The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27

tehe, who murdered his brother Hiram, in
feoruary, 1890, died of apoplexy this morn
ing at the state prison. In response to a
sentiment that has rapidly become fixed
conviction in the minds Of many citizens
OF concord that death resulted from tax
ing poison, Mayor Clapp this afternoon
ADVISED Prison Physician Clark to make a
careful investigation.
Isaac B. sawtelle was born in Boston about So
seaFs ago. His father had grown rich in the
iruit business aud in running a cobber's shop
oy misery practices. Isaac was the Oldest son,
ahu rs ne showed an inclination Tor study and
uecaoeo ability, was given q liberal education.
ne attended Harvard university and was a
sfaduete OF its dental school, and after two
years OF travel through Europe he returned to
boston ana settled down. As dentist he was
successful, being fine workman ard a pre-
possessing man both in appearance and CONVEX.
sationaI ability. Isaac gained the reputation OF
being respectable
ihen two young girls charged him with as.
sauit, and upon that criminal charge he was
lhaicted, tried for rape, convicted and SEN
fenced TO twenty years Imprisonment. The
VIA caused sensation, aud for time after
the hrst clamor OF indignation subsidized the
question was raised IN many minds If the con-
'ieuon mad been just The girls who gave tes-
umony against him were fast One followed
up the noIonety that she obtained by giving
evidence in court by entering a life of shame.
anu the second married negro, afterwards ar
rested Tor robbery. These events transpired
within year after the time that Isasc had be-
gun MS sentence in Charlestown state prison.
he won the confidence of the warden, and was
given work that practically amounted to a
c4efksnip He was excellent linguist
great lover of Mathematics and also
maze pretensions in art. His drawings were
iavoraoiy criticised by artists who saw them.
ana there was so much that was intellectual in
MS make up that he e4rly came to be considered
worthy candidate for pardon. Events that
way DID not favor him, however and il was not
untii thanksgiving day, 1sS9, that pardon was
granted, alter he had served twelve years OF his
sentence. He had accumulated considerable
money by extra work in the institution Hebad
been the dentist whom the prisoners patronized.
ana there was 1900 laying to his credit when he
gained his liberty, resolved, as the world
tnonght, TO make aionemeut for his past wrongs
During his Imprisonment his father had died
Inc OLD mans estate, finally reduced by unfor-
tunate speculation, aggregated less than $4,000
LOT MS neirs, ana TO this sum Isaac could lay no
Claim. His father had done SO much for him
than he had for the rest of his family that he cut
MIN on without shilling, leaving his son
hiram, who had been a thrifty hard -workiug
man, as the sole representative of the estate
to control and inherit the mothers portion.
nen Isaac got out OF jail he went at once to
Hlrams home, 236 Dudley street, in Roxby dis
trict, Boston. This had been his fathers resi-
dence, and his mother was still living there
She was very aged woman Of nervous tenn
permanent and irritable nature, and between
hiran's wife and children and herself there
was not much harmony. In consequence, some
years previous, Hiram had decided to provide
her tenement in the upper portion of the
house In which she might live independently of
himself and family, aud for twenty years prior
10 1889 there was not much soeiability between
Mrs. Hiram sawtelle and the old woman It
should be stated in this connection that Hiram,
Though his wife Jeanette had borrowed the
sum OF $500 from Isaac prior to his releaee from
prison; ana it was nominalIy to re-
gain this money, which would make
Isaac the possessor Of $500, that be
visited his brothers home. When he got there
he found that Hiram WAS in financial straits;
that all OF the estate OF his mother was tied I'D
in land and in buildings: and the fact that
Hirams management had been open to eriti-
eism as regards the character of his invest
ments. perhaps induced the ex-convict, aside
from his motive of personal gain, TO solicit the
control OF the mothers portion for himself Be-
ing woman as weak mentally as Mrs Barnaby,
he had no difficulty in getting her to sign a
paper that legally conveyed 20 him the home
stead and oil of the other real estate standing in
fact OF the conveyance, and through his attor-
neys petitioned the court for temporary in
junction restraining the disposal OF the prop
erty. His claim was that, in addition to his
inherited equity interest, the property as
whole represented besides part of his life saw
ings which legally his mother had no power to
control. The injunction was allowed by the
court during Isaac's absence in the West,
whittier he had gone Immediately after secur-
ing the CONVEYANCE
Upon IsHacs return in January, 1890 he be-
came incensed al his brothers action and plot
ted 10 circumveut Hiram aud secure the prop
erty. Early in February he asked permission of
Mrs Hiram Sawtele to take her s-year-old
daughter 10 Lowell, Mass, 10 spend Sunday
with friends. He stated also that his mother
was going with him, and that they would not
be gone over three DAYS. This was on Saturday
morning. The child was allowed 10 go with her
granlm0ther, leaving the house early in the
afternoon. They did not return on Monday as
promised, aDd Tuesday night telegram Was re-
ceived by Mrs. Sawtelle, dated Rochester, y. H.,
which asked her immediate presence there on
account % her daughters illness. The follow
ing morning another telegram was received
which read that the child was buried, but that
either herself OF husband should go TO Rochester
a: once. The telegram indicated which train
was t. BE- taken. Hiram went. On the follow
ing Friday morning Isaac, with his mother and
anu niece, rSseEncu 10 Boston. tie tod his
sis,er-in law that he had not seen Hiram and
when she said that he had gone upon immedi-
ate receipt of the second telegram. he appeared
surprised and said that something must have
happened to him and that he would go immedI-
ately back 10 New Hampshire and search for the
missing man. This he aid on Saturday evening
On sunday Mrs. Hiram saBtelle, who was now
certain that foul play OF SEINE sort had been en-
acted, reported the fact OF her husbands dissp-
IN I Of sha
Filth precinct police. and he with ptomptness
delegated Special Officer Shields TO investigate
Mr.. Shields left for Rochester ths; afternoon
Monday the news of the disappearance got into
the newspapers, aud representatives of all OF
the Boston press were hurried TO Rochester,
which is !ocsiei ia the southern part of Nev
Hampshire, eighteen miles from Boston, in the
county OF Strafford The dividing line between
Name and New Hampshire is the salmon river
that runs through East Rochester. and frola
Rochester station. on the Boston 6'Maiae rail-
road the distance to the end OF New Hamushire
jurisdiction Is about four miles This TACT
should lie borne in mind, as the question OF
interstate jurisdiction afterwards proved
prominent feature III the prosecution. Officer
Shields discovered, upon reaching Rochester,
much information that was CiTcumstHatia!lv
against Isaac. He found 10 trouble in
locating the boarding house al which
the Little girl, Ter grandmother and lssAe
lad stopped, and there lie learned that
the child had impaired - Mrs. smlta, the land
LADY. tAst while IL Lowell on sunday her uncle
had given her some medicine from bottle that
had made her almost suddenly sick The little
child ssit she had been sick all the time up 10
her arrival N Rochester on Monday. This was
SAIL 10 explanation OF the home treatment Mrs
Smith gave aer. which soon brought the little
one into state OF constant health. Mrs. Saith
did nor know oi The kilograms sent by Issue.
but ~ the telegraph Office these were easily Sc
cured and the evidence was also specify forth
coming thai upon the day that Isaac designated