Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1903-05-28
"Not Guilty"
Says the Jury.
William Saam on Trial, Char9.
ed with the Murder OF His
AGED Mother.

her home in Forks township las
January, occupied the attention O
the court until Thursday noon
The case was called at three o'clocl
Monday afternoon. The task O
selecting a jury proved to be diff
cult one. The entire panel of forty
eight names was exhausted ant
from that number only nine juror
were selected. 1t was then neces
sary to issue a special venire ant
summon additional jurors. Thi
was done before the adjournment o
court Monday. From the juror
thus summoned the box was finally
filled and at 1O:3O Tuesday morning
the District Attorney opened TIN
CAGE for the Commonwealth.
The following named gentlemen
We're selected to decide as to the gull
or innocence of the accused: l.. l.
Ross, WIN. Edkin, Edward Holmes
VIM. Allen, j. III. StackhOuse, JOhr
Rosencrants, Sr., John Pennington
Frank Campbell, M. o. Barns, Ern'
est Gansel, Andrew Rose, John
NAPLES.
The first two or three witnesses
called, testified as to the time and
place of the death of Mrs. Saam, and
the circumstances attending the in
terment of the body. A niece of the
dead woman testified as to her
observing certain bruises and marks
indicating violence and at her COM
plaint to the District Atty. and the
subsequent taking up of the body to
await the coroner's inquest. This
evidence was followed by that of DR..
McHenry, Coroner, who detailed
the proceedings before the Coroner's
jury.
DR.. w. F. Randall of Dushore, and
DR.. Bird ofOverton, were called and
described minutely the condition OF
the body. Both testified that it was
covered with bruises and wounds,
showing that violence had been in.
flicted. The injury that in theil
opinion led to the death of Mrs
Saam was puncture of the left lung
by the fracture of one of the ribs.
John Saam, the aged husband o.
the dead woman and the father O
VIM. Saam, the accused, was the
next witness. He admitted that hi
had seen William Saam slap ant
otherwise abuse the deceased, bu
denied all knowledge of any deed o
violence Immediately preceding he
death. He stated that she had beer
ill for day or two and when h
arose about five O'Clock on the Nor
ming OF January25, he found her deat
in her room.
Reuben Saam, brother of VIM
Saam, testified that he had seen hi
brother William slap and otherwis
abuse his mother and that such treat
ment was of common occurance.
Several neighbors of the partie
were called and all gave evidence O
showing that Mrs. Saam was con
stantly ill treated by her son. On
witness testified that on one occasion
he saw William Saam knock hi
mother to the floor and that he ha'
frequently seen him strike and bea
her.
All the witnesses called by th'
Commonwealth gave evidence show
ing that Mrs. Saam was at variou
times subjected to gross i'll treatmen
by her son. The last witness, Mrs
Vough, who lived but a short dis
tance from the home of the decease
gave a graphic account of indiv1dus
instances in which she had see
William beat his mother and lock
ing her out of doors.
The defense opened Wednesda.
afternoon. The first witness calle
was DIR. w. III. Randall of Laport
who gave expert testimony relatin
to the condition of the dead woman
4 Council for the defense sought l.
this witness to alter somewhat til
conclusions reached by Drs. w. l
: Randall and Arthur Bird who pc
formed the post mortem.
VIM. Saam was then called in h
defense. He admitted that he ha
at times been compelled to use fore
to restrain his mother who he sal