Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-04-12
DOOMED TO DIE.
Thomas Sanon. the Laconia, N. H.,
Murderer. Pronounced Sane by the
Investigating Committee and
Sentenced to be Hanged.
LAeoN1A. \. h. April IL.

Tacoma, n. H., April IL.
The court house was packed at an early
hour this forenoon by people from Laconia
and surrounding towns to listen to the report
of the experts, recently appointed BY the
court TO investigate the hereditary condition
of Samon, murderer of Mrs. Ford, James
Ruddy and son, frankie, in the fall of 1888.
Mrs. Jane Ford was murdered at her house
on Oak street, on the morning of Nov 25th,
and soon afterwards he took the body on
wheelbarrow TO Ruddy's, poor but respect
able mechanic, on Water street, q distance
of fully mile from Ford's The body re-
mained in the trunk till late in the afternoon,
when it was carried into the house and placed
in bedroom, the family supposing it con-
tanned Samons clothes. Samon was as
signed to sleep in the same room, and at diff
ferent times informed Mrs. Ruddy that he
was restless and nervous, and the latter left
Samon with her husband in the kitchen. She
hear a noise and going out found
her husband murdered. hanging over
the chair with gashes on the neck and head.
Without warning she was seized by Samon.
Several serious wouads were inflicted on her
with the hatchet. and she was left for dead
on the floor, beside her husband, who had fallen
from the chair. The next move by the fiend
was to take frankie, the only son, IA months
old, from the bed, and nearly severed the
head from the body. All were piled to-
gether on the floor, and covered with straw,
saturated with kerosen and q fire lighted,
after which Samon escaped. He was cap
tured at Plymouth the next afternoon, by NJ
S. Brown. Samon was resenty indicted for
murder in the first degree, and Hon. Elery
A. Hibbard and Col. Thos. j. Whipple, both
able lawyers, were assigned him as counsel,
were satisfied he vas sane, but did all in
their power to get new points in the case,
but the prisoner insisted on pleading guilty,
whereupon Judge Carpenter ordered the ex-
animation.
The bench TODAY was occupied by Judges
Carpenter and Blodgett. Attorney General
Tappan and County Solicitor Hardy were
present.
DR.. j. P. Bancroft of Concord, chairman Of
the investigating, submitted the following
report of his labors, which was read by
Judge Blodgett:
In compliance with your request the un-
dersigned have at different times visited the
prisoner, Samon, at the Belknap county Jail.
We have carefully examined him in regard
to his bodily health and the condition of his
hereditary predisposition, habits of life and
general characteristics. In so doing we have
attended carefully and at great length to his
OWN StatetuentS TcRhTullS AHu his
ancestry and his personal history including
his account of the murders he committed. In
this connection we availed ourselves of any
facts from others, throwing light on his men
tai state. After weighing all matters bearing
on the question we are prepared to report.
We find no proof that he is now or has been
insane.
J. B. BANCROFT, NJ. d.,
GEO F. JELLY, M. ID.
DR.. Bancroft was then put on the stand
and was clearly of the opinion there was not
only no proof of insanity but the case was
barren of any evidence tending to show in
sanity. "He was an ignorant man" said the
witness, "but of the average ability and
showed healthy powers of balancing and an
swering questions addressed to him."
At the close of DR.. Bancroft's testimony
and cross examination by Mr.. Hibbsrd, Judge
Blodgett ordered Samon to stand up.
The court then pronounced the following
sentence:
"Thomas Samon, by the laws of the State
of New Hampshire, the penalty for murder
in the first degree, of which atrocious crime
you stand convicted by your own voluntary
confession, Is death. 1t therefore only re-
mains for me to perform the painful duty of
pronouncing upon you the sentence which
the Law has provided in such cases, and this
sentence is that you be taken to Concord in
this State and there be confined in the State
prison until the 18th day of April, 1885, when
you be hanged by the neck until you are dead
and may God, of his infinite love and COM
passion, have mercy on your soul"
Not word was uttered by Samon and the
audience maintained silence still as death.
The prisoners eyes were constantly fixed
on the floor. Ten minutes before the
sentence he was seen to laugh, the occasion
being that prominent citizen of the town
noticing a vacant seat occupied it. As soon
as he found he was sitting beside Samor he
left the chair as though shot from a cannon.
which caused Samon to be greatly amused.
After removal from the court room he was
allowed an interview with his wife. which
was very affecting. He expressed q desire
to see Mrs Rudy, but the latter did not
wish to see him.
He will be taken to Concard bv Sheriff
Story tomorrow afternoon. In BaRcroft's
interview with Samon, he discovered that the
latter had several times attempted to take his
own life, always after a drunken spree. Many
are of the opinion that the murder of Mrs.
Ford was premeditated, as he was exceeding
ly angry on the night previous, owing to Ford
having walked between Mrs. Ford and Sa-
mon from Lake Villsge. 1t is said that if
trial had taken place, evidence would have
been presented to show that Samon was
armed that night and intended to take the
life Of Mr.. and Mrs. Ford. The community
are at ease and are satisfied that the fend
will meet lust punishment