The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-22
LITTLE MARION SAWTELLE TESTlFIES.
She Tells How Uncle Isaac Made Her
Take Medicine.
Portland Men Relate tho story of
SawtelIe's Arrest Here.
What Is Said In Dover About the
Governments Case.

DOVER, N. H., December 20.-Popular
opinion Of the strength of the governments
case against Isaac Sawtelle is about equally
divided, and individual prejudice as to Isaac's
guilt or innocence seems to have much to do
with forming this opinion. Much of the tes-
tfmony Is circumstantial, and its full weight
cannot be easily estimated until each link in
the chain is put into its proper place and
welded there by argument. There are also
discrepancies in the testimony, particularly
as to the time when Isaac drove out of Roch-
ester on the fatal afternoon, and did or did
not do certain things along the road. Salient
points stand cut, however, here and there.
and Mr.. Kivel Is still pleased at the showing
he Is making, and confident that he can forge
that chain Of circumstantial evidence to the
satisfaction of the jury. Time will show IL
he can do so. A good rule to follow, how
ever, is to hear the defence before judging
the guilt Of the prisoner, on the strength of
coming week maysmake such changes in the
situation, which now looks dark for the pris-
0ner, as will also change public opinion. At
any rate, the interest In the trial cannot fail
to rise instead of diminish, and the week is
looked forward to with great expectation.
Inspector Cogan Of the Boston police was
the first witness to take the stand. He told
of finding blood spots on the buggy In little
more detail than the stableman. and also of
the pine needles on the mat He then de-
tailed his examination of Sawtelle at the
lookup in Rochester the morning after his
arrest. He found a spot of blood on his neck
tie, blood spots on the welt OF one of the
shoes, and small spots on the coat and vest.
An attempt had evidently been made to re-
move the spots on the coat ond vest, but not
the necktie; examining the underciOthing he
found a large blood stain on the drawers ex-
tending from the left knee upward along the
thigh. There was also similar one on the
right knee, and both seemed to have been
rudely washed. While dressing Isaac in new
clothing procured fer him, witness exam
ined his person for traces of blood, and found
something clotted in the depression of the
flesh around one thumb nail. Witness showed
it to Isaac, who said that it wasn't blood, and
further, this thing happened eight days ago.
Don't you think have washed my hands
since?" '1f you haven't washed your hands
since. that Is all right" replied the Inspector.
Isaac then grew excited, continued the
witness, "and, calling for his counsel, Mr..
Worcester, said that they would exaggerate
this, and protested that 1t was not blood on
his thumb nail" SIT is not blood. but dirt"
said Mr. Worcester, after an examination.
"H0w can it be dirt If Isaac has washed his
hands a. he says he has?" remarked Captain
White, who was standing by. The Inspector
looked at Isaac's thumc again, but found the
blood gone.
Cross-examination failed to make any
change in Mr.. Cogan's testimony. but brought
a few more details.
Captain Martin L White of the Boston po-
lice force corroborated the testimony Of In
spector Cogan.
John W. Clark testified that on Monday,
February 10th, he was given ride on the
road from East Rochester by Isaac In the
conversation which followed, Isaac said he
was hunting for his brother Witness could
not remember all the conversation, but did
remember be said he had not seen his
brother since Wednesday last. As they
drove down by the Morrill, barn Isaac asked
who's 1t was, and was given the desired in
formation.
Mr.. Edgerly's ss-examiuation was de-
voted to bring out discrepancies between the
witnesses testimony and that which he gave
at the preliminary trial.
Mrs. Elizobeth Hayes, wife of the propri-
etor of the Cascade House in Rochester,
night, Feb. 9th, and said he was looking for
his brother He went away Monday morn
ing after making inquiries, and saying that
family troubles were at the bottom of his
brothers disappearance. This testimony was
that Isaac was making pretended Inquiries
for his brother, to avert suspicion from him
self.
Isaac's movements in Portland were then
traced through the introduction of witnesses
from that place. Clerk Charles B. Costello
told OF Isaac's registering at the Falmouth
hotel as j. Bridge, Dover, and his departure
without paying his bill. Police Officer Chas.
E. Hanson told of Isaac's arrest for evading
his board bill Just as he boarded the Mon
treal express Thursday morning.
This testimony brings out the fact that
Isaac was not held In Portland for any
charge but that named by the police officer
Nothing but his own penuriousness stopped
him from leaving the city, for Capt. White
was still on his way from Boston, and even
than nnQrpn which f,t
After Capt. Whites arrival Isaac was in
duced to pay the bill, ard being thus cleared
from the custody of the Portland officers,
was taken to Rochester.
Joseph Wentworth, who keeps store Just
across the river from East Rochester told of
Isaac's visit there Tuesday, February 4, and
pricing picks and spades. The spade partic.
ularly examined was a round pointed one.
ami an, Isaac n,a wished to know how
ground. He was told that it might do In
the woods or on low land near the river, but
not on open ground. Witness asked Isaac
for what purpose he desired the spade, and
after several evasions the latter reluctantly
lot of land which he intended buying up this
way. This led to conversation about land
Isaac did not take the spade and finally
drove away without making a purchase.
MIR. Wentworth next saw him at the ROches-
ter depot on the afternoon of the 9th, while
four. Mr.. Wentworth's testimony was given
with an emphasis, which crOss-examinatiOn
failed to shake. As Mr.. Edgerly undertook
to show that the witness was now more pre-
else in his statements than at the prelimin-
ary trial and testified to new things, Mr..
Wentworth raised smile In the court room
by the emphatic declaration that he was
at that trial and had not a chance
to tell his story in his own way.
Arthur w. Smith, of Rochester, who used
t1 h.ru ha oroxr rafNn in
der testified that its condition was not
changed while in his possession.
DIR. Walter III. Tobey, Hiram +. Sawtelle's
family ply sician, identified the body by the
diseased condition of the skin near the finger
nails and traces of an abscess on one foot,
for which he had treated him.
Attorney VIM. G. Williamson Of Boston,
was called, and was proceeding to testify as
to lsaac's visit to his Office in B ston. when
for the defence objected on the
ground that such professional visits and con-
yersations were privileged communications.
The objection was sustained and Mr. WILL
hanson stepped down.
Little Marion Sawtelle, Hiram's nine year
old daughter, was called and sworn, after be-
ing examined by the Chief Justice. She
Uncle Isaac and stopped at Mrs. Smith's.
Monday she was well, but Tuesday
when she got up she was sick. She felt
much better In the aftern0n, but later In the
day Issac asked for a cup and spoon and
then told her to come up stairs. He told
her to take some modcne. She twice told
him she was not sick, but, as he insisted, she
finally took some medicine that he poured
from bottle into a spoon for her. Soon af
ter he made her go down stairs, where she
became sick and vonited. On Thursday.
Isaac asked her to get some wrapping paper
from Mrs. Smith She did so and he wrapped
her rubbers in one package What the other
bundle contained she did not know.
Lawyer Edgerly declined to cross-examine