The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-08-26
NOT A CANDIDATE FOR THOMASTON.
Evidence Locating the Sawtell Muir
der In New Hampshire.
The Officers Claim TO Know Just
Whore Isaac Killed Hiram.
1t Was Not on the maine Side Of tho
state Line.

DOVER, N. H., August 25.-The govern
ment, II is claimed. has important new EVIL
dence in the Sawtell murder case, 1t will be
presented to the grand jury of Stafford coun-
ty week from next Wednesday.
The prosecution alleges that Hiram +.
Sawtell was murdered in the yard surround
ing barn owned by a man named Merrill,
on the East Rochester road in New Hamp-
shire, between the hours Of 4.30 and $50 p.
M, Wednesday, February 9th, 1890, by Isaac
b. Sawtell.
To back up this allegation they will bring
forward the Wileys, who passed the men on
the road, man who followed the lumber
wagon driver 10 minutes, more or less. later
and saw no buggy in the road, but noticed
the back Of one In the yard six persons who
heard shots, and locate the sound at almost
the same place.
Perhaps the most important witness Sc
cured in the search for evidence was nan
who saw Isaac driving along the. road, ne
covered by rubber boot, was large bun
die. One portion of 1t seemed to be In front
of the seat, while the other extended into
the little box behind 1t. There was also In
the rear portion something contained In what
looked like meal bag. This, Of course,
was the gunny cloth about the pickaxe,
shovel and hatchet. This man said that the
driver of the vehicle appeared TO be. In a
great hurry and looked extremely excited
and nervous.
In front Of Slnclair's store another man
noticed the same burden under the boot.
He also noticed the man whom Postmaster
Sinclair says he saw, an Individual with a
moustache, but no whiskers whatever.
This point is considered a strong one by
the prosecution, as the defence will claim
that Hiram was the man seen by the post
master, although they will be unable to State,
II 1t was he, what he did with his whiskers.
The theory Of the state Is that this man was
Isaac's accomplice. and that he had some
part in the disposition of the body, although
they have as yet no direct evidence TO sus-
tain that point. One OF their witnesses, II Is
said, heard scrap Of their conversation,
which was in IT lation to settling" some
matter. This Is supposed to have some bear
ing on Isaac's purchase in the store Of lamp.
pen and ink.
The articles bought were. 1t is alleged, for
the purpose OF drawing up compact, In
which Isaac was TO convey to this accom-
plice certain property as soon as he gained
control OF 1t, which he would, according to
the programme marked out, as soon as his
brother was out Of the way.
Once across the Lebanon bridge to the Pine
Tree State, passers-by were few and far be-
tween, but as they passed Isaac Rankin's
house, one and oue-half miles further on,
that gentleman's daughter inlaw saw in the
sorrel horse. She thinks somebody was on
the seat with him, but would not swear to
that effect. Who the stranger was no one
knows. None Of the witnesses who refer to
him, either for the defence or prosecution
say that he had whiskers, and the state
claims that this Is convincing evidence that
the stranger was some other than Hiram