The Portland daily press., 1873-11-17
BY TELEGRAPH.
MATTERS in MAINE.
The Gordon Murder Trial.
SIXTH DAY.
Commencement of the Testimony
for the Defence.

BELFAST, Nov. 15.-In opening for the de-
fence, Mr.. Wallace, the prisoners counsel, eau
toned the jury against giving too much impor-
lance to the statements of his client before the
coroner's inquest, as they were made in state
of excitement, and insisted that the position
assumed by the government, must be so strong,
in order to satisfy them of his guilt as to abso-
lutely exclude every other hypothesis.
The first witnesses called this morning testi-
fed to the peactable character of the accused,
and to the friendly relations maintained with
his brother up to the day before the tragedy
The blood on the prisoners clothing was &C
counted for by his having thrown himself upon
the grass where the bodies had been laid.
Mrs. Lucella Gordon, aged 6S, mother of the
prisoner, testified that the brothers lived to-
gether upon terms of friendship; that they
worked in company on the Saturday before the
murder and that John T., manifested no DIS
pleasure when the farm was conveyed to AL
mon. Her examination elected nothing i'm
portant.
The evidence in the trial was closed this pm.
with the examination of the prisoner, who &C.
cupied the stand for over two hours. He swore
his brothers family and himself That the
statements of his threats were false That he
cheerfully acquiesced in his fathers arrange
ments in substituting Almon for himself. and
in fact was ign rant of the conveyance of the
farm till after the murder. Although he sus-
pected that his brothers wife wrote the anony-
nous letters to Miss Edwards, and was some
what vexed with their author, whoever it
might be, still no words or trouble with her were
ever had. Having arranged to leave the next
day for Massachusetts,, where he expected to
work, he retired early in the evening, before
the murder, and was first awakened by Anna,
his neice. After getting her and the little boy
out without perceiving any one near he at
tempted to rescue his brother, but was driven
back by the smoke. He then gave an alarm,
and was met by Ward, the hired man, and
neighbor who assisted in clearing the house.
He saw no axe, and was excited. Knows what
afterwards transpired. The prisoner acknowl-
edged the faisehood of his statement to Sheriff
Norton, and others, that Greene was the guilty
person, He said he made it to arrest suspicion
from himself and to attract sympathy. He
dsclaimed the letter found in the Jail
This testimony, although given with remark
able self possession, was in many particulars ir-
revelant and immaterial as he did not deny
committing the murder. The Attorney Gener-
al declined to cross examine him.
The arguments on both sides will be made on
Monday.
Launched.
BATH, Nov. 15,-Launched this morning by
Houghton Brothers, fine ship of about 1900
tons, named Louisiana, owned by the builders,
and to be commanded by Capt Cyrus Oliver,
late of the ship Rochester.
Death of a Manufacturer.
SACo, Me-. Nov. 15.-James Beatty, senior
member of the firm of James Beatty & CO.,
tanners and leather manufacturers and a mem
her Of the firm of j, W. Beatty & Co., betting
and hose manufacturers, of this city, died to-
day at II a. m. of fever
Sudden Death-Snow
RoCKLAND, Me-, Nov. 16.-A man was found
struggling in fit ON his bed in one of the rooms
of COMBS saloon, or lodging house, shortly
before o'clock last evening, and died soon af-
ter the arrival of the physician who was imme
diately sent for. He was a man about 80 years
old, and it was ascertained that his name was
VIM. G. Stebbin, and that he had been en-
ployed as druggist clerk by brother doing
business in Boston. To some persons here he
gave the name of George E. Ball. His death
probably was the result of intemperance
The first real snow storm of the season began
here about ten o'clock this morning, and con-
tinued through the day with strong north
east wind this afternoon.