Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-02-26
THE PIERMONT TRAGEDY.
THE SECOND TRIAL OF SAWYER.


anu uuuly Ecu ny IToi' iiu.es, anu le nv
- pronounced 1t human blood, and that h
= would be here to testify TO that effect
No evidence of that kind was submittc
= ut former trial.
!. The first witness called was Dr. Abne
4. Doty Of Bradford, w.. who testiiie
rs follows; Am Il physician; am NJ
!, quainted with j. p. Emerson: he live
. at what is called the Bixby Place; kne,
OF the death of Mrs. Emerson; calle
! there the 23d day Of January; was il
Piermont when was called by Georg
Dodge. Reached house about II o'clocl
: and went into the kitchen and saw tn
remains Of Mrs. Emerson sitting in tn
chair, with head entirely blown of an,
pieces of the skull bone was lying nea
chair; left ear was blown off and lyinc
, back of her, and brains We're scattered
about the room. The hair was hang
ing over the back of the chair, and on,
! eye was under the chair. The bod,
was sitting in the chair, facing the south
She had in her right hand needle sht
had been sewing with, and in her lar
were scissors and thread The gun was
lying upon the floor about two feet from
the body, the breach pointing away from
the body. The dustpan was hanging on
Il nail under the mantle-shelf. There
were marks of shot about inches under
the shelf, and also at the end of the shell
where the plastering was knocked off.
Talked with respondent about half an
hour. Heard him say it was u case OF
suicide; asked him how she could do
1t; he said she held on to gun with left
hand called his attention the position
of the hand; asked him where John
was meaning Emerson) said he was
at the barn; asked him he knew he was
at the barn; said yes asked him where
he (Sawyer) was said he was at the
wood pile. He repeated over and over
again he knew it was case of suicide.
Said the gun was in the square room !:
just said it was standing in the corner !;
afterwards said it was lying down on
the floor. Sawyer was very quiet and
did not seem affected at all.
DR.. Doty said that blood would let
from a wound 3 to 8 seconds, then run
in a stream. | first saw Mr.. Emerson
after the conversation with Sawyer, about
noon; he seemed somewhat excited !;
tried to pursuade him not to go into the
ROOM he appeared to be very much
grieved, and after opening the door lead
ing into the kitchen he was in no con-
dition to converse, being very much ex-
cited.
The cross-eXamination OF DR.. Doty eli
cited nothing new.
The evidence Of Ned 4. Bai1ey, mer-
chant OF Bradford, as given at first trial,
was put in by consent of counsel, Mr..
b. being unable to be present. 1t was the
effect that on the day of the tragedy
he passed Emerson's house, and saw re-
spondent splitting wood in the door yard
and also noticed some cattle standing
near the barn. This was about 20 min
utes before 10 O'Clock.
Col. Noses Leonard, testitisd-Live in
Piermont and am acquainted with John
p. Emerson. First heard of the homi-
eide from John Flanders the same morn
ing. Saw Mrs. Emerson sitting in chair
WITNESS here showed position of the
gun which differed materially from that
of DR.. Doty. He also described position
of body and furniture in the room the
same as previous witness. Examined
the doors door on North side was fast
it on outside. There was path leading
from the door to the shed, also a track
leading from the door towards the barn.
No track from tho road TO the door, New
er saw the respondent before this day.
Sawyer said he and Emerson went out
of house together; heard report of gun
in about ) or 10 minutes after leaving
house; first saw Emerson going up the
back side Of house; Emerson was at the
barn. He (Sawyor) said he was sure
she must have done it herself. Witness
did not see Emerson that day.
On cross-era1nination witness said he
thought there was about inches snow;
ceased showing about noon. Mr.. Elan
ders notified me of homicide. Went
from barn to road with Flanders he said
Mrs. Emerson had blown her head off.
Went to the house and went into the
room but did not move anything. Was
there when DR.. Doty was; the gun had
not been moved until Mr.. Griswold took
it up. Gun did not point as DR.. Doty
testified to his knowledge; would have
seen it if it had been pointed North
Witness further said there was quite
crowd assembled, that there was consid-
,rable discussion about whether it was
suicide or not, that there was good deal
IF excitement, that he did not hear any
,hreatS Of lynching, that respondent did
lot decline TO answer any question put
% him.
Saw small pile of wood where S.
said he was chopping. Sawyer had on {
lark colored pants, had on a coat which
ooked as if it was the old-tashioned az ,
ny blue, !
John Flanders, sworn. Reside at Pier +
mont; knew Of the death of Mrs. Emer- !
on. Attention first called to homicide
~ hearing the shouts of man, was
hen at work in barn had heard the dis
barge of a gun, and on going from the Il
,arn to the house saw John Emerson 5
oming down to the road screaming t
sawyer came down soon after Emerson, n
nd started towards me; didn't hurry a
sked him what the matter was-after v
he third time he answered me, saving, s
ohn's wife had shot her head off. | ran h
0 house and saw Mrs. Emerson sitting q
n chair with feet in stove oven; NOV h
d chair and feet dropped on floor. Wit h
ess then went home and harnessed his Il
orse and went to notify ncighbors. r.
On the crOSS-erdnaipatiOn witness ac- -
that he testified on prelimi- =.
airy examination that on hearing the
un he went Immediately to the road !,
lter notifying neighbors returned to Blk D
y place; found perhaps 100 people at tt
merson's house went to Mrs. Blaine's 81
ouse; found Emerson and Sawyer in tt
he middle room, Emerson crying and re
king on did not notice any thing in a,
awyer's conduct that was unkind Good 81
eal Of excitement did not hear any
spression about hanging OF lynching. d,
DR.. Moses b. Carbee, of Haverhill, ar ii
We at place of homicide about o'clock k'
the afternoon; examined body in the 10
-ening and found powder and burnt
arks on the neck. Should think the
lrts of the head were blown forward i,
I'd little upward. The squirting of II
God would continue about z or Sec :,
Ids. Had no conversation with Sawyer. a,
card him say to some gentleman that n,
,hnny was at the barn. Respondent ~