Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-04-22
THE FATAL BULLET.
Point on Which the Eastman
Murder Trial Will Rest.
Was 1t from Old Colts or Modern
Smith 4 Wesson Revolver
u Former. Nay Have eeen Accident. II Latter.
Murder Theory Holds.

Boston, April 21.--It is seldom that a
capital case has aroused SO much in
terest as that OF the trial, which will
begin, tomorrow morning, in the SUI
perior court at East Cambridge, of
Charles X. Eastman. an instructor at
Harvard University. charged with the
murder of his law, Richard
IL. Grogan, Jr., who was shot, July
last, while engaged in taget practice
with Eastman.
! The social as well as educational
| standing of the accused; his near re-
| lationship by marriage to the victim
of the unfortunate affair. both having
married daughters of the late Alvan
Clark, the world-renowned maker of
large telescopes; the apparent friendli-
ness of the two men an hour before the
| tragedy: the taget practice, which end
ed in the shooting Of Grogan. accident
/ ally as claimed by Eastman; GrOgan's
dying denunciation of Eastman as his
| murderer: the arrest and somewhat re-
| markable discharge of the instructor
after a hearing or inquest by a local
judge: and finally. Eastman's indict-
ment for murder by. the grand jury, in
| spite Of result of the inquest, have all
most noteworthy in the legal annals
Of the stage.
And this interest in the trial and its
outcome has not by any means been al
layed by the recent announcements
that Grosan's wife would testify in
Eastman's behalf. although. TO he sure.
she is his sister-in-iaw: and further
more. and this interests greatly the le-
xr.l lsafncri,n hN no Iat IN Ia,
1 first time for many years in a capital
f, case the attorney general announced
his intention of not appearing
as the leading counsel for the
government. The honor of a convic-
| ton or the brunt Of an acquittal will
fail on the broad shoulders of District
Attorney Fred n. Wier of Lowell. and
! his assistant. George a. Sanerson of
Aver, while Eastman will have the
combined efforts of three of the most
prominent lawyers in the state. Samuel
J. Elder, Charles w. Bartlett and Ed
ward f. Clark. all of this city.
| But owing to District Attorney
Wier's sudden illness. today. the attor-
ney general was forced to reconsider
his decision and will appear in court.
tomorrow. There is possibility that
| The entire Eastman family will be
present in the court. the father of the
accused. and n prominent lawyer in
New Orleans. having arrived. yester-
day. from the South.
| AS usual in murder trials in this
state. two justices of the superior court
| will preside. Francis A. Gaskill Of
Worcester, and John A. Aiken of
Greenfield while n panel of 165 jurors
from every city and town in the coun-
ty will be drawn upon for the jury. 1t
is expected that the trial will occupy
week at least. and that expert testi-
mony especially relating to firearms
will be the feature of the evidence. In
practically on the calibre of the bullet
which killed Grogan.
The two young men, for Eastman is
but 81 years old. while GrOgan was 90.
lunched together at the Clarke resi-
deDce on the national holiday. and.
about $50 that afternoon. went into
the garden back of the house to en-
gage in target practice. 1t is claimed
that some months previous to this the
two had had an alteration, said to
have been caused by jealousy on
Eastman's part by Grogan's success in
business. but no i'll feeling was
went into the garden.
Just what took place there can only
be learned from Eastman. He stated
at the inquest that after firing at the
Continued IN page 81