Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-07-15

,of powder. Did not see anyindioatious of pow
der on hand. Hat was placed over the face or
SIDE OF head. Eyes and mouth we're both closed
The e0untenance had q dark. purple appear
anee. oqI tnat disappeared after we moved tne
body. He bled some and then his eountenance
appeared natural. There was no distortion OF
eountenance- Made no examinations as
to bullets in the tree that day. Next day
noticed spots that looked as II they had been
shot In recently. This tree was four or FIVE rods
5. e. from where the body lay. Couldn't state
from observations at that time from what di-
reetion the bullets came. Have eTamined the
tree since where the bullets we're cut cut. Saw
the marks of the bullets and can tell which way
the balls came from by their appearance. my
opinion Is that they came from the n. W.. di-
rection. saw repairs to brush fence about four
or i've rods from beach tree, east. Balls would
came from near to some Of those repairs Saw
q small iron wood. three or four inches through
and q thorn bush. which had the appearance Of
that had been put on the fence some time be-
fore. The iron-wOOd and thorn had been cut
with dull instrument; there were hacks upon
the trees. Did not make a very thorough ex-
animation myself Saw the two bushes I have
spoken Of Other repairs on fence had the ap-
t,earanee Of having been made some time before.
Have seen Mrs. Holc0mb and Sawyer tOgeth-
or since the death Of Mr.. Holeomb and before.
Saw them before at Lyceum at center Of Yer
nor. IsaE a good deal Of fondness and intima-
cy between them. That was at Lyceum. They
appeared TO evince fondness- They manifested
ii By getting siogether away from others as
much as they Uuld This was the winter be-
fore this accident happened. ct the town house.
Noticed them at singing schools together. Their
conduct was the same as At the Lyee1m. ms
fondness for one another aud the desire to be
by themselves was there exhibited. They were
BY themselves. Have seen them together quite
a number Of times. There was singing school
almost every week. and Mr. Sawyer and Mrs.
Holeomb we're almost always there from twelve
10 eighteen months before this accident hap
pened. They were not so much together at the
berinning Of this time. but as II wore on Il in-
creased. Have not seen them going nome To-
yether. Have seen them alone IN the eVenln
together Saw them at the side Of the road q
year ago last winter, near the center, little
north Of the corners. Ny wife was with me.
We were going south. l observed some per
sons Standing By side Of the road Tor some nms
before we got to them. audiWhen We got up near
Mr.. Sawyer started and ran. he went south
lust ahead of ny horse. She went nortn to-
wards her home This was about clock
turned east At the corner and dlo not see eltn eI
after, Have seen them ridinE qHie number
oftimes since. Sawyer took his horse and o9gsy
and drove up there. and they went riding. tnat
was since the death Of Mr.. HOlcono- elnee
Mr.. Holcomb's death have heard SAWYER say
he made his home at Holcomb's; said he was
living at Mrs. HolcOmb's. Sawyer and nis VIE
were living together when Mr.. hole9mos 6 Qeath
Oceurrs4 They soon separated. Sawyer then
went to HOlco mb's and said he stald hTe Weess.
Can't say where he went from there. he went
of hunting. Saw him going 70 MIS-. n after
he came back from hunaeE. Next saw hin AZ
Vernon, when became back from the east mat
was ten days or so after second Coroner IN
quest. Think il was w Wednesday or THURSDAY.
Mrs HoleOmb was absent from vernon week
or so about that time She lett on eanesaay
after second inquest and was g5neaoout week.
She returned the same day sawyer came 70
Vernon. noticed she was not at home du-
ring that week. Don't know where Sawyer was
during that winter asked Of his friends and
did not learn. Don't know where ne went 70
live after he came back. HIS Wlie ana oAngn-
ter live in Vernon about mile OF more from
the center. was at the ground Enere the oooy
was found and examined for the stick lew
days since. and could not md It. have no
knowledge where 1t is or Of any one removing
Il. larger stick was there. Have seen
Sawyer shoot At . marx great deal. de Is
good marksman. 49,.
Think sawyer testified before Coroners jury.
that he took the gun and set II up beside the
tree. Had aconyersation with Sawyer at my
house since the FIRST Coroner's inquest, say two
or three weeks after. He than said that he AID
Mr.. HSicomb had been sitting On log talking
together for some time. when Mr.. ID. said: i
believe I'll 60 up 70 Bates woods and see what
can find there" and started 10 90 when be
came across these squirrels be Was shooting al.
I heard firing in the direction Of Beech g woods
abeut2 o'clock. Shots ware rapid. and for two
or three sh0tsregular.s Might have been half
an hour from that time until saw Sawyer. A
man could see quite q distance from the place
the body was found. Would be no difficulty in
seeing ont into the fields or any one who was
CROSS Ex1NISATIOx.
I acted as Coroner at time the frst Inqu est
was held. Have not had considerable to do
with this case Have been on the ground with
Mr.. Stull. Have been at bis once twice Have
talked with him twice. Have talked quite of
ten about this case. Talked with Mr.. Stull
about witnesses. May have taken sides some.
