The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-08
HOW HIRAM WAS KILLED.
Isaac Sawtele Makes Another Full
Confession.
A BLOOD-CURDLING TALE TOLD
He LuieI His Brother into the Maine
Woods and Shot Him While He
Was Defenseless-The Proceedings In
Court To-day.

CONCORD, N. H., Dec. s-The hearing
upon the application Of Isaac Sawtelle for
a reversal of the sentence of death, upon
the ground that he killed his brother
Hiram In the State of Maine instead of in
New Hampshire, was continued yesterday
afternoon. 1t was session made excit-
inkly and designatingly sensational by the
alleged confession by the prisoner. After
Sawtelle was sworn he testified as follows
II met my brother Hiram on Feb. 8,
1890, at Rochester. told him his daugh-
ter Marion was sick. i went for a team at
Smiths stable and then got a spade and
pick and shovel. Iput them in the back
of the team. drove direct to Sinclair's
store from Rochester depot, got there 5:35
II. NJ; got pen and ink and a lamp filled
there; while / was in the store Hiram re-
mained in the carriage; l drove over the
bridge into Maine. j asked Hiram il il
wasn't better to sell the land and pay up
the mortgage, so as to have an income
from the house on the Dudley street rent
al in Boston; he said he would like TO have
an income; that was the business about
which wished TO see him.
when | reached the Marsh road /
turned into the little path near the wood
mans shanty in the woods. | said,
Hiram, | came down here to talk with
you. do not want TO lose the property
on your account, and do not want you to
lose it have got some papers here that
| want you to sign | took the papers
from my pocket, and said: You may
sign there or take shot pulling out a Ie-
volver and pointing il at him.
" He then jumped from the wagon and
after him; he fell down and said. Don't,
Isaac don't;' said, No, Hiram, won't
Do as / want you to and won't hurt you;'
he held my hand in which the revolver
was until after j promised not to hurt
him; then stepped away and he got up
| then said, Il came here not TO do you
any harm, j want some property from
mother He then began to walk toward
the shanty, and, after going some twenty
feet, broke into a run.
Il started after him and called several
times, Hiram, Hiram, stop, or will fire. ,
As he kept on running, fired; after firing
he ran n little way and fell; then ran up
to him and shook him; he said nothing;
then thought of the horse, and after Sc
curing it came back 10 where Hiram lay
and he did not speak; | then put the pistol
to my head to kill myself and said, Good
by, Hiram, I'm going TO shoot lmmedi-
ately said, My God there is my poor old
mother, must live for her. | lowered the
pistol, and rs l thought Hiram was NOV
ing, fired three more shots into his body
to put him out of pain.
81 then took hold OF the boots and
dragged the body about 100 yards and
began digging a grave; | hurried up and
took off his clothing; the grave was not
large enough and / took the hatchet and
chopped OFF his head and arms; ] found
had not buried the head aud took il in the
bag with his shirt around it; put the bag
in the team and finally drove into the
woods and buried the head under some
birch trees. AS buried it said: Good
by, Hiram.
II threw the axe lamp and shovel into
the river as crossed from Maine back to
Rochester; took Hiram's clothing TO my
boarding house and went 10 bed, not meet
ing with mother aud Marion; went to
Boston; threw the clothing and revolver
from ferryboat into the harbor; his
clothing was bloody, also my own; bought
the revolver in Boston the day | went to
Rochester"
III did not buy the revolver for any par
ticular purpose; intended TO use il upon
Hiram, If necessary; my idea was TO get
him TO sign the papers so as To clear up
the attachment and injunction and leave
the property in my name. ! knew that If
he signed them there in the woods he
would never say anything about what
took place between us afterwards.
when buried the body | was fright
ened by the light of the moon, otherwise
should have dug the grave long enough to
take the body without mutilating it;
have again and agairrstated that | did not
murder my brother: 10 is too bad for any
man 20 have 20 admit such thing, but
did IL: have said time and time again
that DIR. Blood killed my brother; that
statement is untrue, although he did tell
me how TO act when | was arrested at
Portland on the cars going to Canada"