The Somerset reporter., 1890-10-02

noticed something in the IRE. She spoke OF it
to Norton. He said it the shell Of the ovari-
an tumor. That il was a hard sheled one.
She drew /, out OF the ashes upon the hre shovel
and carried it through the open door to her
mothers bedside. Her mother exclsimed,
take it away May, don't want to see it,
Forrest who was present remembers substan-
tally the occurance Of these facts, During the
forenoon after the child was born, two ladies,
neighbors Of the prisoner, went to his house, one
Of them for the purpose Of getting ride to the
village. Mr.. Norton met them at the door, and
as they passed in informed them that Mrs.
Cooley was very sick. They went into the par
lor but the bedroom door where Mrs. c. was
then lying was closed. hr. Norton did not wish
them to see Mrs. Cooley but on the contrary ap-
peared uneasy and disturbed by their presence.
Mrs. Cooley remained confined to her rsom
about two weeks, when she got about the house.
At one time she showed to her two children a
baby's wardrobe consisting Of all the garments
that would be necessary, and more than was
necessary, for a newly born child and this
clothing was taken by the officers from Mrs.
c.. effects, after she was killed, and we still
have it in our possession.
After the birth Of this child it seems that there
was more or less friction between Mrs. C. and
the prisoner. She, when being irristed by him,
frequently accusing him of being the father OF her
child and then burning it, she having made
statements Of this fact TO Norton, in the presence
Of large number Of witnesses which you will
see before you.
There is no question but after this time Mrs.
c., with a feeling that prompts many, situated
as she was, and knowing the power she now had
| over this man did many acts to irritate Norton,
largely perhaps for the purpose Of obtaining
| from him money to which she considered she was
justly entitled. Their quarrels become more
| frequent, he sometimes threatening to turn her
out OF doors, and she replying that he didn't
dare to do so, for she knew enough about him
| In lt.bi whore . oUa d. hark .f
| There will be a mass Of evidence before you
which will show to your minds that at many
times she laid the charge at his door Of being
the father OF her child, and then destroying it,
lie never denying the charge, but at times show
| ing agitation.
After a time Mrs. Cooley became unbearsble.
| Norton saw ahead that if something not done
that she would get him into trouble, she repeatedly
murder, and then ii is that his temper is permitted
| to run away with him and he tells her that unless
she leaves he will shoot her. and the threat is made
by him only week before she is actually shot.
We shall show bv another credible witness that
he said that Aunt Cooley was going to leave him
this time as sure as there was God. At another
time within a few days OF the time Of her death he
said to her II he found her there when he came
home he would be the "means OF her." We shall
claim that this matter CT killing Mrs. c. was by
the foundation therefor. and had supposed that he
had the details arranged that the Ingenuity OF
man could successfully accuse him OF the crime.
oa the %9TnHE zh of april 800 at aeoo
Alfred Page, rousing Ar. and Mrs. Page, ane
saying that he had heard a noise at his house ant
he thought Mrs. C. was in trouble. Asked Mr.
Page to go oyer with him Mr.. Page returned
they entered the house together, going Immediate
ly up stairs TO the door OF the room occupied b.
Mrs. c., which room could be entered only b.
passing through the chamber occupied by TIL
prisoner.
Here Mr.. Norton hesltated and asked Mr.. Pag
to 20 ahead The door of the room would not shu
| II n thp fon fOok hO.
oi the door and found that there appeared to b.
something against it, but by pushing without YER
great effort the obstacle gave away and the doc
in an unconscious condition upon her back wit
her face TUNED slightly to the left bleeding from
, wound that had evidently been inflicted BY bulle
from revolver which lying upon the be
near her side. She remained unconscious until he
DEATH which occurred in about an hour and hall
| Morton, upon going into the room, immedistel
took the revolver from the bed, renarkng that tha
was pistol. with which she had killed herself.
g That same day the coroner was notified and
. post mortem examination of Mrs. C. was had
This revealed that the ball entered her hea
near the outer angle Of the right eye, passing back
ward and three-quarters OF an inch upwards, graz
I ing the brain and embedding itself in the craniur
upon the opposite side. The outward appearanc
> OF the wound was very different from what yo
would expect to find in case the pistol had bee
z hold in Mrs. Cooey's hand.
