The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-05-10
The Bucksport Murder Trial.

the Supreme Judicial Court at Ellsworth to-day
The court is held in Hancock Hall, to accommo
date the crowd, and the hall has been packed in
every part to-day, many Of the audience being
women
Attorney General L. 4. Emery, assisted by Coun
ty Attorney George 7. button appears for the
State and II. d. Hadlock, Esq, for the respond
rnt After the jury had been impanellcd the
county Attorney opened the case for the prosecu-
ton. stating the law and the facts relied upon to
prove the guilt of the prisoner at the bar. The
particulars OF the murder were gone over in detail.
Capt, Trim was a man "A years Of age, and a
wldowcr In the February preceding Mrs. Thayers
husband had died and dsposing of her property
IN Hampton for $3.50 she had come with her little
child to live with her father. On the night of the
murder, about midnight, Mr.. Emerson, living with
III ten rods of Capt. Trims residence was awakened
by bright light which proved to be the burning
~ capt. lrlm dwelling =, He arose ana went out,
but saw nothing of Capt Trim or his family. The
lire had made such progress that the house, ell and
barn We're totally destroyed.
The non-appearanee of the occupants of the
house excited suspicion, and search of the ruins
was commenced In short time the charred re-
mains of Captain Trim was found beneath the
ruins of the carriage house. Nothing but the bones
found the flesh having been completely
burned. These were gathered together and re
moved.
The search was continued and it soon became
evident that Il horrible crime had been committed.
IN the barn beneath some partially burned hay,
the body OF Mrs. Thayer was found, and outside
evidences of the fact that she had been brutally
murdered, after a desperate struggle She had
been to a neighbours, Mrs. Hartman and had left
there at o'clock for home. 1t is supposed she
was attacked near the house the murderer strik-
Ing her on the head with large stone. which was
found III the rear of the barn covered with blood.
In many places blood was found OH the ground,
which was traced from in front OF the barn to a
pile of rocks III the rear of the barn A bloody
ly- hnr hnr rrll,t, Il
with blood, and a comb with the teeth broken out
were also found III the vicinity. 1t is supposed
THAT She was attacked near the house knocked
down and killed, her body dragged to the rear of
the barn, where from the large quantity Of blood
ii would appear the body had lain here some time
1t was afterwards put III the barn where the re
mains were found
1t is conectured that after the murderer had
made way with Mrs Thaycr he pulled the carriage
out of the carriage house to attract attention, and
the latter going into the carriage house struck
and killed. 1t was here that his remains were
found
Ii was supposed that the murders were commit
ted for the purpose OF robbery. The next morning
officers commenced an investigation. 1t was as
Certuined that Mrs. Thayer had visited neighbor's
and between halt-paSt seven and eight had started
for home. This was the last seen of her alive
Her body was subsequently found as described
above. Suspicious We're directed to two parties
Frank Sanders, who was arrested in Hamden, but
soon dIlcf discharged, anu EDWARD Nj. Smith, d
se2tarlng man about forty years old who lived in
Bucksport, and was quite familiar with the Trim
family. He was at the house OF Chas. Harrman's
when Mrs. Thayer called and went out soon after
she started for home. He had been at work fol
Hartman that day but found by the officers
at his home four miles distant early the next morn
in@ He was arrested and a coroners inquest was
held On the clothing of Smith, worn on the day
81 the murder We're found several spots OF blood
and his coat when found had been colored by some
dive
The coroner's inquest lasted several DAYS, and
Smith was fully committed for trial He offered
no defence at the time. He has been confined in
Bangor jail until within a week.
The first witness examined to-day was Mr. Gross
who explained some plans OF the scene of the muir
der which he had prepared
SECOND DAY.
The second days proceedings in the trial OF
Smith for the murder OF the Trim family consist
ed of evidence IN behalf of the State Mr. Gross
a surveyor, under examination with reference
10 plans and measurements of the scene of the
tragedy aud its vicinity Miss Ada Snow a neict
of the prisoner, testified that on Friday evening
October 18th last, Melissa T Thayer, the muir
dercd woman. went with her to the post office On
their return which was about halt. past seven
O'Clock she babe Mrs. Thayer good night in front
of her Miss Snows) house, and went i'll while
Mrs Thayer started on towards her own home
distance about forty tive rods. This the last
,,cl SYN Vi iH' nay u, eAccPt ny iief Hniuucrer
Miss Snow identified the comb and bloody cloud
found near the Trim honse, as those worn by the
unfortunate woman the evening before: Rufus
Moore testified to being in Trims house. the father
of Mrs, Thayer, with whom she lived, with the old
Sentlenlal ana tIle NIUE glfl, all that evening
leaving them at g o'clock at which time the muir
dercd woman had not returned.
,r,nr
'' DAi
several witnesses described what was found the
morning uler tile hre Elnerton, VINO was hrst al
the IRE, found the barn door fastened; opened it
and found the horse loose near the door with bride
ana breast plate on. The wagon was also run out
Oh the carriage mouse Inc bones OF Mrs. IhayeI
werefound under the barn and the trunk of Trims
BODY III the wood house. About four rods from
tHe Drive way down the road. We're found pools OF
nl"od ana MIS- mayors cloud rubDers and comb.
lhefe was trail OF blood from the fence clrcling
round and ending near where the skeleton was
found under the barn. Sheriff Deyereaux testi-
ned TO arreStlng Smith, who made no inquiry as
to the cause OF arrest The Sheriff found on Smith
clean shirt and asked for the one he wore during
the week; Smith answered that the shirt he had
on was the one and repeated it several times.
HE Sheriff searched for the dirty shirt, but could
not lind IT. The shirt Smith had on was perfectly
clean ana without wrinkle Found spots on hls
pants and vest that looked like blood. Smith said
they were iron rust, but did not account for the
IRON rust found a gun with blood on the brceeh
Smith told the Sheriff he did not go ont to the
scene OF me murder. because he could not Dear to
kent i'm a roam dnrnr the NIGHT IJo .,rol,anaI
the Sheriff who found his wrists bleeding and one
swollen. The Sheriff claimed he had been trying
10 escape, winch Smith denied. The Sheriff asked
for the coat Smith wore during the week and was
told 1t had been colored that morning, for the rea
son that II was faded on the back and shoulders
The coat was produced and found very wet
with dye, more on the front than behind
The counsel for Smith subjected the Sheriff to Il
severe cross examination, but nothing new was
elected. EX City Marshal Walker of Bangor, ties
titled substantially to the same, but with more
particularly of circumstance.
This afternoon Walker, the detective finished
tcStltElng. II mainly corrOborative of the
Sheriff. James W. Patterson, Deputy Sheriff, res
ldent ut Bncksport also corroborated the Sheriff
and testified to further conversations with Smith
Smith did not go TO the scene of the murder be
cause he could moi bear to see dead bodies told
no one that he had been out there the night pre-
vious Patterson also took charge of Smith,
clothes and kept them until he delivered them tC
the County Attorney
Testimony was also introduced showing that
Mrs. Thayer WAS in possession of $3.50 in currency
shortly before the murder.
George Snow testified that the prisoner helped
him move a shed Wednesday previous and WORKED
III his shirt sleeves