The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-24
superior Court.
MAY TERM, sYMoNDs, j., PRESIDING.
cFrnNn nav UHHrt TrHs


FRIDAY.-State Jonathan Watson.
Simon Jordan called by State. testifed-I reside
in Cape Elizabeth was born there and reside there
now; resided on the place that was bu MT am
seventy years and six months old came into pos
session of that place by deed from my father, who
am told was born and lived there; the deed
burned when the house was; have known Watson,
the defendant, about fifteen years; he came to my
place to live about four years ago this month.
1.-THE government here introduced war; uty deed
from Simon Jordan 70 Jonathan Watson, the defend
ant dated the 4h ofSeptember, 1862 conveying these
premises conditioned that tile said Watson shall sup
port and maintain, on said premises, said Simon
Jordan and his sister Prudence, during their
spective lives IN a comfortable and decent manner,
furnishing TO them and each of them a comfortable
room In the homestead mansion, good and whole
some food, an clJ,hing, and good medical attend
ance and nursing in sickness, and shall provide the
said Simon with one copy of the Eastern Argus
during his life and if all these conditions not full
filled then the deed is to be null and void.}
Watson moved into my house in May before the
deed was given; his family consisted Of himself and
wife and my family consisted of myself and sister,
WATSON has given deed back to me; Watson and
lived in peac, aud harmony only short time before
i'll treated; he threatened my life and misued
me; about year after he there went into the
garden to dig horse radish, and he said if did
tn Vt again he woul1 my throat; the next wntef
was in the woods a ter load of wood and because
couldn't lift the enl Of log heavy he could
he took stake out of the sled aud started for and
said he good mind to kill me where was; said
why don't you kill me and have me out of my mis-
cry; he sail, ''damn you 1 would, but your hide
wouldn't fetch thing" One time in the barn yard
before he set the fire. lie sal he twas good mind to
kill me-. Said he, 81 have got punishment laid
v,,,,t ha h,+ hefnr
there will be an instruction" Every time wnt
to eat he would storm and damn me because ate 50
much; there was no profane language you could
but what he did use all the blaspheny you ever
heard and which is too bad to repeat; he never used
any personal violence towards me; one day in the
barn he says, II wish to God that these two barns
were in flame and you in the midst; 1 would throw
on the brush instead of water keep the flame ago
ing, and If ony had the power of God five minutes
would set them fire with lightning and sink the
soil where they stand" That was only short time
before We lett the PREMISES / cannot tell all the
threats, could not take time to go over everything
Watson aud agreed to leave our dispute TO three
men, he to select one and the other, and those Two
the third, and bond in the penal sum of $500 was
given to abide the result the referees made an award
IN ~ Wam ne d s a mv rnt ae
there consisting of chairs beds bureaus and ables it
was my intention to 20 back after Watson left; my
farm was worth at this time about $4,000, and con-
sisted of about seventy acres.
Cross-examined- atson never used any personal
violence towards me; he never undertook to cut my
throat struck me; have talked this thing over
with my neighb0rs several times
Prudence Jordan, sister of previous Witness testi-
fled that she had lived on the place seyenty-four
years. Her testimony was principally corroboratve
of her brothers
Henry A. Libby testified to being at the fire. and as
to the state Of the wind corroborated the others.
AFTERA DON.
Benjamin Dyer testiEei but no new facts were
elected, except that Watson told HIM about two
years ago mat ne supposed Jordan wanted to get him
off fir IN the place. but that when he left he sbouId
not leave thu anything but the soil
Patrick Cianey ties lhed to seeing watson's cow
day before the fire. N 80 '-'
Michael Hasty cOrroborated the other witnesses in
regard to the weather, fire. &c. He fu1ther testified
that WATSON had been keeping his horse for some
time previous at his (Hasty's) house. ---r
Joseph Baker testified as to the position of the
building &c. b.. r...
The court adjourned to this morning at 10 o'clock.
The evidence for government will last all day.