The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-03-09
Review of the Hart-Meservey Murder
Trial

der trial, in which light is thrown upon dark
deeds, incompetency and perfdy; and crime
fastened upon those whose position, if not
manhood should have commanded honest deal
ing" is the title of Il neat volume. recently is
sued. of which A. X. Dunton, of Camden, the
we'll known professor of penmanship, is the
author. The book is pronounced startling
and sensational one by the newspapers of Bos-
ton and other cities, although it presents but
little that is new to readers in this section, save
the personalities in which it abounds. The de-
tails of the murder of Mrs. Sarah H. Meservev
of Tenants Harbor in the town of st. George
on the 22d of December. 1877, and of the arrest ,
trial, conviction, and sentence to State prison
for life Ton the 9TH of October. 1879 of Nathan
+. Hart, and of Prof. Dunton'S part in the trial
are familiar to most, if not all Of our readers
In the preface to his book Prof. Dunton siys-
The writer. miSled and deceived by others
gave testimony that was perhaps decisive in
procuring the Indictment of Nathan +. Hart
for the murder of Sarah Mcservey, of St
George by the Grand Jury of Knox county
Me-. at the March term of the Supreme judicial
Court. for the year 1873. Subsequent to the trial
of Hart, which took place at the September
term for the same year, | obtained some full
and complete information in regard to the case
and. upon thorough investigation, saw that
had been deceived; that the writing given me
by Sheriff Low as Harris. was written by an
other party, that | had testified upon false
standard. and against an innocent man. com
menced at once to do everything in my power
to undo the wrong | had unwittingly aided in
committing; but owing to the abuse of power
perjury. and Subornation of perjury on the one
hand and incOmpetcncy on the other. had the
pain and modification of seeing an innocent
man tried. convicted. and sentenced to prison
for life for the awful crime of murder.
Here We have the motive of the book. The
author is evidently very much in earnest. and
thoroughly convinced of the innocence of The
He certainly makes out a strong ease: and If
the facts are as stated in this book. which We
see no reason for doubting-manv of them are
supported by sworn attidavitS-not only is Capt
Hart innocent Of the crime Of which he was
convicted, but he is the victim of those who
should themselves be occupants Of prison cells
Among the charges Prof Dunton makes against
those who secured the conviction of Hart and
these not against men of low dcgrrc-arc per-
jury, subornation Of perjury. the deliberate pur-
pose to convict a man known to be innocent.
blacknal, an attempt to procure arson and
murder. dercliction of duty on he part of coun-
ell towards clients, the compromising Of felony
bayc-faced robbery by means of official position.
enlightenment or defalcation. the alteration of
documents in evidence. the suppression Of evil
dence. the refusal TO summon witnesses nrcrs-
>ary to the defence. collision with parties whom
Dunton claims to be implicated in the murder.
the betrayal of clients, the forging Of false trle-
grams. double dealing as attorney. and m1anv
acts which prevent IA full and impartial hearing
before the jury on a charge the most hrinou>
known to the statutes Of Maine.
In the appendix Prof. Dunton says. Ny
opinion has been from the first that the man
who wrote the first pages in log-book No.
wrote the three anonymous letters. | still
hold TO that opinion, but | have found instead
of Hart having written those pages that they
Were written by Captain A. X. Mt-rrvey,
brother-in-aw 10 Hart and cousin to Captain
Luther MrScryeY. whose wife was murGrrcd,''
And he further claims that the page nnt given
him for examination were shown to the grand
jury as evidence Of Harris guilt. lie also al
ege> that during the examination uy detectives
and other prosecuting officers certain persons
whom he names kept away from the M'>crycv
hou>e; did not attend the funeral. and were
guilty of conduct which was at the time subject
of general comment He also charges that
other persons. whom he name, as implicated.
stated falsely at the time that Mrs. Mp>cryrv
was missing that She had gone to Thoma,ton.
and that still others left Tenants IIarhor aud
spent the day upon dc>olatc island while The
court of investigation was being held, ana that
when one of them Was closely questioned III rr-
gard to ll4-r knowledge of the matter she went
into Mysteries and tainted. 50 that il required
considerable effort To restore her. He ridculc~
the unsupported and prepo>terou~ testimony Of
some Of the Witnesses and goc> into the details
Of Nathan IIart'S life, showing him by nature
to be incapable of committing such Il crime. and
that there WAS absolutely no motive for his do
ing it. He states that Hart never wrote the
letters or the first page in the log-book, and
that having nothing TO fear did not try to get
away or TO avoid any action against him; that
he is at present i'll prison and does not want to
be pardoned out. but believes h is Innocent
and that time will show the truth and hc will
be triumphantly acquitted. Mr.. punon a.
votes much space to the explanation Of the tN-
pert testimony on handwriting. in which he
argues his theory as The correct one.
We think every one who reads the book must
admit that the personal attacks which occupy
50 large proportion of it, pages are niudicioua
to say the least. and add nothing to the proof of
Harris innocence. They concern simply those
against whom they are made. and the bar Of
Knox county. Weagrer with the Boston Herald
that lit is not conclusive evidence of IIart'>
innocence which Mr.. Dunon brings. but it is
such as ought TO be put before the Governor
of Maine with all the backing possible. to aid in
procuring Il pardon" That the matter disclosed
will in some shape BE- brought before a legal
tribunal is very evident.
Speaking of the approaching municipal cIec-
ton in that city, the Mobile Register (Dcm.