Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-01-14
0NOT GUILTY"
Trial of the Alleged sidney House
burners.

| dwelling house in Sidney, occupied by John S
Trask, who was at the time away. The hous
| was burned on the morning of the Goth of Decem
| ber Considerable interest was manifested in thu
| case by the residents in Sidney, and eleven wit
nesses were sworn before the opening of the case
| County Attorney Whitehouse appeared for thu
government, and w. s. Choate, Esq for the de
| fence.
DR.. Alden Z. Bessee of Sidney, was the frs
| witness. Lives ons-third of mile from the burn
ing building; present on the morning of the fire
little after one; building all down with the excep
ton Of chimney; II or ID persons present Mr.
Ellis house directly opposite; MIR. Ellis was stand
ing in the door yard; asked him what time the fire
broke out and he said twenty minutes past II.
Wife came down stairs, awoke him, and informed
him there was fire. Looked out and saw the fire
in the back part of the house from the road
Didn't dare to leave then for fear his own house
would burn, but afterwards informed Mr.. Moses
Farnhams folks. Mr. Ellis said he did not &c
across because he had been forbidden.
John s. Trask, complainant in the case, was the
next witness. He described the position of the
buildings. lie had occupied the building some
four years.
Left the house the day before Christmas, and
had been away five days when the fire occurred
left everything in good shapc-the doors and win
dow all fastened; few matches in the house had
been put inside the clock to prevent accident by
fire. Didn't see anything of the house when he
Ellis had not been good-didnt want anything to
do with THAT kind Of man Ellis son married his
(Trasks) daughter, against his will. Summer be-
fore last, George the son told him not to leave
or the house would be burned. Had fuss this
last summer with Mrs. Trask about the turkies she
came down on hind so that he put for the house.
Mrs. T. said the old hut ought to be burned down
over his head His wife had bond for deed
of the house; he probably would have stopped with
her until his Father called him home Could swear
that Wednesday was the day before Christmas
didn't care if Christmas did come on Friday -
Wednesday was the day before Christmas.
Jethro Weeks of Sidney, by occupation black
| smith, testified that he resided one quarter Of q
mile from the fire. Got at the scene of the fire
at two o'clock house all burned down but few
of the timbers. Saw Ellis and asked him about
the fire he said that his daughter first saw it. awak
ened her mother, and she awoke him, was much
frightened went to josiah Soules and gave the
alarm. George had said the Trask folks were ner-
vous about the buildings, for fear they would
get burnt down. said they would build q camp
and live on the place, should the house be burned
Had an insurance of $3.50 on the building. Eth.
came down to his shop to get his horse shod
Spoke about the burning of the Trask house said
1t might have been caused by burning star fall
ing his son George had read Of such things-ol
stars falling and tearing up the ground awfully
lie said that on Sunday night had heard dog
barking, and got up and dressed himself; didn't
know but there would be some one round to Sc,
the house on fire; threw a door open SO if the
house did happen to get fire he could see the
light.
E. A. Field of Sidney, testified that he was moi
at the fire but had some conversation with Ellis in
his door yard the next day. Repeated what has
flor sesn Eysn had of on bis h h st01y
so that in case of fire the light would shine in
Hadn't been across the road for six months. Had
called Mr. Soule when the fire got so low as to be
safe to leave his own property. Clnders fell all
around his house.
James II. Trask of Sidney. testified that he
liked IL miles from Ellis; was not there the
night of the fire. Testified to expressions of il
will between the Ellis and Trask families.
Chas. Longley said he lived l0Orod from Mr.
Ellis. Saw him in door yard and road-sald that
he and George had talked over the matter about
the house being burned. saw tracks on the back
side Of the house, coming tow rds the bedroom
DIR. They were mems tracks, he thought; no,
so distinct as TO measure Taylor the only man
there when he came neither made the tracks
tracks were pointing directly towards the window
DR.. Besse was recalled and testified in regard
to the tracks. Some one had gone up towards the
building. There were tracks that looked As
though they were made by moccasns.
Here the case rested for an adjournment to sf
ternoon.
AFTERNOON.
On resuming the testimony in the afternoon
Turner Barr of Sidney, was called and said he re-
night of the fire. Had seen and talked with MIR
Ellis since he affirmed his innocency. Ellis told
him that his son had said there might be q fire,
and so he had left the south door open that be
might see it. Conversation took place last Mon
day morning. Said he had been aroused Sunday
evening previous to fire BY the barking of dogs.
Calvin Graves of Sidney, testified: Live loo
rods from the fire; when he got there the house
was all burned down. Ellis stood in his own yard
and said it a hard sight, and that his daughter
G,.4t frtl k,l fa nnIh M h.
up. He got his ladders out, put them his
house and provided pals of water Said that he
and George were talking about the burning OF
this house few days before. Had been forbid
den from going on to the premises and had not
| been on for year. Couldn't make out much
| about tracks.
| josiah Soule testified Lives 60 or 20 rods
| from fire; Mr.. Ellis aroused him; Longley and
| Taylor were there when he arrived; no others
saw the tracks described by DR.. Bessy; looked
| like moccasn track-wide and not clearly defined
Couldn't tell whether tracks pointed to or from
| the house Tracks two to four feet apart; looked
| as though person had turned around. Couldn,
| say whether any person at fire had moccasins on.
Mr.. Ellis son helped at the fire to save the stable
| Edwin Taylor testified Alarmed night of the
fire by women folks lives with the widow Heath
Came down and saw where fire was, and soon Mr.
| Ellis came up hill lie came up to Mr. Lovejoy'
and halloed fire. Went down and help tear OF
boards between ell and stable. Saw the track:
|
| Did not examine the tracks particularly. Nc
tracks front of the house. Could not tell which
way the tracks pointed. Took pains to keep of
of the tracks.
Mr.. Soule being recalled said that the tracks c
the trapper the brook, were entirely diheren
! from those near the house.
| Dudley l.. Philbrck, testified; Lives one-quar
ter of mile from the fire. ELLIS had said that thu
building must have been set in the north end
| Chas. Hammond testified to about the semt
things testified to by DIR. Bessee.
George p. Ellis testified; Son Of Joshua Ellis
and married Mr.. Trask's daughter in August 70
| Bought a farm mile below where father lives
Up home quite often. Not on very good term
Has one child; exchange works with father. Ill
and his father talked the matter over about tn
burning of the house. Told his father that Trasl
feared the house would be burned. Father dit
not make much reply. Never had any reason 10
the fears given. Did not know the house was va
cant at the time of the fire. Alarmed by hi
wife; not awake at the time the alarm was given
Looked out of the window and saw the fire
Dressed himself and went up towards the fire. Civ
ing the alarm at the same time. Talked with faith
err quite often about the fire. His wife had run a
idea that the house was to be burned.
This closed the testimony in the case, whe
County Attorney Whtehouse rose and said tina
in relation to the testimony that had been ad