y yond the outward surface. For the purpose @
: demonstrating more clearly to your minds the e
. | distances
object, we have caused a number Of experiments t
be made which we believe will demonstrate cor
clnsively that person holdiag a pistol In thei
:. own hand and discharRing 1t into their own head
A must necessarily leave grains OF powder imbet
y ded in the surface OF the flesh to a large exten
c and that even pistol held at distance OF thre
ieet hom the object fred upon will imbed the grain
OF powder sufficiently so that 1t readily be
without careful scrutiny, and when 1t 10 held witt
in the distance that II must have been held in tn
case If held in the hand Of Mrs c.. the side Of he
face would have been terribly blackened
' The question may arise in your mind how an
:. person except Mrs. Cooley would have discharge
this pistol since the door fastened upon the IL
|. side. This matter we are able to easily explain
!, you tor upon the night after the murder which tn
il coroners jury were in session and examining III
room in which the deed was commiied. one Of tn
v jurymen in the presence of the others placed th
!, trunk in the same position that II found by N
~ Page when lie entered the room that morning an
J. found Mrs. Cooley fastening the door in e1actl
1, We shall expect TO show to you that Mrs. Coole
gave birth to child in January or February 1885,
and that Micah Norton killed that child; that th
act furnished in Norton's mind the motive whic
induced him after the repested threat OF Mrs. Co.
n ley as TO what she would do with him In
turned her out OF doors, to commit the terrible dee
~ for which he is on trial to-day.
e After the close Of Mr.. Danforth's openin
Z argument, thirty-one witnesses were cale
c by the State and sworn. The first to take ii
lc witness stand was Lorenzo II. Moulton ,
ID part Of his testimony, was in substance, ,
d follows: | am one of the selectmen ,
a North New Portland. In April 1900
m received letter from Mr.. Norton notifyin
W the seectmen to take care Of Mrs Coole
re then went to Mr.. Norton's to see if 81
ID wanted assistance; Mr.. Norton was presen
y ! told her what | came there for, and 81
Is said that she didn't ask any favors Of IL
lc town nor Of me, she could take care of he
n self. A little mite Of talk began and 81
re said, "Mr. Mouton, this is the worst ru
d hole | ever saw, and the citizens Of Ne
TT Portland ought to be ashamed Of it," 81
a said that she had rights there, and that 81
h should stay there and shouldn't leave, an
d when she was obliged to leave Norton woul
<, go where the dogs wouldn't bark at him; an
IT if she did Co. when she left he would go
+. States prison.
e Clarence Langley was next called an
% testified to the following conversation. |
lr une 1887 was present in Norton's hous
:. at conversation between Mrs. Cooley an
$ Mr.. Norton. lie twitted her of having
=; bastard and nothing to cover it or no clotl
+, ing for it. She said, "Mr. Norton, ha
d clothing for it il you hadn't murdered it, yo
old murderer" Mr. Norton made no repl,
c but got up and left the table. He locke
l. very pale The witness also testified that
short time before this conversation, Mr.
% Cooley had shown him some baby clothin
n which she had in pasteboard box in ht
n trunk The witness further testified in r,
o gard to his carpenter tools and revolver whic
y were stolen from his chest at the Mrs. Ware
y place. He said that his tools were afte
). wards given back to him by Micah Norto
If and Mrs. Cooley; but that he had never see
c the revolver, since it was stolen, until it W,
" shown to him here in court.
Hfdnrsday, or Mrs Huldah Garyille of Ne
:, Portland, testified: Prior my marriage in 1886
!, had experience in nursing in confinement case
y | knew Mrs. Cooley had known her for several yeai
had occasion to do drcssmaking for her in August al
e September 1886: fitted loose dresses for her aSou Il
r. middle Of October. made dresses for her prior
this in the spring In 0ctobershe larger than I,
spring previous, about four inches around the waist al
inches bust measure larger In the following season
1887 she was smaller. ! had conversation in Octo
er with Mrs Cooley in the presence Of Norton, reia
+ 10 any engagement TO attend her during confnemer
II She said she wanted me to take Of her when ST
s was sick Norton said in snecrng way "Iant going
"a be sick, your Mrs, Cooley replied II should thslr
. you would know all about IT,, stated that expee
cd to be away for time. She said she was sorry,
she wanted me to take Of her and finally told h
e would be back by the frs, Of January in season
Q tend her Was married in December. I was m
called on again 70 attend Mrs Cooley. never knc
i Of any living child at NoItons house. In the fall
i 1880 @ made q few baby clothes for Mrs. Cooley.
y Witness identified the baby clothes, in the Cou
u room. ! was furnished money by Mrs Cooley to o
tain cloth for making her garments. | also made d
loose dresses for her, ! never heard any quarrclin
Il between Norton and Mrs. Cooley heard Noro
= say anything to her about burning the baby La
o March Norton told me Aunt Cooley was jealous of hi
4 and he expected when she away he would 90
!. y States Prison. saw Mrs. Cooley have a revoly,
= when first commenced to do dressmaking for he
Witness said revolver shown her by the count
t attorney looked like the one saw her with Nh
0 revolver in her possession on March 9TH last, .