
ped at my house over night took his meal,
at my house never gave me any reason Tor
mailing the door | was afraid Of the man
and dl not want any alteration with him;
first thought u was 1--WE minutes after Davis
went cut, before tho FIRE broke out; upon
rclcTtion OF what l.. Child did, thought
IL was longer. Hutchinson made the deed
lat Registers Office new Register was pres
ent: Davis was sick no insurance on the
building fire was m the hay loft, when
first discovered; Ere was streaming out
through the cracks towards the road, Main
Street. az gable end about four tons % hay;
hay was all over the loft be sad he vas
going - Cummings after liquor; several
about that evening Sawyer and Bates and
Others were present after be LETT, dil not
sec him again until after the Ere. Gre was
discovered about o'clock; first discOv-
cred the fire.
/ llRAM Jackson, sworn, SAYS, reside in
this village am some acquainted with dcCt
saw him on the morning Of 18th February,
I in Mr.. Cummings barroom. lie came in
after did. llo said Morse had discharged
/ him and be- was bound 10 have revenge On
/ him. and used an oath. told him be had
better not talk ~. but bad better 20 bone
\ 20 his fathers He said Mr.. Morse bad DIS
charged him for nothing, and he would be
id il be would ~ home tlll he got ready,
and he had as lief spend bis days in States
Prison as any where.
| went out pretty soon. Cummings was
there. | ADVISED him 10 90 home. As be- was
laying himself liable. think he said no
would stand there cOur, week and try TO get
all be could 10 stop at his house.
About O'Clock same evening, was in
Morse's bar.room, and he sat there with :
or Others. lie was there till about 10
minutes before Z. Clark and left aud went
10 Clark's store. Clark told his boy he had
better 20 home, as IL was bis bed time. II
was 10 minutes Of : by Clark's watch. In
about 10 minutes the alarm OF fire was hear
A ~ 4