The Republican journal., 1873-11-13

WIN ulHu, Ira Salu nc OluQt want TO. he tniQ
him to ask his mother, which he did; She said he
might if he wanted to; Ira wouldn't sleep there
the old folks were at Bangor; no one else came
to the house; went to bed quarter before nine;
looked at the clock; no one else had gone to bed;
Almon was in cook room; the rest of the family
were there John in his mothers room; went
up back stairs that led to Johns room; couldn't get
to mine except thro' his; shut my door; left window
partly up; Almon was singing that night, after /
went up stairs; didn't hear John come up; ii
was about 10 minutes before went to sleep;
awoke by child crying; listened minute, and heard
saw smoke coming round corner, and smclt cotton
burning; | put on my clothes and went to Johns
room and called to him saying John True twice
went down the back stairs; in the dining room
! smoke and light coming out of Almons room, over
door; opened the door; the bed was Oh fire most
| ly at foot it was in fame foot high; smoke
thick, 1 got hold of his heel but couldn't drag him
! out turned to get breath and the axe in door
way; passed the axe into the yard and called
fire; went above gate past front door; John hal
looed twice for to come back; asked ''what for"
his said .'to help; saw him at front door and recog
ing out fire.; stopped when got answer, and came
| back; Peter overlook me near store; nj knoll met
children and behind them john he taking
and crying son dear; he was going toward llar
mons; was going slow; he went back with as; At
front door Peter said whats best do2"; John
said Lets clear the house, John led way in, took
out some things; l thought of Amon and family
went round south tn, side to porch door; Peter with
me; Peter said 'W here's the trumpet; stopped
but a minute and unbolted door to shed that was
| last l of Peter; went for some else met
Asbury; heard him ask "wheres Almon and fam
:,
told him they Were inside and led the way; he took
up the and threw into the yard he to bed
room door, which had left open before; and it was
still open; reached in and broke bedsead; Asbury
stepped in and got Almon and carried him to the
dooryardi went with him he next reached Emma
and dragged her out and helped carry her out
then Mr.. }. n. Harmon came, just We got Allnon
out we then threw water in from dining room, TWO
pals Ira had not been got out, went 10 back win
dow around house; it was up and Mr. Harmon was
there and another don't know who; they threw in
water; l took pail and went to pump and got two
N1f1S IaIf hon tn xnInu yprttn riSt
i'll cook room, pumped water and II was carried until
it was dry; then to other pump, and bolt was gone
went back to window and fire out when went
for two pals at pump John was there, pumping very
| slow, into pail took hold and pumped faster;
woman stood by the disabled pump, don't know who
| didn't see John; many men We're around saw babe
| taken out by Asbury; he was inside Fred Gates
took it; saw Ira taken out by John " Harmon
| when went through Johns room | haloocd to
him. saw his bed; couldn't ii he in ii;
| was gone to Harmon's ten minutes; after murder
remained still sunset and went home have not
| lived there since; John there OFF and on while
| | was there; for week prior to murder had been
there most of the time; he and Almon did not talk
| once about putting colt i'll pasture next morning
| looking about for muzzes in old shed Amon
found John, Fad said what in the devil are YOU
| here for?"; John said it was late when he got home
| and he diin't want to disturb the family nothing
more said; didn't John, but knew his voice.
next time was on Friday night before murder, Almon
l and John Ames were there, and John asked Almon
| about the road bills, which had been shifted trom
| John to Almon; they often passed without speaking
| they had dog, small one; heard no noise from
the dog night of murder; he always barked if
strangers came; never knew Ira to sleep with john
nor John to ask him except that Sunday; porch
! door was open when went out to go to Harmons
and entry door: didn't hear any noise from Almou's
room after 1 got down stairs; both families had
! candesticks, short tin ones one of them was in
| buttery that night; each family had one; Allnon
used Kerosene don't know about the other no
lights in lower part before went to bed that night
| on Saturday previous was peeling bark; Almon
John Ames and were there; We had three axes
all belonging on place we brought two to house at
| nd n al ubt q htOndN q | q intI
was of them, the heaviest one: Joseph Gordon
was at work that Saturday; went home Immediately
after supper; axe was put away by Ames, in shop
! ROOM when assisted to bring out the body of Emma
| didn't know she had been murdered learned il after
morning; John was not there At supper; never
! saw John in Amon's room TO stop; when woke up
found no smoke in my room, nor ill Johns room
| CROSS EXAMINED. During last week, understood
| John going to Salem; Almon hired me; John
had put in the crops road bills were turned by
| selectmen to Almon because John was going OFF
| Saturday night Joseph, Almon and John We're there
when went to work there, can't say whether John
| was there; when came out OF room didn't see or
| hear children; didn't know where they We're; cries
that awoke me were below; cant say if front door
| open; side door was wide open; went of
| it; when coming back didn't hear John crying fire
until got near TO him; Peter and ran as fast AS
we could; John, Peter and 1 got back together
| John went into north room, and into old folks
| room; don't remember of seeing any one in the
| room; met no one in carrying il out; John and
| Peter were both carrying out; here followed long
| examination to search by Peter and young Ward
Tor trumpet ana tnt IakSDttWcen them, PN llfnlF
to show that Ward did not give the alarm that
| Aimon and family We're burning up Saw no blood
on John; saw no blood on white dress Of little boy
or girl; saw John 1rue's hands on pump brake
didn't see John carry water; the first | pumped |
carried myself John was BY pump then; testified
before Coronors jury about flames but not that they
were up 10 ceiling.
