The Republican journal., 1873-06-26

my son Almon has lived with me ever since he
was married; he was to carry on farm and
have what he could make; held the stock in
my own hands; it was understood that he
should own the place and take care of me; dur
ing this time John worked at home about or
s months; he was paid for his labor by Almon:
has not worked much since; he has been gone
much of the time; had talk with Almon about
the farm last spring; my proposition was for it
to be set apart; and thew carry it on together.
l told both of it; John agreed to it: Almon
would not accept it; he gave no reason except
he was afraid they could not get along together:
Aimon then went to Brgadier Island to work
came back intending to remove his family but
colld GET no place to live in: during this time
john was carving on the place for one third of
crops; when Almon came back made arrange.
ment with INN to stay: decided him the farm
he vast pay John $500, but John knew moth
| ing OF 1t; the date of deed was about middle of
May; went with Almon to Belfast to have it
| done; / then ted John that Almon was coming
| home and he might quit, which he did; he
| stopped here most of the time afterward he
talked lately of going to Massachusetts, and
packed his clothes; he was going last Monday;
| ne knew on Thursday or before of my going to
Bangor: l had made up my mind to 60 week
| before | went; thought Of stopping a week;
| John was here at the time l left; John and
Almon had Jars before Almon went away, but
| not afterwards; | thought they were good
| friends as ever when went away; got Almon
back because things were going badly with the
| farm under John; AmOn was careful and pru-
dent: we used kerosene and candles for lights
in our room; WITNESS here recognized the
| kerosene bottles, as similar to those his wife
had, also the candlestck]; John had feelings
| against Almon's wife on account of letters; first
| knew OF II about three weeks ago; my wife first
| told me of it, and had heard John speak OF it:
John in woodshed expressed something of the
kind; he said our relatives hadn't visited as
usual since she came; she overheard and re-
| peated 1t. with additions Ipair of pants shown,
i which witness said We're John'sl John, in our
| conversation. said something like II shall live
! to see the damned bitch suffer yet; Almon
| was at Belfast week before last; don't know
| why he went; John has never spoken about
Almon having the farm; he didn't know it I'M
| less he found ii out at Belfast heard him COM
| plain about letters AS late week before last !;
| Amons wife WAS good and tender hearted
woman anG was always kind to me and my
| wife.
The testimony OF Mr.. Gordon was given
under great depression on his part, and
frequently interrupted by emotion and
tears. The old man is terribly shaken by
the tragedy, and is not the man he was
previously. AT this point, the inquest adj
.ourned TO Monday. in order that those
belonging in Belfast might return by the
evening train.
Mondays Session.
At the reassembling on Monday, the
testimony of the mother of John T. Cor
den and Of the murdered man was given.
MRS. DRUSsILLA GORDON, sworn.
Am 6s years old. May 21st have had seven
children, Albert w. born 1927. Dec. 18th; Gill
man born 1880, May 10th; Joseph list, born
1882. June Both; Joseph 3D. born 1884. Sept.
goth; Erastu> H. born 1899. June 18th; John
True born 1874 Nov. LIST; Almon NJ. born 1s4S,
Feb. 9th; Gilman died in the army, in Libby
Prison; can't tell Just when Gilman was in the
Insane Hospital in 1913. I think; DR.. Bates and
think DIR. Harlow was there can't tell in par
ticular what John True's feelings were toward
Almon and his familv the understanding be-
tween John True and his father was that he
might stay and work one year or shares with
Almon: this sometime in Febry; Almon
went to the Island about the Isl of May; John
True did the work from the time of the arrange
ment till Amon went to the Isand. his father
helping about the chores: Almon was gone from
home about two weeks. left home Monday and
came home on Saturday; came to settle his
accounts and to get place to move his family;
John True had then begun on his spring work.
