Ellsworth American., 1877-05-17
Conclusion
OF THE
Trial of Edward M. Smith,
For the WiIIful Murder of
Melissa F. Thayer, of Bucksport.
AT BCCksPoRr,
On the 18th Day Of October, A. D. 1876
MRS. LUCILLA NJ. SMITH.

MRS. ltClLIA VI. SMITH.
Wednesday, May ..
Cross EJamiHed.-Have been p,arried | |
7 years. have lived a portion of the time
/ with my sister. Mrs. Haruman-have
| boarded with husbands brother, went
/ 10 sea with husband-bOardedi In Brewer
remained in Brewer some two or three
| years. Then went to East Bucksport-
/ lived at East Buck sport years ago last
I lsll-lived at Trims house 10 or s months
After stad at sisters or D weeks then
moved to Bucksport-while at Trims ,hus-
band at home part of the time aud a part
OF the time at sea-got back from sea ia
! September lS1J-went again lst of Nov.
! came back in June or Julv-He did not 90
10 sea after that. He came to East Buck
| spori prior to 4lh-soon afler moved
10 Hartman s-Mrs. Thayer came TO
1 Trims about that time. Husband did
/ nothing after he came home that time ex-
cept work for Trim. When he left home
Monday, he took nothing but pair Of
shoes, no gun or yaliSe-said he was going
20 fathers aid brothers-heard from him
Wednesday. His brothers wife told the
,hr saw him Tuesday and he said he was
coming bone Thursday night. Had no
other message from him--I spoke of going
out Friday To Mrs. Eldrdge | was unceI-
tain tcheH he would come home-had rea-
sons 10 expect him anv time because he
had engaged la work for Mr.. Emery the
last of week. Don't remember of asking
Mr.. Eldridge TO take me out SATURDAY.
may have done so.
Friday evening at Q O'Clock. when bell
ruug, | was windi-g clock in kitchen. Lit
tie girl uudres>ed and put into nv bed
Mrs. Eidridge slept with me. IN my
room-Mrs. Eldridge did not sleep with
me any night that week till Friday night
] asked her 10 do So ON account of alarm
nf lire preceding night-Did not absolutely
expect husband home that night-fast.ned
b. use a. usual. front door. kitchen sc.
locked ms own door-bAsemeut door wa,
open, len uufastcncJ for Mr. Webster
Key Ia sIttin. room left hanging on hook
Ia entry-hu>b.nd knew where it was
rirst heard MIR. Smith come up stairs. base
ment stairs from back door-did not hear
him again until head him at my door
did not hear him down starr. He spoke
To me at door, got up let him iu-l ask
ed him " hat time he came in he said IL
past o'clarh-do no; remember of saying
AT inquest il was IL past . o'clock when
he came TO my rooin. Testimony at In
quest read To me and signed it-ba~e-
mrut stairs further from my rom than the
other stairs-did not hear him elsewhere
IN house before he came up. Think | WAS
Just dropping asleep when he came in
lister took husband, light-dD not remem-
ber of hearing Webster come in MOTTO
ed lamp Ia his hand and that lamp had
left Ia kitchen. Husband spoke OF lying on
lounge. Suppose | had hot been in bed
more than miuItes when he tir>t came
in. Little giTi was aslceB-tou't know
about >i>icr--there was lamp in nv
room-dOnt remember whether he lighted
, II or not. Have never stated that husband
came home ia the night-may have stated
that perhaps he went into kitchen and had
a smoke, a. he often did when he came
home.
Husband got AZ first, SATURDAY. morning.
when got up il was l.. pas: aud !
! told MR.. Eidrid-e the tune. Something
was said after going down stairs. about
| bscA window and door being open.
Something had been said between u-
about going South. there were no definite
| plans for il. have said that husband
wanted to 20 aud had inducements 10 20
There was talk OF his going aud il he could
iiud employment | was 10 go on.
PROF. BABcoCk, RECALLED.
| heard testimony OF Or. Hayes a TO
| chemical composition of dye. | examined
| last night at Parchers store. the dive on
made examination OF dye and found the
| dye to be composed OF logwood and cop
| per.
(The witness here described the differ
ence between blue vitriol and green vtriol
| The copper prscipltated indicates the pres
| ence OF blue vitriol.)
! The best way to remove blood from a
| garment is 10 use nothing but clean water
Cross EhamiHed.-l cut piece from one
Of sleeves. The color OF logwood varies
! from red To black in the wood. Ii gives
! in solution brownsn color and produce
/ alone dirty. yellow. brownsh color on
woolen garments. Copper dissolved pro-
duces blue color-in combination with
extract of logwood brownish black. ex-
cept when !ogwood is perfectly pure
EDWARD NJ. SMITH, THE ACCUSED.
Live in Bucksport, am SO yrs old-have
taught school little and have been Mas
ter of vessel.
ID Oct. on Monday left home-have hear d
of burning OF Trims house-wa. at home
Monday forenoon. in afternoon went 10
fathers to 90 cunning don't remember
whether had lett gun at fathers that day
| or not. When | went out 10 farher's met
Mr.. Turner, went on with him towards
Hewey settlement. got on Turner's car
Arrived at fathers along in L. VI. Had
been cunning out there before-I went
out cunning Monday T.. NJ with Chas.
Coombs, Monday Z. NJ. TO Ryders woods
and get back to fathers Monday night
Tuesday A. NJ. brother and | went gun.
ming on Shore rOad-was together part Of
time and separated part of time. That
day l fired twice. shot a squared and fr-
ed al a partridge fying. missed it before
going home went to Stnbbs and took din
ner and in afternoon got home to fathers
and staid all night.
Wednesday morning helped Mr.. Snow
move shed, worked, hour 55 minutes
with prizes, which were small scantling,-
while there took account OF lumber and
made bill Of 1t.
Wedne sday at noon went cunning again
towards Ryders woods. near there, met
Eldridge. rode home with him and exam
ined his new house and after went to next
neighbor's north.
At gully we crossed. | got in with Isaac
Hewey and while going down hill a par
fridge flew cross the road-got out and
tried 10 find him-while searching | shot
u rabbit-took it by hind legs and carried
il a while and then under left arm, and
again under the right arm. again op arm
with hand at breast
vent on 10 lTlu1s ana stalu all night
helped Saunders load shingle stuff-went
home got gun and went TO A. Harrman's
and left gun in stable in sleigh. That af-
ternoon made shelves for Mr.. Hartman
staid there all night. Next morning l
helped Mr.. Hartman load hay-while on
load, Frank Saunders passed with another
person and with dogs, passed some words
with him. In afternoon Mrs. Hartman
asked me to paint some-I did.
That night got through about dark,I
then went up toward MIR. Phillips with
Ada Snow. on way up met Mrs. Thayer
who asked her to go to z. o. with her told
her that Mr. Phillips had got home. Turned
round and went back to Harrman's, look
ed at paint lighted my pipe in kitchen.
then Ada asked me to stay all night-told
her l couldn't as my wife would expect
me, after they got round house | went TO
barn, did job, went to road, then remem-
bering quo went back to barn to get it and
went out to road then across pasture to
Clay's house and then down cross road,
and while ODDOsife Gen Eldridpe heard