The Republican journal., 1914-10-01
THE CRIMINAL DOCKET.

THE CRIMINAL DOCKET.
At the opening of the court Tuesday morn
ing the criminal docket was taken up and the
first case was State VS.. Lewis Burgess of Burn
ham indicted for murder. AS reported at the
time Burgess is alleged to have shot and killed
at his home in Burnham, Aug, 31st, John Rom
CO. his son-in-law. Hon. Scott Wilson of Port
land, Attorney General of the State of Name,
and Eben F. Littlefeld, County Attorney ap-
peared for the State. and the Court appointed
H. C. Buzzell of Belfast and Wiley C. Conary
of Bucksport. counsel for Burgess, who was
unable to employ counsel for the defence.
The jury was drawn as follows with Thos.
P. Mathews of Liberty. foreman: VIM. c. Vose
of Belfast. E. B. Rand of Unity, D. B. Boody
of Jackson, M F. Dunaver of Prospect. Ralph
Heal of Searsmont, o. E. French of Lincoln
vile, Frank E. Wiley of Belfast. L. L. Wiggin
of Montville, c. F. Fogg of Brooks. George F.
Overlook of Stockton Springs, Warren Grant
of Winterport. All are farmers with the ex-
ception of F. E. Wiley. mechanic, and Mr..
Mathews. a retired trader. The State chal
ents of Monroe, Leroy Cole of Winterport,
VIM A Colson of Searsport, Charles U. Curtis
of Searsport, o. E. Dutton OF Waldo, Lemuel
J. Lord of Frankfort, F. G. Norton of Palermo.
The defence challenged Walter B. Knight of
Troy and Percy B. Redman of Belfast.
Deputy Sheriffs Charles Walker.o of Swanville
and J. A. G. Beach of Belfast were appointed
special deputies in the case.
In opening the case to the jury County At
torney Littlefeld said that it was his first
murder trial, and that he would tell them the
story briefly and plainly and the witnesses
would give the details.
At the afternoon session twenty witnesses
were sworn in for the State. and three were
sworn in later. The shooting took place in
Burnham at about o'clock the night of
August 3lst at the Burgess home about
miles from the village and near the head of
Unity pond. Mrs. Romeo, the wife of the mur-
dered man, and daughter of the accused, was
in court and in her trying position had the
sympathy Of all who saw her.
Alonzo E. Garcelon of Burnham was the first
witness called. He acknowledged ordering
two quarts of alcohol for Mr.. Burgess and of
drinking at the Burgess home with the princi-
pals in the case. He went to the house about
430 p. m. to take milk, as Burgess was very
much under the influence of the liquor and
Romeo had been drinking. While witness was
there Mrs Emma Romeo arrived and urged her
husband to go with her ard their little child
Burgess remarked: go, John, and everything
will be all right" They were not cross at the
time and showed no ill feeling. He described
the little one-room house and single cham
Der, the gun that stood ia the corner
back of the door. the birch stick with
which the front door was braced at
night, the heavy shoe prints in front of the
broken window. He also told of finding
Davenport breech-loading gun that belonged
to Romeo about 13 rods from the Burgess
house on the road to his own home. His first
knowledge of the shooting was when Burgess
came to his house about o'clock that evening
saying he had "kiled or shot" man and
didn't know who it was. He went with Bur-
CESS to his home and found the man was John
Romeo Burgess exclaimed. .My God, have
shot nv son-in-law" GarceIon advised Bur-
CESS to notify the selectmen and he went inn
mediately to the home of Orrison Chandler
and called up the selectmen, enjamin A. Rey-
nolds and F. A. McAllister, and the former
called deputy sheriff W. L Gray of Troy and
he notified coroner Coombs and Sheriff
Cushman, who came to Burnham at q. m.
the next day. Mr.. Burgess said to Mr.. Rey-
nolds: 81 have shot my son-in-law and l am
sorry" Mr.. McAlister replied to like asser-
ton, ''You didn't do it. it was the liquor you
drank" These witness agreed as to Burgess
story; that he cried and seemed to feel bad.
All had noticed the glass on the floor, the con-
dition of Romeo as they entered the house and
the heavy boot tracks under the broken win
dow.
Timothy W. Reynolds testified that Burgess
had threatened in his hearing that he wou Id
fix Romeo, because his wife would not write
for her stepmother to return home, and this
refusal caused so much trouble that Romeo, his
wife and three children, left the Burgess home
and the accused was living in it alone. Bur-
CESS said he would get even with him (Ronco)
before snow fell. This was about the first of
last July. When Reynolds demonstrated with
him he said: "You don't know me yet" but
witness regarded it as an idle boast
Clarence McAllister testified to seeing Bur-
CESS and Romeo standing at the steps of the
! Burgess house at z o'clock the night of the
shooting. Was also at the house that evening
with F. A. McAllistar.
Mott w. Reynolds, who works for Chandler
corroborated ths testimony Of Chandler regard
ing the telephone call of Burgess and Of going
to the Burgess home later.