The Portland daily press., 1895-12-25
THE SAWYER MURDER.
Hearing of the Thompson Brothers Began
Yesterday.

Augusta, December "a. The preliminary
hearing in the case of the Thompson
brothers, charged with the Sawyer muir
der, was commenced this morning in the
county court room. County Attorney
Heseltine appeared for the government
and Hon. H. M. Heath and Forest Good
win for the defence
Albert Sawyer. nephew of the murdered
man, was the first witness called.
He testified to the circumstances OF
finding the body of his uncle and de.
scribed the location of the farm build
ings.
Gle and Q. G. True stayed at his uncle's
house the night tie body was discovered.
When they went out to feed the cattle
in the morning Mr.. True discovered an
umbrella on one of the mows.
1t is understood that the government
will attempt to show that this umbrella
was the property of Edgar l.. Thompson.
Sawyer WAS still on the stand at !
O'Clock when the court adjourned till p.
m.
AT the afternoon hearing of the
Thompson brothers the CROSS examination
OF Albert Sawyer was continued. He
said that, in searching the house Tuesday
he found some notes and lose change
Wednesday, accompanied by his brother,
more thorough search was made which
resulted in finding an old shorts sack
in the shed containing bonds, stocks,
cash and bank books to the amount OF
$1400.
Ethan Little testified as to the calling at
Sawyer's house the Saturday afternoon,
but could find no one at home. Looked
in the window. Shouted, but got no re-
ply. Went to Mr.. Rideout's and got him,
started to break into the door, but
found it unfastened The bedclothing
was disarranged and the furniture seemed
disturbed and everything looked rs if
there had been search. He then went
home to dinner After dinner Rideout
and witness went to look over the scat
folds in the barn and were joined by 9th.
ers Heard Judkins say "Guess we've
found him" and when witness got to the
place they were just taking the hay off
the body. From what he. saw, witness
thought Sawyer was rather careless about
the house. There was false door that
gave evidence of having been pried open
with a chisel 1.-THE coroner found a
chisel that exactly fitted these marks.
Ansel A. Judkins testified to finding
the body at the time of the search.
Joseph Brown testified that he saw
Sawyer alive Saturday afternoon at about
8. 40 o'Glck. He was on his way to the
barn. 1t was raining heavily. Brown
was on his way to the postoffice at Mon
mouth Centre at the time.
DIR. H. NJ. Blake testified concerning the
autopsy. Sawyer was shot through the
face just below the nostrils. The ball
Was found at the base of the brain.
Death must have been instan taneous. He
should say that the body must have lain
at least "a hours before it was disco yered.
Coroner Kilbreth stated that at the
time OF the inquest he %heard nothing
about tramps having been seen in the VI
cinity. He found table in the bedroom
upon which were several pans of milk.
Cream had risen in all of them. There
was also some food, bakers loaves and
doughnuts. The loaves were uncut, indi-
eating that no one had eaten them.
AS. Young, proprietor Of Hotel Bruins
wick at Gardiner, testified that j. A.
Thompson came to his house the Sunday
following the Monmouth murder. He
asked for a place to change his clothes
and said that he wanted to take the train
for Boston. I gave him room for that
purpose. He did not register. He was
roughly dressed. [ called his attention
to the fact later that it was nearly train
time, but he said he guessed he wouldn't
In conversation with Thompson the fact
was brought out that he had lived in the
West, also in Skowhegan and Palmyra.
He said he came to Gar diner from his
brothers house in Gardiner where he had
been visiting. He went to Togus with
myself and guest during the afternoon
to attend the band concert. l believe
he offered to pay for my ticket. \ He
borrowed paper of ma containing an
account of the Sawyer murder He went
away from my house leaving his bag
gage and some clothing. / turned these
things over to Sheriff Norton. / met AL
Thompson about the 18th of September,
1895. He recognized me and apologized
for leaving me the way he did. He said
that he would make it all right with
sometime He said, left because I
was afraid they would make trouble for
me on that affair.""
1 asked him what affair, and be said
the Monmouth murder l think he left
my house Wednesday morning.
At Togus Thompson registered himself
by his right name in the visitors book.
At the conclusion Of Young's testi-
mony the hearing was adjourned till
Thursday at 10 o'clock.
Interest in the case is very great and
the court room was crowded all day.