The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-20
MATTERS IN MAINE
The Lowell Murder Trial,
NINTH DAY.
The Case Given to the Jury.
Verdict of Guilty Of Murder in the
First Degree.

LEWISTON, Feb. 19.-Attorney General
Plaisted began his argument this morning and
concluded at four o'clock. Judge Walton then
delivered his charge, which occupied about an
hour an half, and the case then went to the
jury.
Judge Walton spoke of this as one of the
most interesting cases in the record of crime,
and stated that it resembled in many points
the celebrated Webster case The prisoner has
been put upon the stand Any accused per-
sons testimony weighs far more when he is
known to have lived moral life and has never
been convicted of any crime An old ndict-
Ment against prisoner for larceny, to which
ne plead guilty, is admissible testimony as i'm
peaching his crediblity as witness. There is
no pretence of direct evidence on the part of
the government who rely entirely upon cir
cumstances This, however, may be as salts
factory as direct evidence. 1t requires higher
Intelligence to weigh it. Law can never define
what circumstantial eviden re shall be sufficient
to convict Every jury must determine this for
themselves 1t must satisfy beyond reasona-
BILE doubt not beyond the possibility of a
doubt. A verdict against prisoner is not so
final as the counsel would sometime have it un-
uCAotOOu. OuuCI Jul SycoCul VI itSdl
tration, if clearly wrong the verdict may be set
aside by the presiding judge. If he is sentenc-
ed, a year must intervene before he can be
hung, so if any rev evidence comes up which
shows him to be innocent, It yet may save him
from an unmerited execution. The object of
human punishment is not to retaliate but to
restrain. When sympathy for defendant pre-
walls it is sometimes good thing to think of
his victim. The great evil is that too many
guilty escape. An innocent man is very rarely
hung.
The Judge reviewed the testimony in its legal
aspects and clearly defined to the jury the prin-
ciples of law which must govern their delibera-
tions The two questions to be considered are:
SIS Mary Elizabeth Lowell dead?' "And are
you satisfied she was killed by her husband?''
There is great interest respecting the verdict
of the jury and many bets are up on the result
The general impression seems to be that there
will be disagreement
10.40.-The jury came in at 1920 and return
ed verdict of guilty of murder in the first de-
gree. Lowell was remanded to Jail to await his
sentence.
Man Killed by Locomotive.
LEEDS JUNCTION, Feb. IA man named
r. Wheeler, aged about 20 years, and very
deaf was struck by the Pennington train this
afternoon while attempting to cross the track
with horse and sled about three miles north
of Leeds Junction, and instantly killed.
by Associated Press.]
Meeting of the Maine Historical Society.
BATH, Feb, 1.-THE Maine Historical Socie-
ty held its annual session in this city to day. A
large delegation of members, citizens and ladies
being present. Hon. j. w. Bradbury, Vice
President, called the meeting to order and read
memoir of Judge Bourne, late President
Prof. Packard presented the resolution of the
Committee in memory of Judge Bourne, In
which alluson is made to his bequest of $500 to
the Society.
B. c. Booty presented copy of the geneolo-
gical history of the Upton family. Joseph
Williamson, ESQ.,, read biographical sketch
of William Hutchings of Penobscot, the last
Revolutionary pensioner in New England and
the last but one on the rolls. Prof. Packard
read paper prepared by Frederick Kdder of
Boston, touching John Cabot's voyage of 1897.
Hon. William Goold of Windham read
sketches of the early paper mills in New Eng
land. The journal of survey of Mt Desert,
made by John Jones in 1865 was received from
Elijah Ring of South Natick, Mass Prof.
Packard read paper entitled "The Pilgrims
of Penobscot." By Hon. John E. Godfrey of
Bangor. R. R. Sewall of Wiscasset, read
pa er entitled "Vestiges of Spanish possessions
on the coast of Maine" Hon. George F. Davis
of Portland read brief paper Certain Histor
ic Phrases" Gen. J. NJ. Brown of Portlan +,
spoke of Casco Fort its site and its destruction
A paper from Rev. J.Johnston of Middletown,
Conn, was read, entitled, "John Pierce, cloth
worker of London and the plymouth Patent OF
June LIST, 1921" Indian photographs by Geo.
J. Varney of Brunswick, was omitted for want
of time. A sumptious dinned was provided by
our citizens at the Sagadahoc H. use, to which
the company sat down at three clock. The
Mayor, VIM. Rice presided, and speeches were
| made by His Honor, Rev. Mr.. Dixie, Hon. j.
| w. Bradbury, President Woods, Judge Bar
rows, Messrs. Davis, Gilman and others.