Have not talked the matter over 80 much since
the SANDER suits were CONNECTED as before. /
did express myself that il was not necessary to
have jqry. I did object to drawing the pa
pers at the time. because thought ii case of
accidental shooting. I frequently after that.
and after the first Coroner's inquest, expressed
the same opinion: might have expressed the
same opinion after having the cOnversation
With SAWYER at my house; when ne told me
about sitting on the log with Holcomb.-
W ouidn't be positive whether l asked Sawyer
VIXEN he came up from below, how il occurred
or not. Think Ibid and that he said "aeeidsn-
tally" -- ne.l- s.sl
Sawyer did not tell rs down on the ground.
the time We got the body. where Holcomb stood,
or where he fell. or where he was when he fell
Don't think any question was asked Sawyer
about the occurrence on the spot. No one IN
CURED Of him in my hearing. He didn't point
qua VII ere b vas pointing his gun didn't point
out anything about il down there.
Couldn Z tell how long the small stick had lain
here. Mean that the stick hadn't lain long
tick lay twenty inches or two feet from body.
Did not particularly notice how the stick lay
It the time. should think body couldn't have
been moved without disturbing the stick.
.aid that If that stick lay there il that that
lid the deed. This was the day after the death,
It the spot. with the jury. Didn't see small
tick first day; saw It next day. Ny opinion Of
where the balls shot into the beech tree came |
70 n is based entirely upon the appearance Of
he tree altar the balls were cut out. Don't /
InoW whether could tell within IS degrees Of /
where the balls came from.
Leaves Of iron tree and thorn bush were fresh /
md different from those which had Withered.
sOuldn Z tell how much, itany, Of the old brush /
lad been gatnered up and placed upon the /
ence. In high water the creek oVerhOWs and /
.zrries away parts Of the fence.
s Didn't sag 70 Mr. HelVering thatl never saw 4
NY particular intimacy between Mrs. Hol- /
omb and Mr.. Sawyer. Have not said, to my /
recollection that have not seen more intima-
y besween them than neighbors generally.-I
Think have seen Mr.. Sawyer and Mrs HoI-
omb at singing schools since Wm. H's death, i
,ut could not say positively. Think have not /
een them Al any singing schools together when
Ter daughters were not there. They were from
4 70 Is years old. Schools ordinarily attended:
ometimes full, one could observe ali who were 4
here il ne wished to. Don't know that can
i've alitne evidences OF tondneSs- Was shown
" absenting themselves from the rest. going TO |
Inherent parts Of the house. They didn't 20
nj doors. They went to one corner by them
elves. perhaps nTe 70 ten feet from others.
lidn't sing from same book. These are the on
: evidences j saw showing fOndness and inti-i
lacy a. singing schools and lyceumS Hayn't
aid TO Vim. Thompson, d. He!Tering, or HaYi-
Al smith that saw man and woman on the !
Dad but couldn't tell who they were. II was i
0 the winter saw them, abOut9 o'clock D. m
D sleighing. snow about q foot deep. Left
linsman At ~ or O'Clock. They were out Of
be beaten track but whether to avoid my
sigh or not couldn't say. Shouldn't have
lought any thing strange about II if Sawyer
Int ahaaf nf m hnrae inst "a aaf
nough to keep out Ofthe way. This was six or
Ight rods from the corner where turned east
mink didn't say 10 any one that saw man
nd woman. and thought the woman Mrs. Hol-
omb, but couldn't tell certainly. Think Mr..
Ioleomb did not attend the singing schools al
ays. bit as = general thing think ne did when
10 went.
own in the woods. Had seec HoleOmb 60 down
nd when heard firing asked my boy what kind
gun he had, thinking II must be double
arreled one. 1t was l5U or AuO rods IRON the
i where We were to the woods where the body {
Have seen Mr.. Sawyer and Mrs, Holeomb
ding together day time aud evening Have i
,eu them going east past my house, sun half !
Jur high. and have seen them g west; Inlnk
ne. When they went west was about the time
ls WAS appointed guardian OF her ehlldren.
ave seen them going south IN morning and in
1er part OF the day, three OF iouE lnes: 5ney
rs wagon going south or coming from there.
q mad one horse buggy and Il was IN that
,ey were riding. Have seen Sawyer drive up
ere three or tour times alter Mr. aoicombs
ssfh and take her out riding just about sun ,
own. Saw them going both west, north and
Did not say to Jno. .Smout that Sawyer should
put where the crows Eoqldnt huft nlm--
;Srn't say 30 10 Lucius HOlcOmb. or words to
al effect. think 1 said to koer Wright that
me stick was there. it doubtless was the cause
the accident. Think 1 expressed doubt OF 1
q stick beng there Al the time ot the occur E!
Al this point the Court adjourned until :
clock Wednesday morning.