Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-12-19
SAWTBLL TRIAL.
4 Question IS 10 Where The
Crime vas Committed.
AsT Hampshire Willing that Maine
Should ny th, Case.
The Psocsedinss Of the Tsiai-Ais.
oawtsn on the Stand.

tuAu IL taAes ~ feh III every bsohtpi0 iuSh
Of room allotted to spectators was taken
in spite Of the fierce storm that 10 raging
1t was the beginning OF the fret impor,an
day Of the famous Sawtelle uisl. l So,
the first important day. for judging b.
the present indications il is apparent thA
from this out every day will be important
People came from miles around to th,
trial. In fact all that can be heard nox il
this section is "the trial" At exactly 3 b,
the clock Chief Justice Doe took his sea
at the BE- nch, for Chief Justice Doe is tn,
psrsomfiestion Of promptness Closely fol
lowing him came Judge Bingham and thel
q troop Of lawyers, shsriffs reporters, ami
last of all, the prisoner. Now Chief Jus
tice Dee 10 crusty old man, full of wis
dom and eccentr,citiss, and he and Count,
Attorney John Kivsl are looked upon a
veritable oracles. The latter 10 smart, abi,
and accommodating.
Itwas Judge Does wish that the number o,
newspaper men should be limited to 20. S,
he ordered tables arranged for 20 and is
sued cards to that fleet, and each reporter
card was nailed to the table with four larg'
shiny brass tacks. Only 20 were to be al
lowed inside the bar.
Very thoughtful of Judge Doe.
The officials favored Massachusetts, ant
New Hampshire men, and the circle wa
filled. 1t is to be hoped that the. esteemed
court officials will not be angry II the,
should by accident learn what persons piieS
out those large tscks and removed the cards
The fact that Sirsfford county has got Il
foot the bills for this trial has caused ths
average taxpayer 10 grumble not little. 1
is a $40, 900 entertainment and it is verl
costly dancing. Some dark stories are
afoat. Now some stories are stories ant
when you tug to get at the bottom facts yot
find it is like but,iug against q stone wall
you have your own pains for your labor
Without going into the thousand and ont
details about the crime, the trial, etc. strip
ping the whole affair of its sensational fea
lures, the whole case amounts to this ant
nothing more.
An eccentric individual named Sawtellt
died in Boston some time ago and wa
unfortunate enough TO leave quite an estate
say seventy-tive thouss and dollars.
Besides the estate he left two sons and q
widow. Each of tie sons was anxious te
handle the business of the estate. Tht
two sons were named Hiram and Isaac
Now Hiram handled the business for the
very simple reason that Isaac couldn't HI
was serving a sentence in the Massachu
sets State Prison at Charlestown
When his term had expired he found thai
he Was left out 10 the cold, which will ex
press the idea in the absence of bert
metaphor. The next we hear of Isaac. h.
is in Rochester. N II. The last We heal
of his brother Hiram, is that Isaac sent 4
telegram to him asking him to come Il
Rochester, which he did. meeting him a
the depot, where I.asc had team in wait.
ing. In short time Hiram's body wal
turned up out of the earth in q deserted
patch of woods in Lebanon, Me-, with tn,
head of the body missing. Isaac turoed uI
in the county jail at Dover-thanks Il
Portland men and Portland's police.
The above are facts. Who killed Hiram
Sawtelle and whether he met his death il
Maine or New Hampshire. is what the cour
now sitting in this city. will try to decide
That is Just what STAFFORD county will pa,
s20, 600 to fcd out Eight out of ten ci,i
zens of S,rafford county believe that Isaa,
Sawtelle killed his byo,her. Five out O
every ten believe thai the foul deed wa
done in New Hampshire and the body wa
carried over in Maine and buried. Tn
whole ten wish and hope it will be provei
that the deed was done in Maine. TIL,
boundary Of two States-the Salmon Fall
Rivers situated near Rochester go it j
d fiicult to prove on which side Hiram wa
murdered.
II it can be proven that Isaa, Sawtel's
killed his brother in New Hampshire ant
buried him in Maine he will be hanged il
the State Prison yard at Concord uniesi
he dies a natural death before the law cal
take its course.
Ifit is proven that Isaac Sawtelle kilie,
aston for life.
York county, Maine, may yet have
turn in this drama. Shortly after . o'clocl
the first witness in this remarkable case wa
called. A case tba. interests three States
The fir,t witness to take the stand wa
Simeon S. jenkins, Of Dover, a civil en-
gineer. He testified that he made plsl
Of the highways and buildings in and sbou
Rochester which the jury visited yester
day and which are purported to be tn
localities Wis ted by Isasc Sswtell VII nj b
made his famous trip to Rochester and vi
cinity last February. The plan is abou
ten feet in length and was shown to tn,
jury.
Mr. Jenkins was 90 slow in computin
the distances that Judge Doe told bin +
step inside and figure them out. If "
keep on this way we won't get through thi
WINTER" said the little judge.
Nathaniel T. KimhalI, station agent an
telegraph operator of the Boston & Main
depot at Rochester was then called. ii
produced the train book of the depot SHOW
ing the arrival Of and departure Of trains
&c had in his possessio kilograms sert o
Feb 4 and 3 addressed TO Hiram and J.
Sawtelle and signed "Isaac," also one sen
to Hannah z. Sawtell.
produce the messages and save work,
said Judge Doe.
The witness said it was against the order
Of the Western Union Telegraph ,Compan
to produce kilograms in court or give evi
dence about any messages unless subpgne'
by the sender or receiver.
He would not produce the messages an
read the printed orders of his company
The judges took the orders and read ihen
Lawyer Edseriy objected to the admi,
sion of the kilograms Ms evidence.
Judge Doe made out q written orde
which was handed to the witness co nmand
ins him to produce the kilograms.
He did.
Things are getting slower and slower
by and by we shsll come to full stop,
said Judge Doe.
The witness was cross-exsmined at lepgi
by Mr.. Edgerly, which brought out the fa'
that all Of The kilograms had not been 10 Vi
possession Of the wi mess all Of the tim,
Mr.. c. G. Bedlov, OF Portland. had one {
ary. Byron z. Home, messenger in Il
Western Union Office, testified thst il
had seen Isasc b. Ssviel.e before he b.
seen him on Feb. I, in the depot. lie "a
Isaac write Telegram message and gi,
i, to operator Wilcox. He identified h
despatch in court lie again saw lea,
Sswtsll on the day following and receive
. mr.ssse from Isssc TO be sent asa
Saw Isasc sg lin thss day at P. NJ, VIE
the latter drove up to the dsp,t With
team. The carriage was top buggy wi
| sides down and the horse was sorrel hor
with small white star In the forehea
Sawtell was alone in the carriage. lisa,
got out and wenito the back Of the csrria 2
Then a man came from the ladies wsit.r
room and got into . csrrisge with Isaa
The Stranger wore low Gu, .hce, and .
on the right hand side of the carriss
Isaac took the reins and drove off in d
direction of East Rochester. Saw lisa
the next Monday, Feb. 10. as the etatio
when the witness received dispa'ch fro
Isaac to be sen, away.
Upon cro.s-examination Mr.. EiseFly b
gan@ 10 build re the wit tess, when
vas interrup ed BY Judge Doe, who
s.ructed the officials to arrest any one VI