Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-12-24
The Excluded Testimony
- IN THE
HOSWELL CASE +!
Sworn Statement
MRS. JANE |. H0SXElL.

/, Jane L. L.Hoswell was born in Wellington,
age. was married to my first husband, John
E. Smith, in Bangor, in l853,-where we re-
sided the most of the time during my married
life with him. l was granted divorce from
him in February 1861, he being guilty of the
crime of adultery. During the last two years
we did not live together, and 1t was at this
time, while was in Lawrence, Mass, that
became acquainted with Edward H. Hoswell.
He urged me to get divorce from Smith, and
said he gould pay the expenses, if l would
marry him, which consented to do.
We were married in Lawrence, July Sd,
1861. The week that we were married, one
Of the boarders passed me the cake at the tea
table, on account of which Hoswell flew into
a rage and tore my dress off from me after we
went to our room. The next autumn after
we were married he whipped my little boy so
he was black and blue, while was in the mill
at work. Ireproved him for this and he got
| mad and burned my clothes in the stove.
A short time after we were married, a lady
was in oar room and dropped five dollar
gold piece, which found. told my hus-
band of it, and he took the money and told
| me not to say any thing about it, and she
would lay it to the Irish girl that was in the
house; for he was in debt and wanted the
money himself. The owner asked me about
it and l told her had not got the money. All
the time tried to have Hoswell give me the
money that might return it. A few weeks
after, gave him my wages for working in
the mill, $l4.0O. The next Monday wanted
$500 to get my bonnet trimmed, and he would
| not give it to me, but went and posted me in
the newspapers, to prevent me from getting
it on his account. He used my money to post
me, as he was out of work and was support
ing him.
Irefused to give him my next months pay
and he promised if l would give it to him he
would return the gold piece. l told him
would and did. He gave me the gold piece,
and told him should give it to the owner;
then he tried to take it away from me; put
it into my mouth and he choked me to keep
me from swallowing it. He was so mad be-
cause he could not have it, that he told the
woman that 1 stole it. / afterwards sent her
five dollars.
The next winter we left Lawrence and went
| to Piermont, N. Y. Our first trouble there
was when he stole from me two dollar and
half gold piece, a gold locKet and some sill
yer coin. accused him of it, and he said
| the negro girl did it. The boarding mis-
tress found cut that he did it and turned US
away. We then went to keeping house il an
upstairs tenement, and because l associated
with the woman down stairs, he abused me
one night and got up and went into the sit
tng-room; he then threw my boy and his lit
tie bed out after me. then made him bed
on the floor, and was about putting him into it
when Hoswell poured the hot water out of
| the tea-kettle over the bed scalding the child
The next morning he went and got minis
ter to settle the trouble between US. The wo-
| man in the tenement below was a woman of
good character, and a member of the Baptist
| church.
Soon after picked a few cherries from
| neighbor's garden, at the owners invitation,
for which Hoswell got mad and threatened
that night, as lay in bed, to take my life.-
He choked me, and got the best Of him;
then he said CD d-n you, make your
last prayer"-and then got the bottle of fluid
and threw it over me, and struck a match and
set me on fire; but managed to save myself
from burning to death, by wrapping up in the
| bed clothes. He was arrested the next morn
ing. He wanted me to swear that did it my
self, and save him from going to prison. told
him would not do it, but would forgive him.
The Judge said if could forgive him he
ought to, and Hoswell was discharged.
The owner of the house turned US away
| then, and we took another tenement. In four
weeks after the burning affair, was talking
with one of my neighbors, in the back yard
when Hoswell turned pail of slops out of
the window on to me.
The next spring we left Piermont and
went to Hudson City, N. j. There he stole
some more money from me, and / accused
him of it. He then turned me out of the
house and threw my things out. went to a
neighbor's and took breakfast, when Hoswell
came after me, and took me home. About
three months after this called upon little
girl who had been burned, whose mother be-
longed to the church with me. For this Hos
well got mad and turned me out of doors at
night. went to a neighbors and stopped a
week. He came and wanted me to go back
home with him, which did. After that l
found razor that the family who occupied
the house before, had left. Hoswell said l
had got it to kill him with, and he caught me
by the throat and choked me. We then had
quarrel. He then put me out of doors and
threw my clothes out As l was about to car
ry my things away he came out with broom
stick and struck me over the back, breaking
the stick into three pieces. stayed away
two days, when he cssie sfter me, and went
back with him.