The sun., 1890-04-14
THE SAWTELLE TRAGEDY.
AN ALLEGED CONFESSION BIZ HIRAM
TO HIS LAWYER.

tended. and He DIdn't Know HIs Brother
was KILLED Tnul Informed by Letter
Received at Portland from DIR. Blood
BosToN, April 13.-The Globe to-day pub
iished what purports to DO confession OF
Isaac b. Sawtelle as to the manner in which
his brother Hiram met his death on the night
OF Fob. 5, either in New Hamphire or Maine.
In 1t the prisoner lays the guilt OF murder
upon Dr. Blood and another eK.convict known
By him as Jack According to the published
story. the murder was unpremeditated. Isaac
and the other two men conspired to decoy
Hiram into Maine and friEhten him into sign
ing away all his claims upon his mothers prop
erty. The alleged confession is given to tho
public by Lawyer Edgery OF Great Falls, n.
H. who acted as Sawtelle's counsel in the pro.
liminary hearing. The Hon. William b. Gale
OF this city, who is senior counsel for Sawtelle.
says there Is no truth to the story as published.
He says 1t is preposterous to think that any
lawyer would give away his defence before the
case was called for trial. The following is the
gst OF the so-caled confession
Il am guilty Of being a party to q conspiracy
which, In itself felony. resulted in my brothers
DEATH 1t is not true, however that commit
ted the the deed In person. nor did the murder
take place within the limits or jurisdiction OF
the State OF New Hampshire. 1t occurred In
Maine. 1t is not true that murder was intend
ed by me when executed q plan which decoyed
Hiram to Rochester on tho afternoon Of
Feb 5, 1890. Dr. Clar!cs l.. Blood and a
man | cannot positively indentity by name
but who was a convict with Blood at Charles
town. are responsible for his death. which oc-
CURED near where the body was found in the
woods OF Lebanon. l have had Dr. Blood 5 own
handwriting for the proof that Hiram was
killed In struggle. during which more than
intended violence was used by either he or his
partner 20 prevent Hiram from gaining his
liberty.
The real conspiracy. planned by DR.. Blood
assented to by me. directly turthered by his
companion and directly by friend in Lowell.
was an attempt to forcibly procure from my
brother an Acknowledgement and full release
OF all claims against the estate Of our mother
which had been conveyed BY her to me prior to
the time OF the placing Of an attachment uron
the same by Hiram. The circumstances
attending the origin OF the conspiracy
are these: After getting the property
above mentioned conveyed TO me.
went West, looking for a sound business
opening where legitimate investment
knew but little of Hiram4.s INTENDED action in
opposing the transfer. | pom my return. how:
ever, was made acquainted with the facts and
known DR.. Blood intimately in prison and l
was aware OF his shrewdness and business
ability. He had called on me at the dudley
street house and also at the store alter my re-
IeaSe IS @ from prison had also been to his room
theess, that talked my difficulties over with
him. Asking for ADVICE, l cGncisey related
questioned ME closely about Hiram real claim
10 the estate. Alter informing himself thor:
would have on trouble in, maintaining my
claim II could get from Hiram an acknow-
ledgment Of IT. NJ obligation i2!t him tAa; vas was
yersed il business He said he meant e force
him TO sign a release asked him how it
could dc done, and he said: Look here, Saw
telle. you have come out OF prison with
chance 10 begin again. You earned money
S ask ESae me to 9S Eep F regain @ @
M MaFeady IN y9ur 11ms me yaiIgH as th9Gsandhs h..
would give him handsome present. He asked
how much and told him the . least he would G%
that would stand in court. l told him that II
that amount gladly, provided he, showed me
the way that It was to be done: Tpat s he did,
was satisfactory i should, give him a cash
advance as guarantee. had confidence in
!oR OF this kind II You could got your
brother there am sure We could Tighten him
tie hame Of '-t the pace e and Blood anwtred
evasively that II was near sprinGvale. Then |
WGGnd 6e the nS W " w9Gh & ber the %S
plenty OF time In which 20 formulate a plar. |
gave pr. Blood 500 ca-h and a note t9r i40o.
blood called the, man who was. t. assist
Me- y, : arfy 1t was Dc te,Enaief4i fi when should 60
the seat OF my operations.
In making my preparations my chief DIM
which 10 Operate ny, y,sscheme. Finally thought
Of the young CIR! Marion, whom | felt sure |
would answer thepurLose wanted my mother
which was an excuse why Marion should 20 at
all. and secondly because the old lady would
was away. Before leaving home however, / |
ga not think 1t a4ytsf69 10 ny was
been been dscrIf6ed, and ,,syea '"? at Mr Htch; chs
Richardson some money that he wanted |
badly, and partly as an sxplaEstion OF my pur- !
opsssions aeant H9 Hiram Wien cot eH sted
in my boarding house in Rochester witt! Marion |
and mother spent esr my KITS mqeh q IN The man
papers. Ny acts there which have not been
published that bear directly on the case are
and askel il there was a letter for J, Bridge. |
It was under that name that DR.. Blood had tod
was me This satisfied me Blood was puncual |
in Keeping his word and meant business.
sawteliS,s alleged coaiesson Ihsn e3ranss
Kochester, which have, cen fully told in The |
Sun. Then he told OF his meeting with the (
ct! er con -pirator named Jack.
=" II hal been arranged that | should Igect |
the others at an oil deserted house on tho /
spring vale road, A ! ,auproached, ! saw a
and walk NJ the road in the diroc- |
ton OF my team. | knew ne was B!oOis |
man. for ! recognized him as a convict
who had been, nut in Charestown prison
for breaking and entering and attempted rape. ,
lie hal been ont considerable time. but de-
spite the changes in his appearance mmgdi- |
ntey recognized him as an old friend Of
Blood's though | couldn't speak his name. l |
asked him what 1t was and he answered. You
may caIi me Jack Ihen he passed paper TO
me- saying; 81 od told me 20 show you shat
aHd get t35 that YOU wEEi4 give w. 1 turned
in. and then. by his. suggestion. let
ting tho horse wall through, the rather
deer snow We drove down the old back road !
toward the old logging camp near which tho
body was disinterred Jack tod me tlat he /
had come from over Springvaie way, but did |
not definitely state whence. He said ! WAS
ate a nd that he had been waiting consilera- /
lie time also that he had walked over, for
which reason he had been unable 70 bring |
some tools that he eNTected would be- neces, |
sary TO make the camp habitahlo. | asked |
h IN what he was going 10 do and he said that |