Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-09
KELLY AND THORN.
(Con tinued from page ~

positive he could not change II.
William w. Willard Of Dover, was
challenged by the defence.
Samuel F. Page of Rochesterfi was
accepted as the eleventh Juror at 3.5S
and Charles NJ. Bosworth of Dover,
was then called and excused. as were
also Michael McGuinness and Charles
E. Webster Of Dover. all of whom had
formed an opinion.
joel Smart of Pennington, was chai-
lenged by the defence, as was also
George b. Quint of Milton.
James Rossiter of Dover. said he mad
formed such an opinion that 1t could
not be changed, and he was excused.
Thomas F. Hodgdon of Rollinsford,
was also excused for the present.
Frank Sleeper of Rochester. was Sc
lected as the twelfth juror, at 4.l6, ana
the panel was completed.
John r. Palmer Of Darlington was
selected as foreman, and the II men
were sworn in.
Clerk Durgin then read the indict-
ment, charging Kelley with the muir
der of Joseph A. Stickney.
The court, with Attorneys Edgerley
and Mason then held a consultation
and a recess of Is minutes was taken,
after which County Solicitor VIM. f.
Mason made the opening for the state.
reciting the circumstances of the
deliberate murder and spoke as fol-
lows:
May it please your Honor. Mr.. Fore
man and Gentlemen of the Jury:
Joseph Kelley. the respondent in this
case stands charged in this indictment.
with having. on the 10Th of April of the
present year, feloniously. wilfully and
of his malice aforethought and with
reconciliation and elaboration at Som
ellsworth, in this county. killed and
murdered Joseph a. Stickney.
He stands charged in the indictment
with having committed that murder
by striking said Stickney divers severe
and grevious blows with a policeman's
billy on the head, breaking the scalp
and giving the said Stickney mortal
wounds and then with a razor cutting
the throat of the said Stickney and
thereby also giving to him mortal
wounds from which wounds the said
Stickney died.
We expect, Mr.. Foreman and gentle
men of the jury. to prove to your minds
beyond reasonable doubt the truth of
the allegations set out in the indict-
ment. We expect to prove to your
minds a deliberately premeditated and
planned cold blooded murder. In other
words we expect to prove a case of
murder in the first degree.
We shall show to you that Mr.. Joseph
A. Stickney was a man 10 years of age
and somewhat feeble and at the time
of his death and for long time pre-
vious had been a resident of Somers-
worth. His occupation was that of
chashier of the Great Falls National
Bank which had place of business on
Market street in the city of Somers-
worth at the time of his death. and for
a long time before Mr.. Stickney had
been cashier of the bank. He had for
assistant cashier in the bank a lady by
the name of Miss SwaZey.
You will be taken to Somersworth to
view the scene. At noon on April 16,
there was money in the bank to the
value of $4,000. Miss Swazey was at her
home during the noon hour, while
Cashier Stickney was the only person
in the bank, and who expected to go to
his home upon the arrival of his assist
ant.
At about 2 o'clock, Frank p Reed
| visited the institution for the purpose
of transacting business and found the
glass in the door broken. He notified
| the city marshal, who climbed through
the space in the door and sent for Miss
Swazey to open the inside door and
upon going into the bank Mr.. Stickney
| was found on the floor. life extinct
with his thoat cut and his head terribly
fractured. Near the body was found a
blackjack and piece of brown wrap
ping paper An examination of the
| vault showed that nearly all the money
was missing. Miss Swazey in going
| behind the counter. found a piece of
paper with the following written upon
| it:
believer to Joseph E. Kelly my post
age stamps" Frank Stone. e
| Mr.. Stone was postmaster in Berwick
and kept his stamps in the bank. In
December, 1896. Mr.. Stone sent Kelly
with an order to get some stamps, but
the order found in the bank, April 16,
was not given by Stone. We expect to
show it was written by Joseph E. KEEL
ly. At this point the prisoner smiled
and looked about the court room when
Mr. Mason asked "Who is this Joseph
E. Kelly?"
Mr.. Mason, continuing, said: I'VE
will show that in December, 1896, KEEL
ly went to board and room with Mrs.
| Wilkinson in Berwick, and remained
| there up to the time of the murder.
In January, 1897. he hired rooms in the
Lothrop building, opposite the bank,
and from the windows in his room he
could look across to the interior of the
bank. He occupied the room up to the
time of the murder, still boarding in
Berwick. We shall attempt to show
that he planned the robbery. He told
Mrs. Wilkinson that he would pay her
Thursday, but did not pay, but that
day he went into store for piece of
wrapping paper and some Irvine and
that piece Of the paper was found in
the bank and the remainder in his
room in the Lothrop block.
I'VE shall attempt to show that KEEL
ly went into the bank and presented
his order to the cashier, and fell him
him to the floor and took the keys from
Mr.. Stickney's pocket and locked the
door, went to the box, put the money