The Portland daily press., 1863-10-31
The Franklin Murder Gases.
FARMrxeIoS, oct. soth, 1856.

Jeremiah Tuck Of Phillips, closed yesterday,
the jury returning a verdict of "Guilty in the
first degree" The circumstances in brief
were these: Wright and Tuck, who were
farmers and neighbors, had frequent quarrels
concerning their cattle, which frequently broke
from their pastures, to the mutual annoyance
Of their owners. One evening, as Wright and
relative were going out cunning, he found
that Tuck's sheep had got into his field and
he drove them near Tuck's house and sent for
Mr.. T. TO come and see il they were his. Tuck
came out, hard words ensued, and Wright shot
him on the spot
He received the verdict of the jury without
the least emotion Of remorse. He is nearly
seventy years old.
After Wright's case was disposed Of Law
renee Doyle was arraigned for the murder of
Lura V. Libby of Strong, little daughter of
Isaac Libby of that town, nine years Old
Doyle, who is an Irishman, thirty years old,
went to Strong a few years since from Frank
fort, and has since been in the employ of va
rious farmers of that town. II phrenology can
give any indication of character, Doyle is a
fiend. His face is thin and angular; his eyes
sunken, with protrudng cheek-bones and low.
retreating forehead; the back of the skull ex
cessively full.
The murder was committed in September,
1862. Doyle had been in the employ Of Mr..
Libby, and one Sunday morning started off al
al unusually early hour from his home, pre-
fanAuu OF ha NO nniuo in of
stray sheep. On that Sabbath forenoon, the
Libby girl started alone for church and was
murdered; her body being buried in the woods
about half mile from the main road and her
fathers house. Her throat had been cut from
car to ear, her body was stripped of its cloth
ing, which was laid upon her in the grave, and
several marks Of violence discovered upon her
person, showing that she had been violated,
and that the wretch, to cover his crime, had
murdered and buried her. Doyle is connected
with the affair by web of circumstances be-
yond his power to unravel, all Of which, to say
nothing of his conduct and admissions since,
prove his guilt. Hon. J. II. Drummond, State
Attorney General, and Samuel Belcher Esq,
county Attorney, conduct the prosecution;
Lnscott, Pillsbury, and Currier for the de-
fence.
The government expect to prove that Doyle
committed the two-fod crime mentioned, that
he had previously attempted a violation Of the
girls person, waited for her in the road to
church that morning, and accomplished the
revolving act, and finding that he had severely
tninraI bar oaucIr1a1 N In forh
damnable deed, except under ground. When
found, her knees were bent up, the grave be-
ing too short to receive her. She had been
carefully covered with turf and wild weeds,
showing cunning on the part of the perpe
TRAITOR, more than ordinary.
The evidence and arguments will be report
ed in full in the Pennington Chronicle.
The defence we learn will be gigantic en-
deavor to free the accused, by showing that he
had no motives to prompt the deed, that 9TH
ers had equal opportunity, and that the gov
eminent does not sufficiently prove his guilt,
to satisfy jury beyond doubt.
During the empanneling of the jury for this
trial several points Of interest to the legal fra
ternity were presented. A juror was called
who stated that he had read various newspa-
pers' accounts Of the murder, and had received
therefrom impressions as to the accused. He
had also expressed an opinion, based on the
hypothesis that these accounts were true, but
not thinking that the accounts read, impress
sions received or opinions formed, would him
der an impartial consideration on his part of
the merits of the case, he was about to take
his seat on the panel when challenged pc
remptorily. On this point Judge Walton held
that the opinion or judgment must be some
thing more than vague impression, formed
from casual conversation with others or from
reading imperfect abbreviated newspaper re-
ports of the transaction. 1t must be such an
opinion upol the merits Of the question as
would be likely to bias or prevent candid
judgment upon a full hearing of the evidence.
If one had formed what in some sense might
be called an opinion, but which fell short OF
exciting any bias or prejudice, he might con-
sistently discharge his duty as juror.
A second juror had conscientious scruples
against finding man guilty of crime, pun
ishable with death, but considering it his du-
ty TO determine the guilt or innocence OF the
accused, leaving his punishment to the proper
branch Of government, he was allowed to sit
in the case.
A third juror lived in the town where the
murder was committed was engaged in hunt
ing after the corpse and had formed an opin-
ion. He was ordered to step aside by the
court, the counsel for the defeuse objeeling.
More anon II