Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-11-20
The Gordon Murder Trial.
Charge Of Chief Justice Appleton
A VERDICT OF GUILTY.

On the nineteenth of June last, in the
peaceful town of Thorndikc, an assassin with
stealthy step and armed with an axe entered
| the room where Almon A. Gordon and his
wife were sleeping and in cold blood butchered
| father, mother and their innocent child and
set fire to the house to conceal all evidence of
his appalling and brutal crime. Two weeks
| before the prisoner had declared that he had
received anonymous letters derogatory of his
character, which he attributed to his brothers
| wife and if satisfied would take her life. On
| the evening before the murder he said to Mrs.
| Harding that he had clew to their author,
and to another witness that his brothers life
or his was damned short in this world. The
| next morning the tragedy committed.
| The prisoner has been indicted for the muir
der and it is row for you to determine wheth
er he is the guilty party. All testimony adj
duced to its weight and the differences to be
drawn belong to your consideration. The
Judge here gave the definition of murder Of
reasonable doubt and the difference between
circunstantial and direct evidence. II
woman is found in her bed with her head
crushed by blunt instrument, circumstances
prove that it was not suicide. Who then old
| the bloody deed. Crime courts darkness.
The assassin calls no witness to see him
strike the fatal blow and seeks to obliterate
his tracks by fire. The evidence convicting
| the prisoner is purely circumstantal and I'M
| less Of this nature evidence is to be regarded
| of Nc
If satisfied beyond reasonable doubt you
| are as much bound by crcumstanta evil
| dence as by direct. The father Of the prs-
| oner had substituted the murdered man to
| take the latter's place upon the farm. The
| prisoner was dissatisfied. Anonymous let
tiers dsparaging his character had incensed
| him, which he attributed to the murdered
| woman. Little intercourse as friendly exist
| ed between the brothers. On the night Of the
| fifteenth of June, Almon and his wife retired
as usual, and passed from the sleep of life
into that of death. No person except the
prisoner is suspected. What is their suspi-
cons: He was on i'll terms with his brother
and wife. To different witnesses directly be-
| fore the tragedy he called his brother by OPP
probrious terms. Declared that his life was
damned short. That he would pay Emma for
the letters ard would take her life. The
very evidence he said before he was
satisfied that Emma had written them. Thus
for the threats. Out OF the abundance OF the
heart the mouth speaks. The threats wero
carried into effect. 1t is evidence that the
prisoner knew that the family was in peril
and made no effort to rescue them. He did
nothing about extinguishng the fire, but
commenced clearing the house. When the
murder was discovered he did not even 90 to
see the bodies, as they laid exposed to hor-
ror stricken people. lie was found first on
the spot with marks of blood upon his person
and blood was on the fatal axe, showing how
recently the deed had been committed. There
is an absence of motive on the part of wit
nesses to swear falsely. If they are 10 be be-
lieved, whose blood was this but that Of the
murdered victims of his wrath? He gives no
explanation of the circumstances. He does
not even swear that his nose bled He made
no attempt to extinguish the flames. Was
it not his desire that the flames should spread
Why not go to the aid OF the victims, in
stead of saving furniture? candlestick be-
longing to the prisoners part OF the house
was found in the room. The bed clothes
were saturated with kerosene. The prisoner
knew where the axe, kerosene and candle
stick were kept. Would stranger have
known where to get the weapons of this
wholesale assassination? Do not the circunl-
stances show that the act was done by some
one acquainted with the premises? The at
tempt of the prisoner to put the public a
wrong scent and to aver, suspicion by chars-
ing one Greene, is an important circumstance
for consideration. Who had the motive TO
write the letter found in the jail? He did
not even have the curiosity to ask its con-
tents. His evasive answer at the time Of the
murder is to be considered talsthOoI and
evasive and an Indication Of crime. His
reply to inquiries as to who committed the
murder and that he did nor know and that he
was away, are to be carefully weighed. Iii,
answer 10 the remark THAI he was the sus-
pected party, That there was nothing ever
done in the neighborhood which was not laid
to him. was not the Indignant reply of an
innocent man, accused Of his brothers muir
der. The letters were sufficient motive foi
the crime No person is shown to have Ill
will against the murdered woman. The ac'
cused has not directly denied the charge
against him by his statements On the stand
Has he not added strength to the differences
already drawn? He says. II made no exam
ination of the murdered bodies beyond a
hasty look to see if they were living or dead.
The Judge here recapitulated the evidence
before the coroner's jury. Are not his state
ments false? The blood and threats, arc
they denied by him? In conclusion the
Judge urged the jury to examine the evil
dence with care, caution and frmness. Safe
ty of the community by day and security by
night rests with you, and while you are t.
see that innocence is not punished, it is alsC
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