Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-07-08

yer AhQ ulONC4 ~ "
ship into Vernon, and sometime afterw ard
had become acquainted with N. Holcomb
and his family that Holeomo, from his
acquaintance with Sawyer, had conceived
a very strong liking for him, which Saw
yer reciprocRted, each regarding the other
as one of his hest friends, and which con-
Gnued until the day of Holcomb's death /;
that Holcomb was then on the verge Of
the grave, having consumption, and his
death might be expected at any time with
out any e~xtraneous means, if such q con-
sumatlon were desired by any n ; that
there would have been no thought Of any
improper intimacy, but for the meddling
interference of a few busy-bodies, in Yer
non. who started such a report for their
own purposes; that Sawyer was . good
nstured, easy going sort Of a man, always
looking on the bright side and always
laughing and talking with all his friends
and acquaintance I; just the sort of man
TO be on friendly terms with every one,
but the very last man to be likely 20 com
nit a murder from any motive ; that Mr..
Holeomb was disposed to be lively, good
tempered, fond of company, and that with
two such persons 1t wss not strange that
they should be on good terms, when they
met at singing schools or parties, of which
something would be heard in the progress
OF the case. But this was the extent of
the intimacy, and he did not believe more
could be shown.
Counsel said that owing TO the state of
Mr.. Holcomb's health, his business was
attended to, almost entirely, by Mrs. Hol-
comb, including the purchase of anything
required by him in his business, or by tn
family, and this made it necessary for her
TO frequently visit Warren, Burgh Ill.,
and other places. And because their
horse was not safe for a lady 10 drive, she
often either went on foot, or caught q
ride with some of the neighbors, frequent
ly with Sawyer, more frequently with
others. And this was the origin, and the
only origin, of the rumOrs of her having
been seen riding with Sawyer in the day
time and evening. Holcomb's family,
counsel continued, consisted Of himself.
his wife and children, and bis father and
sister, all living together. And for 8
long time previous they all were perfectly
aware of the existence of these reports, so
set afOat by those self constituted guar
dians of the family, and with his means Of
certain knowledge as to their falsitv,
Holcomb's confidence in his wife asd
his friend remained, and, against the re-
monstrance. of his wife, who, being more
disposed 10 regard these scandals, wished
him TO have Sawyer, for that reason,
refrain from coming to their house, he in.
sisted that she should treat SAWYER as she
would any other friend, and that he should
be always a welcome guest at their house.
Mr.. h. was a man Of a watchfnl, iesl-
Gus disposition, and one who would be the
frst to discover and the last TO forgive any
improper intimacy with his wife, had it
existed. And this was peculiarly the case
with his father, who hearing these reports,
watched the parties most ,~jealously, and
yet failed to fad any ground of suspicion,
and is TO day one of Sawyer's best friends
Speaking of the statement, that soon
after Hoicomb's death SAWYER went to
Holcomb's to live, counsel said, that Hol-
comb died May 9th, 1867 that about
September lst, 1867, and because his wife |
TO cook for him, Sawyer, at the
earnest request of old Mr.. Holcomb, went
there to get bis meals, sleeping at home, I
and even then, so far was this from having
anything to do with Mrs. Holcomb, that
she was at that time, in the city Of New
York, where she expected to remain until
December; that owing to some improper
meddling with her husbands estate, on
the part of those same busy bodies. she
returned earlier than was expected, and
finding Sawyer taking his meals there,
she spoke TO her father-in-law about it,
and desired him to have Sawyer 90 else
where for his meals, but this was opposed
by Mr.. Holeomb, and Sawyer continued
to take his meals there for a few days
longer until she finally got it discontinued;
that the object of the old gentleman in
wishing him to remain after ma. HIS re-
turn, was to discover certainly, if any
such intimacy existed, but he failed TO
find 1t because il did not exist.
Counsel said that on the day of Hol-
combs death, Sawyer went to his (H.,sl
AFTER dinner for some work ; that h.
spoke Of going oat to shoot squirrels, and
Sawyer told him he had seen some young
ones down in the woods, where he was
going to work that afternoon; that Saw
yer went down there about l or 2 p. NJ,
snds sometime later, saw HOlcomb enter
the north side of the woods from the road
and come toward where he was working ;
that he set down on q log TO rest himself
and afterwzrd came up nearer where he
shot at something, saying TO Sawyer who
vas then several rods distant, that che did
not shoot near enough the squirrel-to scare
him." Something else passed between
hem when Holcomb shot again and then
remarked, sit was not a squirrel 1 shot at,
nut 8 knot" Soon after this Sawyer saw
him behind a large oak tree. apparently
,aking aim at something in another large
3 few feet distant. He then took
Town his gun, setting. the breech in the
ground and holding il by the muzzle and
eaning over the gun 70 look around the
arge tree near which he was standing,
nd into the top Of the other large tree,
Fheu the gun went of and Holcomb fell.
ran TO him, picked him up, spoke
0 him andfound ne wss dead. He then
aid him down and came up and gave the
larm.
In regard TO the statement, that from
be nature Of the wound it was impossible
hat the death could have happened in
his way. Counsel said that from expert
nents made and the proof in the case, it
you'd be clearly shown that no such con-
could be drawn from the shape, or
ondition, or location of the wound, from i
7hieh nothing could be determined, or 10
direction from which the ball came.
Counsel closed by saying that SO far
rom the PROVISIONING any suspicion that .
awyer was guilty, it would convince the
lry, as it did him, that he was as inno-
ent as any one of the Jurors, or the coun-
81 himself The defendant did not avoid,
q courted investigation. He had come six 4
undred miles, on seeing his name men J
in connection with this matter, for ;
purpose of asking a full, free, fair !
risl, and such trial would result In the |
efendants triumphant scquiTtal. :
Tue examination Of witnesses was COM {
lencsd Tuesday morning. We hope to !
i've q full report of the evidence in our !
ext I
Albert Feaster, who was stabbed !
y Joseph Skeleton, at Newton Falls, {
the Goth of May last, died on
thursday last.