Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-22
Michael Shannon Pleads
Not Guilty Of Murder.
Slate Rests Case, FTiday--De-
fence Will Open, Today.
Programs OF Churches for Easter
Sunday-.vital Statistics.

Michael shannon pleaded not guilty
when araigned for trial, Friday morn
ing. in the supreme court on an indict-
ment charging him with the murder
of John H. Blackwell a Negro at
Shawmut, on Jan. %. He is represent
ed by Merrill & Merrill of Skowhegan
and County Attorney l.. r. Folsom
and Attorney General Scott Wilson of
Portland is representing the State. 1t
took about half an hour to choose the
jury although is men were called.
Those that were excused had either
formed an opinion by the newspaper
reports or begged to be excused from
serving.
County Attorney Folsom opened the
case for the prosecution, and quite eX-
tensively went over the details of the
case before the jury. Plans of the
house in Shawmut where the shooting
took place were drawn by Henry
Crowell and We're used with all the
witnesses. The witnesses for the
State as sworn, Friday, are: Henry
Crowell, DR.. Walters of Shawmut,
Thomas Mcclure. Thomas Mullen,
James Whalen, Emerson Mutt, Frank
Written, A. S. Burke, c. f. Lawry,
Walter Flynt, DR.. w. S. Stinchfield
and Frank Q. Osborne.
The drawn jury was made up OF
Charles b. Chase, Canaan, foreman
Perley Clark, Bingham; j. h Coffin'
Pittsfeld; Willie S. Young, The Forks;
Orrin BARLEY, Detroit; c. S. Healey.
Concord; E. E. Watson, Nerridge-
wock; A. X Libby, Hartiand; Harlan
p. Norton, Lexington and II. a.
Yeaton. Norridgewock. The principal
witness for the State was Thomas Nc
Clure, an Irishman, who came to this
country on New Years Day and had
been at Shawmut, the place of the
murder three weeks His story in sub
stance was that on the day of the
murder Blackwell and shannon had
had words. and had called each other
names and had made various threats
to each other. He said that shannon
had called Blackwell vile names and
that Blackwell in return had called
him liar On the afternoon OF the
affair Shannon went to Waterville ana
Mcclure also went to Waterville, and
returned at about o'clock that eve
ming. He then spent the rest of the
evening in Whalen's and Mullen's
rooms, going back and forth through
the corridor at various time Black
WELL the Negro, through the evening,
was sleeping on cot in the corridor.
Mcclure said that Blackwell had been
drinking in the afternoon, also Shan
non.
lie said as he passed by Blackwell
in the evening one time he touched
him and told him to wake up, but the
Negro only groaned but did not wake
up. He said il was about 10 o'clock
when he was in Whalen's room that
he heard revolver shot. He stepped
into the corridor but saw no one. As
he turned around he saw Shannon
standing in his doorway of his bed
room with revolver in his hand,
and heard Shannon say: You black
niger, YOU call white man down,
will YOU" and then according to the
testimony Of Mcclure he fired shot
from the revolver which went into the
Negroes head. He (Mcclure) then
ran along the corridor into the wash
room. shannon saw him and said I'll
get you, too and followed him. Nc
Clure said that he then opened the
doors of the washroom and jumped on
to Shannon, taking the revolver away
from him. and cried for help.
! t. f. Merrill cross-examined the
witness and got out of him that Black
well had started the trouble in the af-
ternoon and accused Shannon of be-
ing in the kitchen with the house
keeper They then had trouble up
stairs.
The State completed its testimony in
the murder case against Michael
shannon. Friday night, and the de-
fence will open, Saturday morning.
What the issue of the defence will he
is prohlematcal. but the cross exami-
nation indicated that 1t would be that
Shannon was justified in shooting
Blackwell because of extreme provo
cation, caused by accusations and
words that had passed between the
two. 1t appears that the only state
ment made by Shannon after the MUIR
der in regard to the affair was made
TO A. f. Burke, when he was assisting
the officer in putting on the handouts
Burke testified that Shannon told hin
then that Blackwell had made lot
of trouble. in the last two weeks, ane
he was glad he shot him. The case
win probably go 10 the jury, abou
noon, Saturday.
Following are the vital statistics fol