Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-06
Seven Hours DeliberatiOn to Select
II Men, Who Will Try Rev. Chas.
Emelius, Mrs. Jacobson and Her
Son for Murder of A. Jacobson.
Total of 81 Ta|esmen Examined--A|I ArOostook
Farmers But One State Opens Case, Today.

Houlton, Me-, Dec. "a jury was
secured, late today. after seven hours
deliberation, which will consider the
guilt or innocence of Rev. Charles
Nelson Emelius. Mrs. Anna Jacobson
and Edgar ]. jacobson, charged with
the murder of Augustus jacobson at
New Sweden. June u. 1911.
q total of s. talesmen We're exam
ined, before the Il jurymen were fl
nally selected. All but one of the jury
men are farmers. The last juror ehos-
en-, Eugene Bouchard of Madawaska,
is a clerk They will be under the
charge of w. r. Robinson of Blaine,
who was named foreman by the
court. The remaining members are:
Ben. Dodge of Island Falls: Eugene Y.
Fields, Caribou, j. ]. Conlogue, New
Limerick; Elvin Williams, Hodgdon;
James A. Woods, Houlton; Dennis
CorRlier, Grand Isle; John p, Har-
rington, Littleton; Perry E. Day,
Westfield; A. f. Tarbell. 0akfield, and
j. r. McGowen. Ashland.
At the opening of court, tomorrow
morning, County Attorney Perley c,
Brown win make the opening argu-
ment for the state. According TO in
formation. tonight. it is stated tbs
State and defence will both present 4
number of experts to determine the
possibility Of Augustus Jacobson hav-
ing committed suicide. The victim was
shot, and when his body was founc
With a rifle nearby. it MAS believed he
had committed suicide. A year latei
the body was disinterred and the ar
rests we're made on a murder charge.
The case will be heard before JUS
tee George II. Haley of the supreme
court, while the attorney general. Will
liam r. Pattangall. will act with the
county attorney, in prosecuting the de-
PENDANT
Houlton, Me, Dec. 5.-The work of
forming the jury for the trial of Rev.
Charles Nelson Emelius, Mrs. Annie
Jacobson and Edgar j. Jacobson on
the charge of murder of August ia
cobson, progressed slowly, today. The
examination of IS of the "a talesmen
resulted in the seating of only two
up to the noon recess. The first, who
proved satisfactory to both the state
and defence, was Benjamin Dodge. an
Island Falls farmer. The second was
Eugene V Fields of Caribou. The
prospective jurors were asked by
County Attorney Perley c. Brown,
whether they would convict on cir
Indicating ar n
parently that the State will depend
much upon this kind of evidence.
County Attorney Brown has the as
sistance of his father law, Attor-
ney General William r. Pattangall,
while the interests of the defence are
in the hands of r. w Shaw and his
son, Herschol Shaw of Houiton.
Defence Claims Suicide.
The claim that Augustus Jacobson
committed suicide was expected to
feature prominently in the defence of
Rev. Charles n. Emelius, Mrs. Mary
Jacobson and her son, Edgar Jacob
son. I'VE will claim that it was ply
sically possible for jacobson To have
enedd his own life said Herschell
Shaw, of counsel for the defendants.
The death of Jacobson, a farmer of
New Sweden, occurred in that town,
June II, 1911. Upon a Doctors GER
tificate that it was a case of suicide,
the body was buried. Later, the coun-
ty attorney had the body exhumed,
an inquest was held, and afterwards
indictments were returned against
Rev. Charles n. Emelius, who was
pastor of the Lutheran church at
New Sweden, Mrs. Jacobson. and
Edgar Jacobson. Emelius married a
daughter of jacobson after the lat
ter's death.
Attorney General William r. Pat
tangall and County Attorney Perley
c. Brown conducted the case for the
prosecution.
Court Room Crowded.
Residents of outlying districts com
menced to arrive at daybreak, and Ions
before Associate Justice Haley arrived
every seat in the small court room wa:
taken. The small balcony in the real
was filed with women eager to witness
the selection of the jury and hear ths
opening statement of County Attorney
Brown, the young Aroostook county
lawyer.
Rev. Charles Emelius and Edgar Jacob
son were. conducted to the court room
from the county Jail close by an. cecu,
pied a seat near the dock. They appear.
ed entirely oblvious of those surround
ing them. Mrs. Jacobson, widow of the
dead farmer, came into the court room
heavily yelled, and as she took chail
near the bar she reached forward anC
patted her son tenderly upon the cheek.
Plead mot Guilty"
mot guilty was the plea of the three
respondents when the indictments alleg