The Portland daily press., 1888-10-02

Mr.. Josselyn's, and she came to the door and
spoke to me. Before coming to Portland at
this time had determined to shoot myself
after meeting her in Bath. l was discOur-
aged and tired Of life generally and all brok-
en- up; but this determination had nothing
to do with Mrs. Stevens. had lost my work
and it was hard for me to support my family
l had been sick, and had this painful feeling
In my head, and that was the principal
cause. had no intention Of shooting her
when l came east.
When she met me here at her uncle's door
L made an appointment to meet her that eve
ming. | called at her uncle's for her, and we
walked on the street an hour or two, and she
went back to her uncles, and | went to the
City Hotel. l registered as Chas. w. john
son. The next morning | met her near the
drug store on Congress street, and we walk
ed on the street awhile. and then went TO the
City Hotel together and remained Wednes-
day and Wednesday night. We had separate
rooms Either the clerk or / registered her
name. She left there Thursday morning, the
10Th of April, for her uncles. That was the
day Of the shooting. There had been no talk
about her going away with me, or / with her.
/ went part way home with her that morn
ing. During the forenoon / met her by
chanre on the street; was with her half or
a quarter Of an hour She had made ar
rangements to go home that afternoon on the
train, and asked me to meet her at the depot,
at the Congress street station. The letter
wrote that afternoon. l think. the word
Monday is a mistake. wrote 1t as / was
going to the drug store to meet her. The
other letter to my folks was written the day
anything else. Al that time had no pistol
The letter was Wilton when we
were both at the City Hotel. but she did not
know about 1t and didn't see 1t. ! went out
to get revolver, but better feelings came
over me and didn't do IL and l was very
glad / did not. L bought the revolver on
Thursday forenoon and at that time 1 in
tended only to shoot myself. had no talk
with her about dying together
met her at the depot that afternoon at
her request. had no purpose Of shooting
her then. | had no special conversation
with her-possibly something about parting,
etc. We walked up and down the street. /
had no intention Of using my pistol then,
but a sudden impulse came over me to shoot
her, and before realized what / had done /
had shot her. l had not thought Of 1t that
afternoon before the moment Of the shoot
Ing. have no remembrance Of what fol-
lowed. l knew nothing at all about shoot
ing myself. The next / knew / came to my
self in the hospital.
William b. Pierce Of New York, was the
last witness; he testified substantially as did
the Others as to Chase's despondent spells
while In New York.
The case was argued briefly by Mr.. Moul-
ton for the defendant and County Attorney
Seiders for the State, at the close Of which
Judge Bonney rendered the following decIs-
ion:
The respondent in this case has been in
dicted by the grand jury Of this county for
day Of last April. To this indictment
the respondent has entered plea
of guilty. He has confessed In open
court that he is guilty OF the crime Of MUIR
der. and It now becomes the duty Of the
70 Aata ina ha1 ~
The statute declares that when murder is
committed with express malice aforethought
it shall be deemed murder Of the first degree;
and when committed otherwise 1t shall be
deemed murder Of the second degree.
Considerable testimony has been offered
as to the family history Of the respondent
and as TO the condition Of the respondent
himself at times prior to the commission Of
the offence. The matter Of insanity Is not
involved In this hearing. The only question
malice aforethought existed In this case
that Is, whether the murder was the result
Of deliberati0n, of intelligent thought on his
part. Considerable testimony has been
offered bearing upon that question: We
soon after the offence was committed, as 10
the motive which induced him 10 commit the
act. A letter has been offered In evidence
written the day before the commission Of
the crime, and the respondent himself has
been upon the stand and has detailed very
accurately, and with great precision, his
thoughts as they existed, and the purposes
formed on his mind on the 18th and 18th OF
April last in matters relating to this
affair. The testimony shows beyond ques-
tion that the crime was the result Of dellber-
alton, of intelligent thought on his part, and
/ accordingly determine that the murder
with which the respondent stands convicted
is murder of the first degree, and Mr.. Clerk,
you may make such entry.
Mr.. Libby, deputy clerk, then imposed the
sentence upon Chase which was to the State
prison during the term Of his natural life.