Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-02-24
Murder.

lows:
Last December Isaac B. Sawtelle
was pardoned from the state prison
where he had served II years on a
sentence of thirty on three indict-
ments for rape. Since that time be
has boarded with his brother Hiram
in Roxbury. The latter kept a fruit
store on Washington street, which,
together with his residence, has been
owned by their father, and was held
deceived his mother and induced her
to transfer the property to him, but
Hiram put an injunction upon it so
that Isaac could not sell it. The
property is said to be worth $15, 900
to $40, 900. These transactions have
caused hard feeling between the
brothers, and it is believed that in
order to remove every obstacle from
his path and to give him possession
of the property, Isaac plotted to re-
move his brother and the latter's en-
tire family, consisting of wife, ,daugh-
ter aged eight, son aged five and an
infant, Week before last Isaac ask
ed Mrs. Sawtelle's permission to take
one of the children to Lowell. Being
suspicious of him she refused. On
Saturday, Feb. 1 he came into the
house and told Mrs. Sawtelle that her
husband had given him permission to
take the little girl to Lowell, and the
mother finally allowed her to go with
him. When the father came home
at night he denied having given his
consent for the child to 90 with her
uncle. From Boston Isaac and the
little girl went to Lowell, staying un-
til Monday, when they went to Roch-
ester, New Hampshire. While at
the latter place the little girl claims
that her uncle attempted to poison
her with medicine and pills, but only
with the effect of making her sick.
Then he telegraphed to his brother
Hiram in Boston that the little girl
was sick with the "grip,'' asking him
to come Immediately. This was
Tuesday evening, Feb. 4. The next
morning second telegram came to
the mother, urging her to come to
Rochester. The inference is that if
she had responded in person, she. too,
would have been disposed of. 1t was
finally settled that Hiram, the father,
should go alone, and he left Boston
Wednesday, at 1 p. m.
From this moment his movements
became shrouded in mystery and he
was never again seen alive by his
friends. The following day, Thurs
day, Feb. 6, Isaac and the little girl
arrived home, and the former denied
having seen Hiram at all. Mrs. Saw
telle was suspicious of foul play and
accused Hiram of having put his
brother out of the way, which he
strenuously denied. Isaac remained
in Boston until the following Sunday,
when he disappeared. Hiram's alb
sence was reported to the police Sat
urday, and on Monday, February 10,
special officer Shields started for
Rochester,, while search was also be-
gun in Boston. From Investigations
made by the police it is learned that
on Wednesday, Feb. 9TH, Isaac Saw
telle hired team at a Rochester liv-
cry stable and met a man at the de-
pot (Hiram, without doubD with
whom he rode away. Within half an
hour he returned alone with the team.
1t is believed by some that he deliv-
cred Hiram into the keeping of his
cOnfederates at that time. Later in
the afternoon, about > o'clock, he
purchased a hatchet, pick-axe and
spade at hardware store, ,alsO a can
vas bag in which to carry them. Then,
again hiring the team, he rove'off in
the direction taken in the morning,
not returning until O'Clock at night.
To inquiries as to his purchase of a
spade, he replied that he intended to
purchase a farm in the vicinity and
wished to test the soil.
1t seems that on his departure from
Boston the second time, February g.,
he again went to Rochester, where on
Monday he bought two tickets for
Portland. His companion may have
gone there directly, but Sawtelle did
not, although he reached there in the
evening, where he registered at the
Falmouth house as j. Bridge, Dover.
He was assigned a room and was not
again seen for two days. On We'd
nesday stranger called at the hotel
and inquired for some one whose
name the clerk does not recollect.
Looking at the register, the stranger
ran down the names until he came to
that Of 81. BRIDGE when he eX-
claimed, "that's the man | want, -
and started off. No good descrip-
tion of this man can be given, altho'
it partially agrees with that of one
CDR" Charles d. Blood of Boston, a
fellow convict of Sawtelle's and with
whom he had been more or less init
mate since his release. Blood is miss
ing from Boston at the present time.
On Wednesday evening the clerk of
the hotel recognized "Bridge' as
Sawtelle, from the photograph in an
evening paper, and Thursday caused
/ his arrest. Sawtelle admitted his
| identity and was taken to Rochester