Almon did not get any chance to move his fam
lily, and he and his father had SOM talk but not
in my hearing; | thought when AlmOn and
father went to Belfast twas to settle up for the
past five years Almon had worked on the farm,
and when they came back Mr.. Gordon said he
had decided the property to Almon, and wished
me to sign the deed. Mr.. Gordon took back
bond Of $1,000 secured by a mortgage; the
writings were brought back and signed here
before o. j. Farwell I went to Mr.. Farwelrs
house and signed the next morning after they
got home at night; Almon and | went, Mr..
Gordon had signed it; John True came home
while Amon and father were at Belfast and
asked me where they were and what they went
for; told him at Belfast to settle up their busi-
ness. The next morning Mr.. Gordon told John
True that Almon was to carry on the place; he
seemed at first not pleased, but finally said ''Fm
glad of it for Eve no one to look after but N.Y.
self, and can take care of myself; John True
knew Almon was to pay him $780, John True
told me Miss Edwards had received anony-
nous letters; she had got two before he told me
anything about it; he told me he thought
Emma, Almon's wife, wrote them. | learned
afterwards another had been written and told
him | did not think twas Emma; he said then
it was some of her family; never saw any of
the letters; he told me he had seen them; don't
know what view Amon and his wife took in
regard to John True and Miss Edwards about
two weeks ago first heard of his going to Salem;
knew nothing about the envelope that was said
to have been found in the house directed to Miss
Edwards; got Johns clothes ready for him;
intended to be gone at Bangor about one week.
and told Amon and his wife So John was at
home the morning we went away Saturday
tll ABOUT U clOthJ, ile cdillc nome TUESDAY
before. and was here off and on; John True har-
messed the horse for US; he was intending to take
the II O'Clock train Monday, and take the boat
from Belfast in the afternoon for Boston and
thence to Salem; first intended to go Friday,
but found no boat went that day; told me this
Thursday or Friday morning; had finished
getting his clothes ready before | went; used
lamp and candles in our part of the house.
One candle stick in orr part and one in Almon's
alike. ours used to sit on the table. I think the
nn. chr halo nf (,
used the candle at night in going about the
house; all the oil | had was in the lamp when
! went away; the bottle (shoWn) | gave to
Mile the babe to play with before | went away
with the stick in it; it was never used to fill
lamp; John had pair of wooden shirts of drab
lady's cloth. made one year ago last winter;
he packed his trunk which was in front hall
assisted him; he sent after some clothes from
Belfast last week. and [ sent him some white
shirts, stockings, and handkfs; could not find
one wooden shirt; we had dog five years: he
generally stayed about home when there was
any strange noise or stranger about after dark
the dog would bark. Did not see anything but
that John True and Almon's family were on
good terms; neither John nor Almon very
laxative; not much conversation between John
and Almon or Almon's wife; don't know how
much money John had; Almon had paid him
some and he had worked out some; / told
Mr.. Gordon that Emma told me that she
heard John tell him that our folks didn't come
| much since Almon's and family lived here,
and were not treated well when they did
come; Mr.. Gordon said that John said you
know your folks have not been here much
since they have been here; after this | was
talking with Emma and she told me she didn't
want John True to speak to her nor she didn't
want to speak to him; John True knew OF this:
John True has complained to me that Emma
did not treat me Just right, that she did not
answer me always as l should be answered:
John had one nice pair OF pants in his trunk
| one on. and several pair of old ones which he
was not to take with him; John knew he was
, to receive $500, but not that Almon was to pay
| it to him; his father told him, and John True
said he did not want any of his property.
Joseph Gordon. SO years old; lived about 7
miles from here in Freedom; not been home
very often; was here the Saturday night before
the murder; came Thursday morning to help
Almon peel bark; stopped here two nights:
John True was here nights, off and on DAYS /
guess; know nothing of feeling between John
True and Amon; Almon told me his wife
overheard John True talking about her; found
in Amon's trunk. opened by Fogler last Tues
day $24'00; Amon paid me $500 Saturday
June IA; got home Monday June 10Th, between
and P NJ; had no talk with John True
mother told me about some anonymous letters
sent to Miss Edwards abusing John True: |
told her knew nothing about it; think the dog
wOul1 mako a noiSa if anv ono oaua oho,,t az