The Portland daily press., 1874-01-19
THE FRANKLIN STREET HOMI-
~'-e- eide.
Pike Arraigned i'm ihe Municipal Court

| Attorney M. M. Butler conducted the case ir
behalf of the Government. The court room
was packed Pike was clean shaved for the
occasion and looked quite presentable. He
was evidently very much down-cast
The Government opened its case by calling
Drs. Ring and French. Their testimony wa.
the same that has been published. attributina
the death of the woman to rupture of blood
vessel consequent upon violence from the hands
OF Pike. Their evidence was naturally consid-
cred OF much consequence by the counsel for the
Defence and a sterographer was employed to
take it uerbatina. -ae.-f..
Annie Leighton (wife of Nelson Leighton
and sister of the deceased) was the next wit
ness .alled She testified that Mrs Pike was
at her house the first of the evening in a sober
condition. She was asked to stay to supper
and desired to do SO, but Pike would not per
NIT it, About four o'clock the next morning
Leighton came to the house followed by Pike
and said that Maggie was dead. Witness went
to the house and found her sister dead on the
sofa. She had heard Pike threaten to kill b S
wife. When be came into the house with
Leighton, he asked for gin and it was given
to him.
Mrs. Blades, the mother of Mrs Pike, testi
fed that she was at Pixies house about nine
o'clock on the evening of the 14th inst A Wis
itor there was treating the crowd, Maggie
among the rest As Maggie was drinking
Pike came in, led her into the sitting room, sat
her down hard on the sofa, and told her to stay
there, though she wanted to come out by the
stove because it was cold. Mrs. Blades then
went into her part of the house, but came back
in a few minutes, Maggie was then laughing
with girl and young man named Joe Bean.
She told them she could lick then both. Pike
ran in and grabbed Maggie by the hair, drag
ged her into the sitting room and threw her on
the sofa, her head striking the arm. Blades
shouted "Maggie's killed" Witness called
for water, and Pike said, 'I'll kill her, d.
her, and don't you forget it," Maggie opened
her eyes after the water was given her and
spoke to her mother. Witness wanted Maggie
to go home with her. and Maggie begged her
not to leave. Witness then went home. Next
morning she heard noise in Pixies house and
a boy came in and told her Maggie was dead
She ran into the room and found her on the
sofa in just the opposite position from the
night previous. On cross examination witness
admitted that Maggie was subject to fainting
fits. Direct examination being resumed she
said that Maggie tainted Immediately on being
thrown on the sofa. The prosecution attempt
ed to get in evidence of systematic bad treat
ment on Pixies part but the court rnled it as
inadmissible.
The testimony of VIM, Blades, father of Mrs.
Pike, substantiated that of his wife, He said
that Pike said when they came into the room
in the morning that they had better send for a
coroner, doctor was no use Witness denied
that Maggie was drunk. ass aalf-
Joseph Bean testified that Maggie had been
drinking and that Pike dragged her into the
sitting room by the hair. He didn't know
what happened in the sitting room.
The next witness, VIM. Bowling, knew moth
ing of what happened in the sitting room.
John Ramsdell testified that he went into
Pixies about 11sO. Pike, Conley, Wiswell and
fisherman were playing euchre in the sit
ting room, and Maggie was snoring on the sofa
The men soon stopped playing, and Pike sat
down by his wife's feet and went to sleep.
Witness went to playing cards, and after
while the fshermau's Captain came in and
woke up Pike. Pike said Come Maggie, come
to bed,' and Scotty cried out, 'sBy God, Mag
gie's dead!' Pike went for help. Maggie
never moved while witness was in the ROOM
Coroner Gould testified to holding the in
quest, and said he had not returned the papers
into court. Col. Mattocks demanded their pro-
duction. The Coroner refused. Col. Mattocks
then quoted in support of his position Rex VS..
Scorey, Leach G. G. 43, "a coroner on an
inqusition upon a dead body ought to hear evi
dence on oath not only on the part of the gov
eminent but on the part of the accused" Also
2 Sv, SO and 10I Jacobs Law Dictionary Ii, !;
2 Hale's Plea of the Crown, 60. "He should
hear counsel and evidence on both Sides" Also
Term Reports, 722; 1 Phillips on evidence,
1873; 2 Russell on Crimes 1872. "a coroner,s in
quest is a transaction of notoriety to which
every one has a right of access" The counsel
then moved Judge Morris to commit the coro
ner.
Mr. Butler claimed thot the coroners jury
was an independent tribunal and had no con
nection with the Municipal Court, and that the
coroner's papers were only returnable to the
Superior Court. aa
Judge Morris decided that the coroner was
amenable to the Superior Court alone and that
the counsel for the prisoner could not compel
the corener to produce the evidence taken
by the jury and dismissed the motion for con
tempt. ~
The prisoner was then committed, probable
cause haeing been found
Saturday Pike was taken to his home under
escort of the police, to look at the remains of
his wife. He seemed much affected, and kiss
ed her several times He was taken to Jail,
where he will remain until the May term of the
Superior Court.
THE BOARD OF TRADE.-The Board OF Trade
completed its organization on Saturday after
noon at clock, by the appointment of the
following committees, viz:
Arbitraton-F K Swan, Aug. E. Stevens,
H. II. Burgess, Clark b. Baker, Thos h.
Weston.
Railroads and Steamboats-Samuel j. An
derson, John Porteous. w. w. Harris, John B.
Coyle, Jr., James N. Winslow.
Merchants Exchange-A. K. Shurteff. w.
w. Thomas, M. N. Rich, Chas. R. MillikeD,
VIM. Allen, Jr.
Board of Mauufactures-W s. Dana. j. B.
Brown, Chas. p. Kimball, Geo. E. B. jackson,
VIM. Curtis, Chas. e. Jose, VIM. w. Thomas
Jr.
Special Committee on Ocean Steamships and
Railroad Connections-T. q. Hersey, j. B.
Brown, Samuel E. Spring, Hon. John Lynch,
Hon. l. Washburn, Jr.
1t was voted to attend all the monthly meet
ings promptly, and to adjourn any meeting
when there is not quorum fifteen minutes
past the appointed hour.
A large committee was appointed to take i'm
mediate action to increase the membership and
interest in the Merchants Exchange, as well as
the Board of Trade.
REAL ESTATE TRANsFERs.-The following
have been real estate transfers in this city dur
ing the past week:
Lot of land on westerly side of Pleasant
street, from Charlotte G. Miller to Nathan
Cummings. Consideration $1,000.
Lot of land on noIthwestly side of Pleasant
street from Nathan Cummings to William r.
Wood; consideration $24O0.
Lot of land from Elihu Hasty to William
Hammond; consideration $50.
Lot of land on southwest side of Munjoy
street from Stephen NJ. Knight to Leroy II.
Tobie; consideration $1,000.