Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-12-25
THE SAWYER CASE.
First Days Testimony in Mon
mouth Murder Hearing.
The Government Testimony Against
the Suspected Men.
Full Report oi What the States Witnesses
Stated Under Oath.

charged with the murder of Augustu
Sawyer of Monmouth, was held befor
Judge Andrews, yesterday, in the count,
court room. 1t was fortunate indeed tina
arrangements could be made to secur
these accommodations, for the hearin:
evoked the liveliest interest, and Their
was large crowd in attendance. TIL,
town of Monmouth, in particular, wa
generously represented.
The prisoners were brought into cour
promptly as 10, and took seats besid,
their counsel, Hon. H. NJ. Heath of Au
gusta, for Edgar L. Thompson, and For
rest Goodwin, Esq. of Skowhegan, for J
A. Thompson. Never has preliminary
hearing in this county attracted greater
attention.
County Attorney Heselton opened tn,
case for the government. He said:
l. Your experience as Judge in q muni
cipal court, as we'll as your experience
during years of Practice in the law has
| acquainted you with the fact that any
man who is charged with crime is not
only surrounded by the presumption of
| the law of his innocence, but is sustained
by the sentimental sympathy of few
who cndcavor to shape public opinion and
thus preJudge and predetermnc the func-
tions of the court. With these scntimcn
talists the crimipal act is dismissed, the
murdered man is forgotten and the
atrocity of the crime is buried in the same
grave with the victims body.
Should suspicion point towards any
one as the perpctrator of the crime
should investigation of their suspicious
strengthen the public officers belief in his
guilt, and evidence be discovered which
Unexplained would convict the suspected
party, and then the accused be arrested
and confronted with the facts, these same
sentimentalists would rush to the rescue
with claims of persecution by the officers
and demands for their discharge They
are usually few in numbers, but what
they lack in numbers they make up in
loudness of their claims and activity anu
industry in circulating assertions.
We're they counselors or attorneys or
even relatives. such course would be
commcndable for the close association of
such parties arouses partisan spirit, land
may even give to them an honest belief
that the officers are unnecessarily severe
even when they are doing their exact
duty.
But they are not. They rush to arms
against the officers because it is their
custom to do so and if guided by them, or
influenced by their claims no arrest would
be made and no crime would be inves-
tigated.
l have no doubt that your honor has
noted this fact in the past and may have
heard the criticisms of these people in re
gard to the present case and while deem
II unnecessary TO refer to it because of
any effect on your mind or that of the
general public at large that waits for the
government case TO be presented before
criticising its course or the conduct of the
officers connected with 1t, or forming its
opinion as to the innocence or guilt of the
accused, do wish to refer to the reasons
why the government proceeded by com
plaint and warrant rather than to await
the action of the grand Jury, that the
whole truth regarding 1t may be known
For more than a year and half these
mon have been under suspicion. Slowly.
step by step the testimony was accumu.
lating which indicated that they were
the parties connected with the tragedy in
Monmouth, These suspicious were
founded on facts which will be detailed at
this hearing and which / believe will
convince you or any fair-minded man that
we have the men who so wickedly took |
the life of the old gentleman Sawyer, May |
10, 1894. 1t was the purpose of the |
government to place all these facts before |
the grand jury next April, when it was |
learned from indisputahle authority, that i
Al Thompson was intending to leave for |
the West, as soon as he secured the |
means q statement subsequently affirmed |
by AL Thompson himself. Then 1t was |
that this step was taken. Once away, |
you know the difficulties we might have
in procuring his return. Hi arrest
carried with it the necessity Of the arrest
Of Ed Thompson for you viii see from the
testimony that we have that they are
jointly liable.
Now while as rule it is perfectly pro-
per for the government to proceed by
or Indictment which ever way
seems best, still | am aware that in this
case, after waiting 80 long, it would
iptfht as uDHtGcsStliiN SfFcit W udNt
accused arrested on an unbailable offence
and await the action of the grand jury If
the state took no chances In allowing
hem TO be at large From the informa
ton received | believed we did in the
person of Al Thompson and believing so
it was my duty to assist in OBTAINING him
until these charges could be investigated
and this testimony examined by the
grand jury IL your honor shall believe
there is probable cause to do so, and after
with the proper officers we
decided TO do so. This was the sole rea
son which prompted the asking OF this
warrant.
1t is the governments desire at this
time to show you BY testimony why these
are charged with this awful
crime and that justice would seem TO
require that they be held to await the
action of the grand jury.
Continuing, the county attorney said
hat the only possible motive for this
murder must have been robbery. 60 far
A. was known, Sawyer had not aD eEemy
IN the world. His lonely condition OF life
md his reputed wealth might well supply |
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