The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-03
Story Of Randolph, N. II. Murder
Told in Court.
THE ALLEGED MURDERER GIVEN
PRELIMINARY HEARING.
Admits Doing the Killing but Declares 1t
Was in Self Defense-Younc Women
Inmates of House Tell Story of the
Affair.

Inmates of House Tell Story of the
Affair.
Berlin, N. H., August 2.-George S.
Staples of Randolph, an aged farmer,
who shot and killed Norman Decost late
saturday night claiming it to be in self
defence, was brought here today from
Randolph for an examination in the local
police court. Judge Stearns presided and
County Solicitor Goss conducted the
prosecution, while William H. Paine ap-
peared for Staples.
The court room was crowded but
Staples, upon being brought in by the
ofllcers, appeared cool and collected, and
during the few minutes preceding the
hearing was allowed to converse freely
With his friends outside the rail TIE
reading of the complaint was waived by
the counsel for the defence and immedi-
atcly Staples pleaded not guilty.
The first witness called was Dr. Walter
u. Williams of Gorham, who examined
the body of Decost after the tragedy He
said that he did not make an autopsy as
there was no question as to the cause of
the man death.
The bullet, however, had been cut out
OF the mans back and was produced. DIR.
Williams said he had known Decost for
some time and had heard that be was a
dangerous character. He saw him Satur-
day night In company with another
rather hard looking man. They were
riding toward Gorham, and were drink
ing, swearing and making q noise. He
pronounced Decost to have been we'll
built muscular person who was probably
very strong.
Emma Knight, the next witness, said
that she lived at Staples's house and had
been there about a year. She described
Decost as being of very ugly disposition
but could give no specific act Decost, she
said, first came to the house on Thursday
morning in, company with two other
men. The latter, however, left that day,
while Decost stayed until Saturday after
noon. Walter Dory, one of Staples s
hired men took Decost to Gorham in one
of Staples's teams and returned about
half past ten at night. Two other of
Staples's men had been paid off and had
gone to Berlin, but at night they re-
turned. Dory told Staples that Decost
had met two Frenchlnen in Berlin named
Peter Talbert and George Buehard, and
he (Dory( was afraid that Decost would
come back with them. The witness said
that just previous to the shooting two
other men from Jefferson drove up to the
house but did not attempt to enter. A
little before II o'clock Decost appeared
with the two Frenchmen, and attempted
to enter the side door, but Staples upon
hearing their voices outside had locked it.
After the men tried the door Staples de-
manded their names. Both the French
men answered and declared that they were
alone. Staples then unlocked the door
but Decost was there and attempted to
push in. Witness heard Staples say,
Don't you come in here" He said this
| twice and threatened to shoot The
Knight woman said she was not in the
dining room when the shot was fired, but
| in an adjoining room. She saw the
| smoke but did not see Staples fire. When
| the shot was fired all the inmates of the
house including the two men who had
come in with Decost rushed to the front
entry and some out the front door.
Staples told the witness that he fired at
Decost, but did not know whether he had
killed him or not. He said he had done
| it in self defense and it looked then as if
Decost was dead
She also said that while Decost had
never done anything to her he had on
Friday night so frightened all the women
in the house that they all ran down stairs
while she hid under the bed. Decost then
| tried the door and afterwards ransacked
all the trunks on the second floor He
finally went to bed about O'Clock. In
cross examination she testified that
Staples had sent for Mr.. Reed the town
constable and asked to have Decost ar
rested, but as the latter appeared to be
| behaving Staples decided not to take such
action at that time. Saturday afternoon
Reed was sent Tor again but did not
come. In rebuttal she described all the
rooms in the house as well as the position
of the inmates at the time Of the shoot
ing. Before the shooting she heard
| Staples call on the men from Jefferson
to help him, as he was afraid there would
be trouble. Perley Low the owner of the
house and who had occupied the other
half of 1T, described Decost as Just such a
character as one would see on Commercial
street. Boston, and on Charles street,
| New York, 25 years ago. Lowell corro-
| borated nearly all the testimony of the
preceding witnesses. He said at the CON
clusion that Staples went after the select
men of the town who soon arrived with
| Mr.. Reed, the constable.
| Ethel Varney testified that she heard
Decost say to Staples. II you had not
used me so well 1 would kill you any
way In two instances Decost had
drawn knife on those in the house. One
Of the weapons was small meat knife
with five inch blade. Decost also carried
into the house piece Of iron about 10
| inches long with a nut on the end. At
| this point the court adjourned until 9
O. clock tomorrow morning.