The Somerset reporter., 1890-10-09
MICAH NORTON TRIAL!

Saw no cartridges about the room. Was IN the
| room Thursday morning and Norton came in.
lie said, Look around and if you see any
| thing YOU want take it, At the same time
| Moron took a stick and pushed out from a part
OF the room box of cartridges, saying, There
is box Of something, cartridges guess"
Witness Unidentified both boxes Of cartridges
that have appeared in the case. l have made
some experiments with 30 calibre revolver; to
see how far powd er would imbed itself in the oc-
ject fired at Here the apparatus was brough,
IN that the sheriff had experimental with, show
ing how the experime mt was made.
). S. Walker recalled; Was present in the
room when Vaughan and Norton were there
Thursday morning. Testified as to cartridges,
as did Vaughan.
A. u. Brackley, member Of the Grand Jury.
Live in New Portland, after having been drawn
as member of the Jury | received letter from
Norton. Shown letter marked Government H.,
| and indentihed 1t as the same witness re-
| ceiyed.
The Attorney General read letter from Nor.
ton to witness. The letter fattered witness
somewhat as to his ability to serve as a grand
juror, and, while the writer did not want 10 in
huence the witness, nor seek to govern his judg.
ment nor that OF his associates in weighing the
evidence III the writer's before that body
he wanted the jury to take Unto consideration
the true facts, with no hope OF reward OF fear OF
| punishment. The writer regretted that the Jury
| did not know just what the character OF the
| important witnesses who would support the
| charges against him, and desired the Jury to be
| fair and If they could save him from paying out
a large sum Of money in corrupting society to
! do so.
| Ruel H..Stanley Of Bangor, representative of
the press Was at Norrldgewock Jail on Mon
day after Norton was incarceraed there. Went
| TO the house OF deputy Mitchell connected with
| the Jail. Mitchell introduced witness to Norton
as newspaper man. Was successful in at
| temp's to engage Norton in conversation. INVENT
TO hotel. Next morning called again. Mitchell
| locked witness in the corridor with the prison
| ers who were doing about the stove. Norton
was dressed. Norton Twas in a serious condi-
ton OF mind that morning. Told Norton what
wanted. lie seemed willing to talk with wit
| ness Norton began history OF what witness
called remarkably strange life. Witness said
Norton on that occasion seemed to open his
breast to witness and make him his confident
When asked by witness If he ever burned child
| Norton said, "No." "Never killed one =
NO Ever burn a tumor I" GOOD Goo
no. Ever know tumor to be cut from the
woman's body I" "No." In answer to wit
ness's question If he Norton, owed Mrs Coole,
at the time of her death anything that could bt
used as motive, Norton replied, "Good God
when | killed her, no, l don't mean thai
when they say killed her, she owed me, fo
had bought good many things for her, and hac
given her good deal of money. Now don't sc
and put it in the paper that say killed her
l don't mean that" Whereupon, Stanle,
tie stited, he promised Norton he would no
PRINT 1t, and that Is the true reason why thi,
piece of evidence. was not printed in the ;origina
accountlof the interview. Mr.. Stanley reiterated
SO that the jury could not misunderstood it, tha
Norton having made this lapsus inguae, em
phatcally corrected it.
| The testimony of some Of the witnesses befor.
the coroner's jury was objected to by defense
and the objection WAS sustained. AT 4.l5 the
government rested their ease.
| Satntday, Ocf. ~ J. Parlin Esq. opened for III
defense with concise and able statement, occupying
about 80 minutes The leading theory Of the deicns,
was that Mis- Cooley committed suicide, Mr parIi
| III substance said: hat she was taken from III,
| town OF Bingham by Norton, with an understandn,
with the oi the poor that they were TO TAX,
her back any time he SICK OF her that Mrs, Cooc,
became attached to the prisoner, and 10 MARI,
him. She attempted to make him belive that she wa
in family way with the purpose Of inducing him Il
| marriage, and all the talk Of purchasing the bab,
clothing made to induce Morton to take stock IL
her sorys. That she never had been in any physica
condition for child bearing since she first t,
| Norton to live. The theory Of the state that Mix,
had any motive for shooting Mrs. Cooley on account
Of having killed the child is sheerest bosh. Mrs
Cooleys physical condition was such render he
temporarily nsanc and all her talk Of Norton being
murderer and her threats to send him prison wer'
but fits OF insane jealousy. In her insane moments sh
often threatened 10 shoot any woman who tt
Norons to live and she aid She had the tools do
| with.
