The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-09-16
ssuueriNr Caurf.


SEPTEMBER CRIMINAL TERM, 1874, sYMoNps, J.
PRESIDING.
TUEsDAY.-State vs. Nelson Leighton. The re-
spondent was indicted at the May term for the of
fence of keeping house Of ill-fame, to which h,
pleaded guilty. Upon his representation that hi
would abandon the business sentence was suspended
and the case continued. Further complaint wai
made at this term and another indictment for sim
liar offence found. Sentenced to imprisonment and
labor for the term of year in the county Jail al
Auburn in the county of Androscoggin.
Frederick G. Haskell and Henry Martin were each
sentenced Imprisonment and labor for the term of
eleven months in the county Jail at Auburn.
Lewis Smith for the larceny of horse carriage and
harness, the property Of Mr.. Robinson, but which
has since been returned sentenced to ten months
imprisonment AMI labor in the county Jail at Au-
burn.
Edward Conway, tor larceny, was sentenced to ten
months imprisonment and labor in the county jail at
Auburn,
Thomas Clark, Jr, for compound larceny, was
sentenced to five years imprisonment in the State
prison. This respondent pleaded guilty to two other
indictments for like offence which still hang
him. He is an old offender and seems to be thor
Gu ,hly imbued with crime.
Annie M. Leighton, who pleaded guilty last term
TO an indictment against her for keeping a house o.
ill-fame was sentenced upon that indictment to i'm
prsonment and labor in the county Jail at Auburn
for the term Of one year.
State VS.. Jonathan Watson. Indicted at the May
term 1873, for arson in setting fire to the dwelling
house Of one Simon Jordan in Cape Elizabeth, on the
night of the Goth of January, 1875 other persons be-
ing therein. Respondent was tried at the May term,
1873, and convicted Exceptions were taken and sus
tained by the law court and the case back here
for t,ials
The jury, as impanneled, follows: John
Wilson, foreman; Samuel r, Fogg, William Rich,
John j. Bodge, Charles Poole, Sas M. Adams, Hen
ny Holden, Jr., Daniel Choate, John I. Lawrence,
Orville C. Dunning, George Sawyer, John FL. Denni-
son.
This being capital case the jury will not be al
lowed to separate until the verdict is rendered in
court The former trial occupied seven days.
Watson is fifty-three years old and has wife and
one child His wife is the niece of Simon Jordan, on
whose place Watson lived, having taken deed of
the place from Jordan conditioned that he, Watson
should support Jordan and his sister Prudence du-
ring their lives. Simon at that time was about 20
years old and his sister some older. After the title
passed, as the government alleges, the conduct OF
Watson changed, and instead being kind and atten-
tive to the old man and his sister, as he had been
previously, they got nothing but curses and COM
plants Finally SmonJordan, being unable to remain
longer left the premises and after his sister fol-
1owed. The conditions of the deed having been
broken, as Jordan claimed, he commenced an ac-
ton to recover possession of the property. After
some litigation and awards by referees Watson, in
accordance with the last award in the latter part OF
November, 1872. re-conveyed to Jordan, with an
agreement that Watson might have, until Febreua-
ry, 1873 to move from the place. On the night Of
the goth of January this fire occurred
fort ment war pallad
and sworn, after which the court adjourned until
Wednesday morning at nine o'clock The jury will
be quartered, under the charge of two deputies, at
the Preble House.