Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-24

Bangor, Me. Aug 23.-(SpeciaD.-
The trial of John p. Rance, 4 member
of the Penobscot tribe Of Indian and
a graduate of Carlisle college, for man.
slaughter was begun in the supreme
court here today. Rance is accused of
having killed Peter ]. Loring, son Of
Big Thunder and a famous guide and
hunter. on Indian island on the night
of Oct. % last. Rapid progress was
made in the case today and it is ex
pected that q verdict will be reached
some time tomorrow, possibly by to-
morrow noon. After this case is dis
posed of one or two minor cases will
be tried and the docket cleared for the
trial for murder &C DR.. w. II. ii. Briggs
of Bangor. The Briggs case promises
to be one of the most sensational ever
tried in this county and will be begun
Monday morning.
The contentious hf the State, as out
lined by County Attorney Pattcn in Ihc
Rance case are as follows: That RAN
co. Loring and Loring's wifi. were in
Milford late in the afternoon of Oct.
%. all drinking considerably. They
We're driven home to Indian island by
constable and went to the I.oring house
where they drank more liquor and ate
supper. Soon after supper Mrs. Lor-
ing went to bed and knew nothing more
of the nights occurrences. She aWoke
about o'clock in the morning to find
her husband dead outside the house
Loring'S dcIth was caused by q bullet
such as would fit q 80 Savage rifle and
the only rifle of that kind on the island
was i'll RANGES possession on that
night. Loring's body was found near
Il pool of blood ana beside the pool
We're Ranco's coat and cap The State
also claimed to be able 10 show that
Loring and Rance war" together at
various times that night ana that by
a process Of elimination would prove
that Lorings death must have been
| caused by the respondent.
Mrs. LOrng wife of the dead man
was the first witness. : a. stated that
she went to Milford on The afternoon
| of oct 30 with her husband and Rance.
| that they drank more or less liquor
and early in the evening returned to
| the island and went to their home near
the shore. She prepared supper for
| the three ana soon after ii was eaten
she went to bed. She knew nothing
| more until she awoke about 3 o'clock
| in the morning and found her husband
missing. She went outside and there
discovered his body on the ground be-
meath her bedroom window. She gave
the alarm to the officials. She saw
nor heard nothing during the evening
| to indicate any unfriendly feeling be-
| tween the two men nor any sign of a
row.
Constable Frank Eastman of Milford
| testified that he saw the trio in Milford
| on the afternoon of Oct. 30 and twice
drove them away. the second time go
ing with them far enough to ensue
| their going to their island home
| Ada Bassett and Mary Lola, who live
near the Loring house on Indian is
land. stated that they were twice
awakened on the night of Oct %, be-
tween and 10 o'clock by two men
whom they recognized to be Loring
| and Rance. They said that both men
| appeared to have been drinking
Charles Mitchell. or as he is called
on the island. Charlie Daylight. con-
stable of Indian island, stated that he
| was Iptillcu vi IIOIIIiS y USdtU III 4
o'clock on the morning of Oct. %. He
went to the Loring house. He found it
| in a state of disorder and saw indica-
| tons that struggle Of some kind had
| taken place there. He examined Lor-
ing's body which lay outside the house
| and saw several pools of blood near
Wy. He found some used cartridge
shells near one of the pools of blood
and identified some that were shown
him by the county attorney as the ones.
He also identified a bullet. coat and
cap which were shown him as the ones
which he picked up at the scene of the
alleged crime. He also identified a rifle
also shown him in court as the one
which he found in Ranco's house. The
witness further stated that he had
made a thorough search of the island
without finding any other rifle of that
kind or which used that kind of bull
let.
| Under cross-examination Mr.. Mitchell
said that he saw several blood spots
on the floor in the Loring house and
that there were many indications of a
struggle there.
Prof. A. B. Aubert Of the University