The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1919-10-09

in the legal profession. On the APP
pointed day the prisoner was placed
in the dock, safely guarded by Off
GERS of the court, the proceedings
were promptly begun in the presence
of a vast throng Of spectators that
completely filled the pews galleries.
and every inch of available standing
room in the church.
An especially large venire had been
summoned and the formation of the
jury was sharply contested on both
sides, twenty-seyen tailesmen were
challenged and promptly set aside,
the jury was finally made up as fol
lows: Foreman, Oliver Bean Read
field Frederick Abbott Augusta. An
son Boston, Sidney, Levi Greedy,
| Vienna, Isaac Lapman. Pittston, Jacob
Names, Belgrade, Benjamin Melyine,
Hallowell. Sandford Pullen, West
Waterville, William Perkins, Winslow,
Alonzo Wood, Winthrop, John Wood
Witnesses were examined and the
facts well understood in the commun-
ity where the prisoner was known.
fully established that Sager had been
man of very dissolute and licenti-
Gus habits, and that the relations be-
tween himself and wife were of an
unhappy character The main wit
ness, whose testimony established the
guilt OF the prisoner of the crime
charged in the Indictment was one
Ann Rafter, an inmate of the Sager
family, who preserved the tumbler in
which was mixed the wine and poison
that Sager handed to his wife, urging
her to drink the whole. the goodness
being all at the bottom sufficient
quantity of the poison was found to
permit of an analysis which showed
clearly the deadly character of the
stun. Attempts were made to impeach
the testimony of Miss Rafter and con
meet her with the crime but they all
failed and the guilt of the prisoner
was fully maintained The argu-
ments of counsel were long, and very
able, that of Peleg Sprague, seldom
II ever excelled as a brilliant and elo-
quent effort, in the courts OF Maine
The presentation of the case for the
Government was made from a keen
analysis, and was convincing argu-
ment based on close reasoning.
Judge Weston charged the jury in a
close and impartial manner, for
which he was always remarkable, on
the fifth day of the trial the jury re
tired under the charge of officers.
Eben Shaw ard Enoch Marshall the
Court adjourned until a late hour on
Saturday night, when the jury not
being able to agree upon a verdict, a
further adjournment was had, until
the Monday following. Deputy Sheriff
J. r. Bachelor took charge Of the
jury over the Sabbath The great
crowd which had marked every day
Oh the Trial Was further augmented on
the assembling of the Court, the jury
faced the prisoner and he looked auX-
iously into the face OF the twelve
men whose foreman WAS to speak the
word which would restore hinl to lib
erty or else consien him 10 an iGno-
minous death The immense throng
that filled the court room was hushcd
to the stiffness of death. and the word
Guilty" as il fell from the lips of
the venerable and kind but firm fore
man, were received with bowed heads
and in reverential silence. the prison
er sank into his seat. betrayng no
other sign of emotion than that
which comes from long pent-up feel
ings of alternating hope and despoud-
ency.
The verdict was generally regarded
as just and righteous one A mo-
ton for a new trial was Intellectual
and Chief Justice Weston in a sol
emn and impressive manner, pecul-
iarly his own, after a few words of
tender and touching nature addressed
to the prisoner. pronounced the sen
tence of the Court as follows: THAT
the said Joseph Sager be taken hence
to the prison, whence he came, there