The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-07
The Murder of Mrs. Meser-
vey, in Maine.
CRCUASTANTIAL EVIDENCE ILLUSTRATED.
Facts Showing that Nathan F..
Hart Was GuiltlesS.
MOVEMENT FOR A NEW TRIAL.

tics along the rugged coast of Knox and htngton
counties by the discovery of serious doubts as to the
guilt OF Nathan r. Hart who was, not long ago.
sentenced to Imprisonment for life for the murder of
Mrs. Sarah II. Mcservey, in Tenants Harbor, Decem-
Der o. 1877. detailed the circumstances OF the
murder and briefly outlined the evidence adduced at
the trial. The man was convicted on circumstantial
evidence, the strongest of which q dream which
he had about the time the crimo was committed and
the testimony Of two experts in handwriting. These
mon swore that Hart was the writer of two anony
nous letters which were written to certain parties in
Tenants Harbor. and dated in Providence and Phila
delpha. describing the murder in all its horrible de-
tails and with such minuaness that there could be
isaking the fact that the writer in the house
ut the time of the murder The condition of the vic
Inns body when discovered Eve weeks afterward,
verified nearly every statement in the narrative.
MOTIVE THE MURDER.
There can be no doubt but that robbery was the
prime motive. 1t was shown at the trial that no
money taken; at least the prisoners counsel al
lowed such impression to go into the jury room.
Luther Meservey, husband Of the murdered woman.
testified that the money found in it's place in the
drawer undsturbed. He went to sea in October and
left 5000 $3.50 with his wife. This money was
found when tho house searched, and it was i'm
mediately assumed that consequently robbery had
been committed. Now it is known that there were
two places in the house where money was kept-in
one the husbands earnings or the common fund
in tho other, the wife's private stock 1t has
been proven that when Mesevey married his
wife had little store of money, among the pieces
being thirty Mexican silver dollars. She was very
saving woman, as is generally admitted her economy
amounting to parsimony. Her husband worked nine
months in the year and brought home good deal of
money. that Mrs. Mcservey had no occasion to
draxu har
drawer which was found intact. And here were also
discovered the thirty pieces OF silver. review Of
the transactions in which Meservey engaged during
his married life shows that there in his house.
was only about $500 found and although Captain
Meservcy testified that this was all that could be
nesses the day the body was found, '.They did rob
the house. after ALL He did not know how much
money in the house for he left such matters to
his wife TO regulate. letter is in existence written
by Mrs. Meservey to her husband in answer to note
hom him. in which he stated that he wished to build
barn his return home, and she told him that she
would give him pleasant surprise on the money
question when he came home. Now. if there was
Dnly $3.50 in the house, and he knew Of that, how
could his wife surprise him with unless she
Kept the money in place he knew nothing Of?
EVIDENCE HARRIS INNOCENCE.
TO prove that Nathan T. Hart never got dollar out
of the house it is only necessary to show that he had
immediate need of money, he has an indus
trious man. frugal anti prudent in expenditure He
never tried to borrow any money Of the neigh
bors others did from time to time, and he has
expended any money since the robbery. few days
before the body OF Mrs Mescrvey discovered he
borrowed money of Eleanor NJ Cook a deed
which is recorded in the Office of the County Regis
trar In order to pay the expenses of his defence
compelled to mortgage his house, and it would
be difficult to conceive Of his resortng to such
means to raise money II he had succeeded in robbnr
bhe house of his neighbour. He must have had an
lnordinate desire for money for its own sake then,
IN order to furnish motive. but this is not Of
the traits OF his character
EVIDENCE THE PROSECUTION
In the testimony as produced by the government
going to the Post Once at six O'clock ON
the evening of the murder. She could not
tell how she fixed the time. except by say
Miss Wall the ice by half dozen persons
before dark on that day. Mrs. Sophia Wall also
deceased going toward the Post Office, but fixes tho
time at about 1--WE O'Clock qualifying her statement
BY saying it was ut "early lamp Light" She was
Been ut the Post Office by another person. who
light" 1t be easily seen, therefore, that
Mrs. Meservey went to the Post Office while it
arrived at the store in which the Post Office is kept
just as the proprietor was lighting his lamps. She
inquired for her mail and was told that Mark Wall
had taken it, and she went Immediately home. Now
what time of day is early lamp light" in Tenants
Harbor The sun set on the AID of December 1877,
ut precisely Twenty-Five minutes after four O'Clock r.
M. The afternoon was foggy and the twilight short.
early lamp light must therefore be between half
now that Mrs. Meservey left her house Tor the Post
Office about half-past four.
THE MURDER.
side beyond the house. He knew she going to tho
Post Office, and he thought she would be compelled
hour and ne could rob the house and GET away before
she returned. That she came back before he
pccted is undeniable and that he killed her because
he was discovered admits Of little doubt. II is also
clear that the murder was committed soon, but not
Immediately, after her arrival. by the fact that
gloves had been removed, but not her overshoes or
cloud. The thief was in all probability up stairs
securing his prize and tried to get out unofscrved
but was met by the mistress of the house who raised
ia afluek her rnsyf N. n
bccne OF blood and butchcry in shut from human
yaze; only the Imagination picture the awful
struggle for life OF the poor woman who was in tho
power of demon. She struck down by club
Or cudgel and stunned, but her dasth caused by
wound round the throat and il and pisce OF cod
line which bound her hands. were securely ted by
sailors hands az was proven by the style Of knot.
The murder could not have been committed later
than six o'clock at the f,uthest. the woman went
back from, the Post Once directly, and sho left tsre
not later than tive OF quarter past fve p NJ.
HARrs WHEREABOUTS.
Now 1t was shown that Nathan L. Hart left his pos
tnrc at early candle light and went to his house,
where he stayed TIL after supper At about six
o'clock he was seen IN the house by person who
was not member of his family, and IL be shown
that he was seen at eight o'clock Consequently, at
tho time the murderer doing his bloody work III
The house Of Luther Meservey this is located ut
bis own hrcsidc In addition TO these circumstances
which tho people think did not get their true weight
there are Others which viii be brought out should
new trial be ordered, ana that highly probable
70 Judge from the temper OF the people. 1t is nd
United that lIrt's counsel either careless or
ignorant; they allowed evidence 70 be- put Ia which
could easily have been refutcd or impcachcd-
TfiE HANDwIuIISG.
Tho piece of evidence which worked hardest against
Hart, and was based on tho best plausible founda-
ton, that in connection with the anonymous
letters and the note found tho floor of the Meser
vcy house the day the body was discovered, all Of
which the government tried TO show in the
prisoners handwriting So Tar the writing
Is concerned, il becomes q question for the ex
pert. and that question has not as yet been
settled A. II. Dunton, man who has tcs
timonials of ability from very many OF the
leading lawyers OF New York and Boston, claims that
he can show by his own and other expert testimony
that the handwriting is not that of Nathan 4. Hart.
Mr.. Dunton has many Of the best experts in tho
country ready TO 10 his theory, and there
seems to be doubt but that he prove TO the
Satisfaction OF any jury that Nathan Il. Hart could
nof have written that with which lie has boon charged
LETTERS DIscovkRED.
One great point which the prosecution made, aside
from the peiinanshp the fact that in the letter
from providence reference male 10 time when
tho writer tried to kiss Sarah H. Mcservsy. and
by her slapped in the face and had his shirt bosom
torn out. IL was shown attempted To be shown at