Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-06-13
THE W4GNER TRIAL. INTEREST
ING TESTIMONY,

THE WAGNER TRIAL. INTEREST
ING TESTIMONY.
The following testimony in the Wagner
trial we find in the Portland Press. The
ninth witness called by the government
| was Mary S. Hontvct, the only survivor OF
the three women in the time of the murder.
She is the wife of John c. Hontyet, and sister
of the murdered woman Anethe Christensen.
| She testified as follows:
There were present at my house, that night
before l went to bed, myself, sister Karen ana
Anethe. There were no other persons upon
the Island went to bed about ten O'Clock;
slept in the western part of the house in bed
room; Anethe and l slept together; Karen
slept on the lounge in the kitchen. When
we retired that night, the door between the
kitchen and the bee room was left open the
curtains to the kitchen did not haul down.
The outside door was not fastened, lock was
broke. There was clock in the kitchen
over the lounge; l was first awakened by
Karen's saying John scared me, John scared
me-" The clock fell down on the lounge and
stopped at seven minutes past one. Karen
then said "John killed me, John killed me-
when he struck her with chair. AS soon as
/ heard her haloo "John killed me-" jumped
out of bed and tried to open the bed room
door, but could not, it was fastened. He kept
on striking her, then tried to get the door
open, but could not. Karen fell down on the
floor under the table, then the door opened.
l looked out and saw a fellow standing right
alongside of the window; saw it was great
tall man. He grabbed chair with both
hands and hurried up to take Karen and held
one hand to lock the door; took her in my
arms and carried her in as quick as could.
When was there he struck me twice and
held on the door; told Karen to hold on to
the door when opened the bed room window
| she said "no, can't do it | am so tired"
| she laid on the floor hanging her arms on the
bed j.; told Anethe to come up and open the
window and to take some clothes and run and
hide Anethe was in my bed room when she
said this. Anethe opened the window and
jumped out leaving the window open. told
her to run, she said IL can't run; YOU haloo,
perhaps somebody may hear you from the
other island;" she said | cannot haloo.
TO go back; when | WAS standing at the bed
room door, he tried three times to get in.
| When he found he could not get in he went
outside; and Anethe saw him at the corner of
the house and halooed Louis, Louis, Louis"
a good many times. jumped to the window
and looked out, and when he got little far
ther, saw him out at the window and he
stopped moment out there.
| Q-Who was that man. A-Louis Wag
ner. He turned around again, and when
Anethe saw him coming from the corner Of the
house back, with big axe, she halooed out:
''Louis, Louis" till he struck her with
great big axe He struck her on the head
once and she fell down; after she fell down he
struck her twice. Back he wen. to corner
again and jumped out the bed room window
and told Karen to come. She said, II am so
tired l can't" ran to her house and though.
of hiding away in the cellar, but l saw nv
little dog coming and was afraid to hide be
cause he would bark. l ran down to landing
place 10 see if he had his dory there did moi
find any. went out, and when little way
/ from the house saw a light in the house
He had the curtain down too. l did not haul
that down. / went down on the island and
ran little ways, and heard my sister haloo
again, so plain thought she was outside of
the house. ran and hid myself away in the
rocks. | staid there till about half an hour
after sunrise. Two days before had an axe
on the island to cut ice in the we'll, and | left
it right by my door.
| had known Wagner for year and half.
He boarded seven months with me last sum-
mer, occupied the big room at the easterly
end of the house; had his bed there and one
big trunk belonging to Karen. Karen used
to visit me sometimes. Usually no one slept
on the lounge. Karen had a half dollar sill
yer piece, which she kept in her purse. l
saw the purse that afternoon; she had lots of
copper money in that purse. She was going
to Portsmouth and gave her ten cents to
buy me braid, and Anethe gave her three
quarter dollars. Besides the money l saw
her put white button in her purse that after
noon. She took il from my work basket. l
have a night dress with similar buttons on it.
Witness exhibits the night dress.) Karen
had some small pieces of silver, about the
size of Ave cent piece. l have a travelling
bag here that was Karen's; on the night be-
fore this happened it was on the table right
travelling. bag since; have not been on the is
land of Smutty Nose since that night.
Gross eramined.-When saw this man he
was standing right by the window next out
side the door. He had on short clothes.
saw him in that room but once. l did not see
him when he struck; had my back towards
him. saw he grabbed chair. He had a
hat on his head, dark, wide rim, short clothes;
no other description. l did not see his face.
He stopped a moment outside of the window,
then went away. spoke nothing to him.
John c. Hontvet testifed.-IIave known
Louis Wagner about Is months first met him
in Boston; he boarded with me from April
18th till sometime in November. | employed
him from the first of September till sometime
in November. My business is fishing had
a little schooner. We left home about day
light March 9TH; went to Portsmouth about
O'Clock that night; saw Louis Wagner on the
wharf. lie asked me twice or three times if
was going to the Shoals that night told
him was not. l asked him if he would hclD
me BAIT travis after the bait came at ! ! o'clock:
ne SAID he would. About o'clock that night
LEFT my boat and went to Matthew Johnson's
to see II could see Louis Wagner; did not
IND him; remained in the house 20 to 80 min.
utes. l went round on the wharf, could not
see Wagner anywhere; then went to the boat
ana remained TIL half past II; about quarter
OF we went to Johnson's ,Iremained there till
half past in the morning in the front shop
lower story OF the house. George Lowd
helpai s Ill aLaut o c,1la.l. D..