Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-15

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of her head, there not an inch Of natural flesh
or skin; she was pounded to jelly. On the breast
there was perfect AS if inflicted bv the edge
of board the back was black and discoloreG.
There were Injuries, in addition to these, on the
top and side Of the head-0ne hundred bruises and
wounds in all; either four of the most severe Of
which would have been sufficient to have caused
death.
We must p' owe that the woman is dead, and
that she came to her death by blows iuil cted nv
James Savage. We start out with the theory that
the man was full OF rum drunkenness Is no eX-
cuse for crime We judge his condii, by what
he said and what he did, whether he intended to
kill the woman. The prisoner has made some
conflicting statements, since he fourd be had the
dead BODY OF his wife on his bands, accounting
for the bruises a. self Inflicted By Mrs. Savage,
or got by accident He wished to cover up his
crime aud have the sight of the awful tragedy
removed,
1t would seem that afterl ing in Jail month
OF more his senses would return; but on the 18th
of December last, he wrote TO a person in Bel
grade, assigning new cause for the death of his
wife that she was found in the barn in criminal
Intercourse with man named Itaon, and that in
escaping, on discovery, she had fallen, and thus
been killed. Ihi, last act of Savage's was more
teube than the charge for which he is atraigned
al this bar. This is infinitely worse than the ter
rhle butchcfy itself He would thus leave the
case in The hands Of the jury, to be decided &C
cordng to the evidence he should produce.
Some dozen witnesses for the government were
sworn, and the court adjourned to afternoon.
In the afternoon, the w;tne scs for the Govern
ment were beard.
The first witness was George r. Stevens of
Belgrade, who testified Know where James
Savage lives, IL miles north from Belgrade
bridge; was at his house soon after Mrs. Saw
ages death; measured all the rooms in the house,
| and the distance to Mrs. G. j Cummings; bed
room in which she died, about I by 10 feet this
opens into the kitchen, which is about IA by -
feet. Front door opens into entry, from thence
mo kitchen. Cummings house 80 feet di-tint.
W. H. stevens house on same side of the road,
distant 30 rods nothing to ohstruct the view be-
tween Savsge's and Cumming.
Cross EFdminti--Ass-ted by W. b. Stevens in
measuring. Was not there till some time after
the event.
DIR. ". w. Springer of Belgrade; Have lived
in Bels AIDE over 30 years, and have been a prac-
ucing physician. Know Savage, AID knew his
wife known family IS years, Il portion of which
time have been family physician. For wear
two Mrs. Savage had complained OF cough and
olnewhst of lameness in the arm she was near
" 60; saw her alive week before the event. hav
ing been called by herself while passing did not
20 into the house; she compl iined of cough and
debility and depression of spirit,. Did not make
any prescription for her. Called to see her by
Mrs. Stevens, on the lj;h of November. Got
there about dark, aud found in the yard Mr.. Cum
mings and Mr.. W. b. Stevens, in the house, Mrs
stevens, Mis-. Savage and James. James Savage
was sitting on the lounge talking with Mrs. Stew
en-. Mrs. Savage was in the bed room, dead on
the bed. Made necessary examination to ascer-
tain whether alive. savage asked me if she wa.
dead. | said yes. He asked three times. lie
said, "Whai shall do :" You can bury her now ."
He said 81 will do So and bny her as good
coffin a. can Took upa vial and wanted 70
know how much laudanum would Kill her. Hand
| ed me the laudanum and asked quantity to take
lie If she took that amount.
lie said she took that amount, while he went
to call Mr.; VIM. Stevens; size was clothed in
rags, her dress torn, partially covered in bed
clothes, which were bloody and the bed badly
tumbed; her clothing badly covered with blood ;
blood on plastering, IN spit,ers three sides of
the room, aud Windows, and on floor. which
the dogs had licked up she had been there %
minutes when | arrived; savage said, "Doctor
You have come too late - as my patient dead -
Savage replied, Yes" Renamed there twenty
minutes; Savage said she took hearty hall an
ounce # laudauum give ten drops ordit srly to
patient; Savage Wa7 IN condition of man not
tuilv recover from iatoNicai0n wa. able to
answer questions, aud to walk out the room;
appeared like Il man who would be likely To suffer
from uenIen-; returned that even NJ, at err re-
porting the sc u the trial justice al pr
sons were present; remained Il two O'Clock IN
the morning; body & in care Of Mr. Wvmtn and
Mr.. Page; went there in The morning the next
day, and was on the jury Mr.. savage was pres
enl the body OF The woman va, htui.e 7, also
the les: perhaps dozen large bruises ahra-
surcs OF the skIu III some cases perhaps in one
fourth Of the bruises skin wa broken; some APP
pcared to be of recent occurrence; older bruises
oil darker color; on back a severe brui-e over
the lOin> about as large as a iall-siz hand; not
OF same color all over; such a wound might be
produced by falling or blow; two bruises in
form of cross The forward part of the chest the
skin being b. oxen, and the flesh coofed; some
swelling, not much iLh immat ion. Was of "A red
dish s'iipc, the kin beng broken each >ide OF
the breast bone. The head had a wound that GOV
cred the left eve brow NJ to bO 1e look ed
"A \ An T. RtuI
about left ear, which had a hole cut in it, and
swollen badly hole about an inch IN length, APP
pesring to be an old wound looked like cut
more than biulse it bloody; whole of
wound IN ear did not appear TO be made at the
same time. Some Of the blows must have been
recent; the blow N'ended on the face some two
inches IN front Of the About two inches above
ear on left side Of head wound, two inches long,
cut to bone; parts being some swollen, bloody,
appearance OF wound ten or twenty hours old;
half gill of blood cotted through hair, from that
wound; wound ragged ,somewhat,on edges. When
| saw her, evening Nov. ID, blool 10 hair, aud
IT was 10 great disc, der There were on he r body
from head TO foot, 81 or 40 distinct bruises.
Mrs. Savage's hair was back, bat turning grew.
Dr.. Ctooker Of Belgrade and myself opened the
skull, ami found coted blood left side of head,
between the two membranes covering the brain;
also fluid blood: an unnatural appearance about
the brain, the veins crossing il being en-
larged. Clot might have been formed
there the evening before or four five
days before. At post mortem examiuation
examined all the external wounds on the body
found sufficient cause for death from wounds
blow upon head, If no other, was sufficient to
produce death was woman of ordinary strong
constitution; health somewhat impaired by in.
Illumination o. lungs, etc; if person died of
taking laudanun the pupil of the eve would be
dllaied; IT was not $, In her case the pupil was
little contracted; do not th ink she died of tax.
ing laudsnum; Savage SAID his wife bal fallen
from the ladder IN the barn an hurt herself. THIS
was said while he was standing by the bedside:
lhls, he sand, accounted for the wounds on tie
mead, and he had to help her into the house he
said that Mrs. Cummings saw him when he
brought her into the house.
Gross Examined He had found Mrs. Savage
intoxicated three or four times during his acquain-
lance. Known of her taking laudauum after the Sc
FITS of intoNicaion had prescribed it for that pur
pose habit of lntoXcation increased upon her af-
ter drowning of her son when called week or ten
days before there was appearance of intoxica-
ton made an accurate examination ofthe wounds,
aud the statement given at the time to the coron-
er, is correct. Took oil the skull to ascertain