The Portland daily press., 1873-11-21
From our own Correspondent
Closing Scenes of the Gordon trial.

BELFAST. Nov. 10, 1873.
The Gordon murder trial closed to-day. The
charge was given to the jury this forenoon and
after being out about an hour and half they
brought in a verdict finding John True Gordon
guilty of murder in the first degree on the in
dictment charging him with the murder of
Emma A. Gordon, his brothers wife, in Thorn
dixie on the night of June 18th last. This of
course carries with it the guilt of the murder of
Almon NJ Gordon and his little babe, also in
tent to kill the little boy, as they were all
struck and mangled by the same axe in the
same hands.
The Judges charge in the case was long and
strongly against the prisoner. IT he had hopes
of acquittal they must have been dspelled by
the severity of manner and the language of the
charge of the Judge
When the verdict of guilty was pronounced
Gordon did not seem to be much affected.
His head rested upon his hands and his counte-
nance was slightly flushed. Otherwise he
manifested no emotion and one would think he
might be an disinterested spectator instead Of a
proved, convicted and sentenced felon-con
victed of the most bloody crime in the annals
of the criminal calendar of Maine.
uC OOuib-lOom WdS OIOWuSu NY u ueeply III
terosted audience who remained patiently wait
ing while the jury was out, and when the YER
dict was announced it seemed as though
sense of satisfaction pervaded the entire as
semblage.
The prisoner was unattended by any relative,
as his mother and brother were summoned
home to Thorndike last night to what was sup
posed to be the deathbed of his father, who has
been gradually sinking ever since the occur
renee OF the tragedy. The crime seems to lave
completely unnamed him, and his first ex-
clamation, when told of the crime last june
was: My God, can one brother murder an
other?"
Gordon's fortltude gave way for the first
time when he was taken back to Jail after the
rendering of the verdict, and he cried like
child. He was unable to eat any dinner, and
when brought into court in the afternoon there
were traces of emotion, although he was out
wardly calm. He evidently had hopes of ac-
qnittal, or at least of a disagreement of the
jury.
After the rendering of the verdict Mcclellan,
the counsei for the prisoner, gave notice that
he should file exceptions and ask for a new
trial. Court came in at II p. m. and was fur
Their adjourned to p. m in order to give him
time to consult the prisoner and his friends and
prepare his exceptions if he thought best to offer
| any:
At the coming in Of the court Mcclellan ask.
ed for new trial, but the Judge overruled the
motion. The counsel then filed exceptions
against the judges charge to the jury, which
were allowed, and the counsel allowed thirty
days in which to present their arguments.
failing in which the case will be decided by the
law court without argument
This closed the Gordon murder trial. The
prisoner will be kept safely in Jail here until
the motion of his counsel is decided The re-
suit is hardly satisfactory to the masses who
fear there may be some loophole in the law by
wnlch the prisoner may escape justice. But
there can be but the slightest hope for obtain
ing new trial, and next January will proba-
bly, see Johu True Gordon incarcerated in
States prison in punishment for the darkest
and most bloody murder ever perpetrated in
this State. OUIDAM