Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-03-06
HISTORY OF A CRIME.
The Mandolin Sentiment in Favor OF
Vicious and Brutal Criminals
Plainly Illustrated.
High Time That Common Sense Should
Be Exercised.


truth becomes known and the career Of the
murderer Is studied The crime was ac-
omplished and traced to its conclusion
within ten days, three New England states
served as the scene of the tragedy, and the
officials Of each worked with the utmost
energy 30 uncover the deed and its perpe-
traitor. having the valuable assistance Of
indignan. inhabitants and "hustling'
newspaper men The hendishness and
folly Of the crime can best be realized 10y
briefly recounting its salient points.
Avarice was the motive of the murder,
without question; Isaac Sawtell, who had
been the capable member of the family,
was seven weeks ago released from state
prison 10y pardon from Gov AInes and
within this brief period he has plotted to
gain the property of his mother amount
ing in all &c $4,000. it Is said. Various
legal conveyances had been made, but none
satisfied the greedy man until he had Sc
cured the whole; this aroused his brother
Hiram TO oppose him by legal means.
Then the scheme of murder was doubtless
laid out. Isaac, by means Of falsehood
abducted his brothers daughter TO Roch-
ester n. H. There poison was admins
tered, and the summons was sent to Hiram
that his daughter was i'll unto death. The
father arrived and was driven from the
station by his brother, and within a few
hours. it is believed, the crime was accom-
plished. The finding of the headless body
of Hiram Sawtell, revealed the process of
the murderer's work more clearly. He
had undoubtedly prepared his plan with
great care; he chose another state for the
scene of the murder and still third for
the burial for capital punishment has
been abolished in Name the detectives
also believe he was alone in his work
although there is doubt on this point. But
with all these efforts at conceaIment the
murderer stumbled griev0usly and the
officers have in their possession a damning
array of evidence with which our readers
are familiar.
The career of Isaac Sawtell shows that
this murder was its fit elimination He
was sentenced to 80 years in state prison
II years ago for rape; but his previous
career had been "a constant repetition of
wickedness. and those who knew Lis char
acter believed him capable of any crime
His early life was spent in Lake Village
n H., where he married the wife who is
now in an asylum, having been driven in
sane by his treatment. He was a criminal
of versatile accomplishments. He sold
bibles for living and swinded his Gus
toners; he was obliged to spend many
weeks in o boat TO avoid arrest for another
crime he deserted his wife and children
/ He appears to have been cool and crafty
unhesitating and cruel Isaac Sawtel's
criminal shrewdness is Enthusiastically
shown by his choice of Maine as the burial
| place of his brother, and he doubtless felt
| that he could save his life if he could prove
| that the crime was committed within the
limits of that state. There is testimony
however. going TO show that he shot his
brother in New Hampshire, for many
of the residents east Of Rochester assert
| that they heard the report Of the pistol
! Such evidence is not 50 strong as could be
desired, and this point will doubtless be
strongly fought by the defense The ques-
! tion might also be raised that it cannot
/ be shown that the bullet was fatal These
and other points foreshadow one of the
most remarkable murder trials in legal
annals. New Hampshire has been slow of
late in administering her capital law She
has one convicted murderer on hands now
| Palmer. Of Portsmouth, 10 whom the gov
eruor has granted several reprieyes after
the full bench of the supreme court have
decided his guilt.
It is only natural to ask how such de
PRAYED fellow as Sawtell had proved him
self to be was ever released from deserved
confinement before the expiration of his
term. and thus allowed To again eudanger
public safety How could the governor
and council of this commonwealth find rea-
son for clemeucy i'm the man. knowing ms
crimes and his previous life . Ex-CounCllor
| Iewett of Lowell states that the case was
given many hearings and there were strong
petitions in Sawtell's favor The matter
was considered grave enough 10 demand
! the attendance Of the whole council before
I the pardon was granted, and then the vote
was unanimous Ii appears, however, that
Sawtell had earned 81 900, which he de
voted 70 his suit for pardon woman
wa, paid to secure the names ofrespectabe
citizens, and the testimony Of ministers
! that Sawtell was a reformed man was
/ fused for all it was worth Ii Is also
| stated that Judge pitman of the superior
court believed the man had been prison
| or long enough, and his influence was a
powerful factor in securing the release. 81
/ 1t seems the people who took the testimony
/ of paid woman ignorant of the facts and
0yercredulous ministers and hastily signed
! this petition. trusted the governor and HI.
council; and the latter trusted the people
Ii is here that the responsibility Of tht
state rests most heavily Perhaps the case
was given the usual amount Of care and at
teution. vet surely this mans career was
was not fully known Had it been, the
governor and council would be open 20 tn,
4 Sharpest criticism, but are they to be alb
solved for not knowing facts Of the mos
vital Importance which it was their dun
70 learn before acting There was prob
ably never a more foreibe example ,of thf
/ dangers OF too hastv exercise Of the eN
etative clemency if the facts conceuin.
. Sawten's ease as now understood are es
tabhshed when NE is tried for bis life.
COMPRESSION