The condition in which Mrs Cooley was found ate
her death, proved conclusivcy that II was physica
impossibiy ior anybody to have shot her, she wa
lying on bed twenty four inches high, and that tn
shot she received was an upward aud backward shot
II anyone had entHrd The ap4 she. h-- ei.7.;.1
by the State the shot would have been a plunylng one
as her bed was so low that the person approaching
shot would have fired piunging sho, angle Of 4
degrees instead OF upward and backward shot III
testimony Of the doctors who performed the autopsy
ii was, in her The fact that she gave her taup
ter, Mrs. Burns, all her household furniture on tn
week before her deah after Norton had notified III
select men OF bingham to and get her the Mon
day that she killed herself strong piece of testimon
that she intended to commit suicide il she Obliged
leave Norton's she knew she must on the mex
Monday or Tuesday. That professional testimon
would be introduced to prove that the fire which it
claimed l.,I consumed the flesh and small bones Of til
child also must have consumed the skull ashes
there had been skull there, FIRST the bone Of III
skull Of an infant is not hardened
Nortons was the first name scallcdl by MIR. lParii
when the names OF witnesses for the defense cae
and these Witnesses 10 i'll number, sworn. Ihi
teen Of the Witnesses for the defense .men, III
remainder women Of not over thrtyhve years Of ag
Bingham, testified that Anna Cooley, a pauper on the
town. went to Nortons to live in 1885, witness givn
his consen, for her to go there, il she desired, with tn
understanding that when Norton couldn't take care
her free Of expense, to notify him send her back
went to Nortons house to get the body, after her deaf
on Tuesday night. Went again the next forenoon
Took Mrs. Coccy's effects away that day. Went int
Mrs. Cooleys room. There two trunks in III
left hand side Of the room upon entering the door,
aiarge one, also other trunks, basket and chest i
other parts Of the room. Opened the trunks remove
all articles IN them. Repackcd the goods in the ae
joining room Norton, undertaken Jacobs and Office
Walker were present at this time Found two boxes {
cartridges in one Of the trunks also small pisto
which were taken out, and put back into the trunk
In the schedule Of Anna Cooleys effects gun,
Anna Cooleylhad big lot OF things for a town paupc
Her effects were carried to Undertaken Jacobs wher
they were examined by the officers
William Jacobs, undertaken Of New Portland and on
of the eoroner's jury, visited Noron's home on Nor
day, Tuesday and Wednesday the week Of III
tragedy The first day he viewed the room and remain
of the dead and took note OF the articles in the room
Upon gong to Mrs. Coocys room on Wednesda
there were FIVE trunks in the room, chest. box an
basket. Two OF the trunks were on left hand side
the room near the door. One, a small trunk upo
visiting the room on Monday, the small trunk
seen by the witness in his examination Of the as
member of the coroner jury. The others see
there. There nothing the lei, side OF the door
have obscurcd the small trunk Monday II il had bee
there. Upon the other side Of the stood tn
other trunks These were partially hidden by elo,hin
them and partly covering them.
Hiram pcase Of New Portland testified to reaching
Norton's house early in the morning of the tragedl
when only Albert Page and Norton were in the room
| Did not take much notice Of the room. Norton ex
hibed conside rable feeling he stood over the form
Of the dying woman. Al this point witness dropped tt
the floor in dead faint and was borne from the
| by three
house early in the morning oi the tragedy and fount
| Mrs. Cooley dead. Did particularly the arti
arond ndoSi Mri inc room psfe o. es<pens was see,
red undershir and no outside shirt On the next da,
at the inquest he had ON striped shirt for
| outside shirt.
Norton and Mrs. Cooley. Heard talk the Las
time was there. That was year ago last April
Went down there to about Mrs. Cooley licking IN,
| boy. Went into the house She undertook TO leay,
| the room but told her would like talk with her
She asked what wanted asked her what she stricl
my boy for She said III is lie, | don't care VIII,
SAID IT, Norton said something about her talkn,
like that, and she said, "Sumner, don't want you +,
think am mean enough to strike your boy. | tol,
her she had got the boy to coming there and | did no
| think it was right Finally Mr. Norton told her ,ha
would have leave his house Did not not think Nor
ton using her we'll. Have known her talk Will,
and go out and lie down On the a,d Of March she die
this. She was somewhat excited. She did considcra
| bic talking lying down and getting up.
George Boynon Of Lexington, testified: Live about
| three quarters Of a mile from Norton. Have been al
his place frequently Vas there the day before heard
| 1890 A. NJ and was there again that evening. Stop
ped as went along that afternoon, and Norton gave
me me some letter. e. to mail at the village Have heard
had agreed to marry her. don't think any time she
said anything about going away from there.
Elias Taylor, Bingham-Was at Burns house with
Mrs Cooley's husband Mrs. Cooley was there. and
back onto the town Of Bingham This was two years
ago.
Thomas R. league, Lexington, testified: Know
Norton, knew Mrs. Cooley for the past two years
said to me What do you think the old devil has dones
told her did know. She said she was thrown on
the town. Said she would rather die than leave there
Aff.rneon-Miss Emma Norton. Lexington: Was
ssauasSsd wi, with Mr. Cooley Me' her frs. six year.
the flesh. The dents remained. Was there Sunday
before heard Of her death Monday. Saw Mrs. Cooley
peeking out Of bow window at Mr.. Norton and MI
Boynton. did some work for her while there.