St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-27
ESCAPED The ROPE.
Isaac Sawtelle, Fratricide,
Dies in His PRS IN Cell Of
Apoplexy.
The Death Scene Entirely De-
void Of Sensational
Features.
Desired to Be Buried Beside
the Brother He Had Cut
to Pieces.
Facts Of the Crime for Which
Facts of the Crime for Which
SaWtelle Was to AdoPn
the GalloWS.

CONCORD, Y. H.. Dec. 26.-By the in
terventiOn of death Isaac Sawtelle, the
fratrjcide, has escaped the gallows. The
prediction Of DR.. Clarke, last night, that
he would not live more than twenty
four hours, has been verified. At 1905
this morning he drew his last breath,
and the remains now lie in lower room
in the prison, prepared for burial
and awaiting instructions from
his counsel during the trial. The
death scene in the hospital was
entirely devoid of anything like
sensational incidents. From the moment
of the first attack to the end there was
no apparent change for the better in the
murderer's condition. The features
present a natural and lifelike appear
ance, and give no indications Of pain.
DR.. Clarke prepared the death certifi-
cate. In this his name is given as Isaac
b. Sawtelle; place of birth, Boston,
Mass; age. hfty-fve; cause of death,
apOpleXy. Some months since Saw
telle expressed wish that he might be
buried with his father and his brother
Hiram in Forest Hills cemetery, Boston.
A Strange DeSire.
When he testified before the full
bench of the Supreme court at the hear
ing upon his application for a new trial,
he tearfully said that he had told where
his murdered brothers head could be
be found because he expected 70 he
hanged for what he had done, and as he
wanted to be buried beside Hiram, he
desired TO have all his remains lie in his
grave. He expected new trial. He
did not get it, and the disappointment
possibly fastened his death.
In view of the fact that many people
have a suspicion that poison played
some part in connection with SaWtelle's
death, Prison Physician Clarke will
make a careful examination, while
County Solicitor Donovan will take such
action as may be necessary to ascertain
the true facts.
On the afternoon of Wednesday. Feb.
5, 1890, while driving over a road be-
tween Rochester, n. H., and Lebanon,
Me-, IsaSc II. Sawtele shot and killed
his brother Hiram. The body was
found in a shOckingly mutilated cOndi-
ton on the afternoon of Feb. II. The
head was missing, and the limbs had
been severed from the trunk. The head
was subsequently found some distance
from the scene of the murder. On Feb.
- Isaac was arrested on train going
to Portland, Me.
Penalties Differed.
At the cOrOner's inquest, held both in
Maine and New Hampshire, it was de-
cided that the murder had been COM
mitted in New Hampshire. Sawteie
maintained that the murder had b9en
committed in Maine, where the extreme
penalty WAS imprisOnmentfO for life. The
states attorney successfully argued that
New Hampshire was the scene of the
crime, and Isaac was convicted Of muir
der in the first degree. and was SEN
! fenced to be hanged. His appeal for a
new trial was denied.
The father of the Sawtelle brothers
was a well known character in Boston,
! known as yankee Doodle" Sawtelle,
| because he was rarely known in public
to cease whistling that lively national
air. He is well remembered there as a
cheerful old cObbler, who trotted around
| the streets or rode on the top of Omni-
| buses, always carrying several boots
| slung over his shoulder and always
| whistling.
1t was rumored that he had failed in
| business and had taken to cObbling for
support. When he grew too old to find
comfort in peripatetic trade, he opened
fruit store in the Continental block,
where his sons assisted him. The saw
ings of Yankee Doodle" Sawtelle were
disastrous to his SONS.