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

SCRIPTION OF THE PRIsONER-oPENING OF
THE TRIAL-THE JURY - PRESENTATION or
THE CASE BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY - ON
THE WITNESS STAND.
Near nightfall of the afternoon of November
II h. last, the usually quiet town Of Belgrade
WIS the scene of awful and bloody tragedy
The tragedy was enacted in a small one story I'M
p intcd house, about one and half miles north
of the depot, on the road leading towards Bel
grade bill. Connected with the humble home
stead is a small farm Of some thnty or forty acres.
This was the home of James Savage and his wife,
Eliza Ann Savage. They were both in the habit
of blinking intoxicating liquors, and during their
oft-repeatei drunken sprecs, made their house a
susance by their uproarous demonstrations. Phi
or to the afternoon in question this unhappy
couple had been weeks debauch. The
neighbors heard the sounds of quarrel in the
house, but having heard such noises 10 the same
locality so frequently, they attracted no unusual
attention at this time They supposed that the
Savages were having another If their drunken
rows and that it would soon be over. But on
entering the domicile they found the poor woman
on the floor fairly covered with blood, and in the
last agones of death. The poor victim was uu.
was held on the body. The jury found the
body of the murdered woman beaten aud man
gled in the most horn ibc and shocking manner.
Several of the single blows inflicted were of them
selves sufficient TO have caused death savage
could make no clear explanation of the affair but
seemed to manifest considerable sorrow when he
came to the realization of the position of ai ir4.
Tue jury arrived al the decision that Mrs Eliza Ann
Savage came to her death from wounds Inflicted
by her husband, James Savage. Savage was
arrested, and on the seventeenth of November
arrsigned before Judge True, at the municipal
court in this city, charged with the wilful and
malicious murder of Mrs. Savage. perpe,rated
with malice aforethought. To this charge be
pleal"Not Guty" L. F. Plsbury, Esq, his
counsel. waived examination, and the prisoner
was committed to jail, TO await trial at the present
term of the Supreme Judicial Court, now sitting
at the court house, Judge Danforth, presiding.
This, 10 brief is impartial history of the
case. The Grand Jury found an indictment
against Savage for the crime Of Manslsughter
and his trial on that charge commenced at the
court house in this city, yesterday forenoon at ! /
o'clock.
being densely packed n every part, with men and
q sprinklng Of women. Savage's personal appear
snce i. more favorable than last fall at his prelim
mary examination, when he showed the effects Of
long isspaton, and bore upon his face marks of
violence. Savage was dressed in grey pants and
vest, and brown coat. In the absence of a collar
a brown handkerchief was hound about his neck.
lie is about sixty Yeas Of age, is about feet /
inches in height SLIM and angular in person, awk-
ward and loose joiuted. A head running up to a
point, has ihn, brown hair containing scarcely
trace of grew a small bald rlace la. begun TO ap-
p ar on the back of the b al. lie has not an uu-
pleasant face nciiher Is rtcpo,se,si Z hi, iea
tnres somewhat harp. has sma gre, eyes and
whiskers running around under the chin, aud es-
tending from ear to ear. In the afternoon the
prisoner appeared 10 partial lew suit of black,
and paper collar.
The prisoner had previously beenar,agnel and
plead not gu l'y. Inc hrst step taken III the tn
was to empanel a jury, ths being done by drawing
from the first and ;, coud jurles. The following
persons were drawn, and design4ted "a Jurors to
~ the case:
+. d. Durham. -Vassahoro; II. O. Nickeison.
t,eadield Charles L Toby, Wa,ervillc; An.
drew j. LiDhy, West Wattivillc; Vim. Cam,
1 linton; Nathaniel G. Wts on, Manchester; l..
y. Thorne, Augus'a; 5. Wesley Car, Vienna; IL.
=. Priest. Nas-aiboro; James +. Jewett Piltstou
Henry S. Smith, Monmouth; George b. Pay,
Albion. The Judge appointed Nh. Durham a.
Foreman. THREE pei son was challenged bv the de-
fence, one by the gove,Dnt nj, and til ee were eN-
cused. because they frankly admitted that they
had formed an opinion on the case and had eN-
pressed 1t.
The indictment was then read.
Hon f.. F. Webb, County Attorney, in opening
the case for the government, said IN entering up
on q trial of so much interest, he considered il
of the highest importance that we consider 1t
carefully. The duties and responsibilities
great; the duties You owe to the community and
the prisoner AS we'll lie had no more interest in
the conviction than they had, and when he should
present all the evidence he should have discharged
all his duty.
A homicide is the killing of a hnman being;
these are ranged 10 various classes. Sonnet mes,
a, 10 self defence, in battle, it is Unstable IN
killing person. There are excussble homicldes.
when person defending himself, Stays another.
Another is feloneous homicide, killing person
without justification.
The indictment charges the prisoner with man
slaughter, and not with murder. Murder is the
highest crime known to laws, the different
phases of which he defined. The penalty of
manslaughter is Imprisonment not more than 10
years. The Indictment charges that this man is
guilty Of manslaughter because the deed had no
malice in it il is homicide from extreme physi-
cal Cruelty inflicted. He cited numerous cases
decided by the courts, showing the nature OF HON
icde.
A husband kills his wife. They resided together
in Belgrade some twelve fifteen wears. An
only was drowned while driving Off q bridge,
when drunk. Mr.. Savage and wife have used
Intoxicating liquors more or less for many years.
He has been very strongly addicted to the habit
would carry his liquor home, shut himself up
the house, and have protracted drunk. Whether
his wife Joined with him at all times he did not
know; but she did sometimes. Watcher she
frank Of her own free will he did not know.
When in liquor Savage q man of extreme
cruelty there seemed to be no bounds to his
b. utality. They would start in the night togeth-
and come from Belgrade to Augusta to get
liquor often she was compelled to accompany him.
Sometimes he compelled her to drink using the
most fearful and profsne language.
They had indeed lived miserable life, their
misery being known to the whole neighboi hood.
Savage did not seem to abuse any one except the
persons who came about his premises His pas
sion seemed to be to pound his wife; day or
two of int0xication would be followed by day or
two of beating. When he couldn't have his wife
t. lick, he tried to lick her brother finding he
couldn't do that he would pitch into the cook
stove and overturn that.
On Thursday, the 18th of November last
Mrs. Savage died natural or unnatural death.
On Wednesday Of the week preceding, Savage
and his wife came to this city and returned with
aquantity of liquor. The neighbors testified that
e. H.. 4.