WEDNESDAY,. NOV. T.
The attendance Of spectators this morning, in
sequence of the snow storm, was com paratiYcy
light, but the interest was undated among those
present Eden A. Ward was recalled to identity
the found across the door sill. Ward is young
man of IS, with an honest face, bright eye, and
clear complexion, and tells his story with the ovi
dent intention of relating everything just ii
cured, He makes an excellent impression. The
he testified positively the heaviest Of those
used in the woods, and the one he discovered where
the murderer had dropped il after his bloody work
The appearance of the axe was terribly suggestive
of the horrors of the murder Clots of dried blood
were upon the blade and half way up the handle,
and sdherng to this was human hair Spots of
tallow like drppingS from a candle We're also upon
the blade.
Peter n Harmon. My father is J. \. Harmon,
live half a mile from Gordon's; heard alarm Of fire
June 18th; heard some one breathing heavy, and
some hallooing " fire" l jumped up, showed
window and asked where; he said the Gordon house;
didn't recognize him; my brother Asbury slept with
me- went out of house across orchard to road,
took Ward below the store; about twenty-five rods
away from house, he was running, so was asked
him if he had been elsewhere, he said no. we kept
running; children and John; he looked nearest
children on side road; John near the middle; he
said come quick" halt made; to house
all reached the door together asked John what to
do first; door was open; he said clear the house;
went in and brought out two chairs: Ward went
to same room; saw John ut work on trunk i'll front
entry; went back to paror; door was shut; open
ed it; brought out table and books; coming out
John still at the trunk he said no use for
two or three TO work. must have help" came
back, and asked Ward about trumpet; we went to
porch door he went in at open door; we went to
cook ROOM and went round looking for trumpet
went to shed next and | started for Bumps as
passed front door, heard some one say the folks
| are all burning up" ! went down hill haooing;
went to Larrabees; halted at T. Bumps and routed
them; it the first house; returned to Gordons,
the bodies were out then; saw John at front of
house on ground stopped there haf an hour; net
John top Of knoll, in coming to fire; left parlor
door open when came out; some smoke in parlor,
sitting room was full saw smoke soon as came in
sight of it; it not dark morning; have roticed
dog he would always bark at strangers that went
Cross ex-When overlook Ward he did not tell
, me the folks were burning up; when got near the
house heard John crying fire; he turned and ran
back sure the front door was open John went into
house first; Ward heard question what is il best to
do 2" and didn't say anything about getting folks
| out we went in John stopped at his trunk; Ward
and went to the left; when in room getting things
out, nothing was said about Almon his wife or
children coming back second time John was on
step, did not see Ward; went round house and
overlook Ward; he said nothing, nor did ) before
this had asked for trumpet of John and Ward re-
piled; Ward corner of house; when we
went into side door did not the axe; did not
ask at all where Almon was, nor did Ward or John
tell me when in cook room neither opened the back
door; John when mot him had no vest, but pants
and ruhbers stockings only, his suspenders hung
down. don't know about blind being taken off
house; from time met John till left for Bumps,
no suggested that Almon and family were in the
| fire.
Asbury Harmon sworn. Am brother of Peter;
| lived at home with my father; on June 10th was
awoke by my brother jumping out of bed he threw
window leaned 81 ttnriDnis
buildings were afre; Peter came out first put on
pants, and hat. and coat and boots couldn't see
Peter when | got out met little girl and boy on the
KNOLL didn't then see any one else; didn't stop there;
heard cry Of fire as came along first saw john he
was near front door doing nothing asked him what's
best to do; he said ''clear the house; he opened
room carried out some chairs; didn't then John
went back to parlor didn't John; took out looking
glass then asked John where were the rest Of the
family he says "oh dear, dear, they arc, all burning
up in the other part said let save their bodies;
he said nothing; started round the corner of the
house; met young Waad, who led the way to porch
door; saw the axe lying across threshold of door;
took it up and threw it out to wood pile; went to
bedroom Ward first; he pulled off bedral ent in
took Almon out; bed was afre in spots, most at
OH fyro I,nor ci1a