The Republican Journal

THE LAWRENCE MURDER TRIAL.

We copy the following report of the evidence for the government in this case, from the Bangor Whig. Judge Kent presides. Attorney General Frye and Chas. P. Stetson, Esq., County Attorney, appear for the State. The prisoner is defended by Col. Abner Knowles and Col. John F. