Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-13
THE aETcHELL SHOOTING.
Getchelps Counsel hold that he was Actinx
in Self.Defense

House in this city, Judge Whitehouse presid
ing. As usual in such cases q large crowd
drawn thither by curiosity, was in attendanc,
and the court room was packed. AS the
prisoner came in and took his seat all eve.
were directed towards him. He did not lool
like man guilty of committing the &C,
ascribed to him. In appearance he wa. a
well dressed young man, about five feet nine
inches in height, wearing a light mustache
had blue eyes, and not bad looking
countenance.
Orville ID. Baker of this city and S. S.
Brown of waterville appeared for the pris.
ener and County Attorney Hanes for the gov
eminent.
| The County Attorney proceeded to open
the case for the government and said that he
should endeavor to conduct the case to the
best of his ability, and made a statement of
facts substantially in accordance with the
account in the Journal, but more in detail.
Ten witnesses were sworn by the govern
ment.
Mr.. Bates, civil engineer, being called to
the stand produced a plan of Mr.. Flagg's
premises, made from actual measurement and
stated to the jury as to the dimensions of the
house in which the ARRAY occurred. He tes-
titled that the cant-dog welded by Mr. Flagg
was about four feet long and would average
two inches in diameter, was banded with iron
rings and had dog attached.
Mr.. Stillman Flagg being called, testified ::
IL am "A years of age, reside in Windsor.
| saw the defendant at my place on the 4th of
April last | saw somebody coming up to the
kitchen door, and followed him. l asked
him what he doing. He drew out a re-
volver. ordered him off. struck him he
fired at me when struck at him. Was in
the kitchen when l struck him. His wife
was begging of him to leave when l went in
Had cant-dog in my hand when 1 " ent in. He
then knocked me over, and his wife stepped
err. Then came another shot. got clip
on the head some way. The wound bled
considerably. | then went out into the
shed. Next saw Getchell going out the lane
with the child, his wife following him.
| went out to the road. Getchell then
knocked me over some way. l saw the re-
yolver he had also saw the revolver when
it went off, and saw the fire. | heard two re
ports. Think l saw the revolver in the
deft's hand Getchell came to my house
last Sept. on election day. ordered him out
and took an axe to defend myself. A year
ago last Thanksgiving he came home and
said he was going 20 leave his wife as she
was so ugly he could not live with her.
| Cross Eramination.-Have been acquaint-
ed with Getchell four five years. He
worked for me in the woods. Married my
daughter about two years ago. He came to
my house to live and hired my farm of me
Immediately after he married my daughter.
Never found any fault with him. Might
| have told him two or three times that he did
not do as | should. Wife told Getchell if he
went away she would not live with him.
, the wife refused to see him.
Said he came there only to give her a
ding. Getcheil came to my house three
weeks after the child vas born and wanted
to see the babe. told him that would go in
and see what Alice said. She said she did
not want him to see the boy. The child was a
wear old the 18th of this month, and the father
had not seen the child up to the day of
the affray. On the 4th of Sep
TENDER, when Gethell came to my
4
lowed HIM with an axe, with which to de-
fend myself went into the house with my
axe appraised. He said he wanted to see the
child. told him that Alice didn't want to
see him orderd him out of the house. He
didn't go out. put my hands on his should
ers. pushed him and he went out. Said he
was going to put me in the lookup when he
went ont. Didn see the child on this day.
Getchell came to my house after pung one
wear ago this spring. He called me
a liar. | did not say anything rash
to him. | said if was young man
would handle him. | never invited him into
| the house after he left in the fall. First
saw of him, on the 4th of April last, was
| when he WAS going lutp h'usc- tHe"
grabbed the cant-dog and followed after. The
cant dog is heavy, being made Of hornbeam
and has an iron ring and dog attached. 1t
would weigh about 10 pounds. Getchell and
Alice were both in the sitting room when
went in. asked him what he was there for,
and raised the dog in threatening manner
lie said he was there after his boy. l told
him to leave. The boy was in the cradle.
struck him with the cantdog, and hit him on the
shoulder. He then knocked me over with q
bullet or something else. l then got up. He
fred at me once before he knocked ME over
and once after got up. then went out into
the shed. Getchell took the cant-dog away
from me- picked up the cant-dog and fol-
lowed after him as he was going out the front
door with his child. When | got out of doors
saw the lady in the pung in the road; also
saw Alice and the father each holding on to
the child and struggling for its possession.
followed him up with the cant-dog. Got with
in few steps of Getchell. He gave up the
child to Alice and told her to take it fell
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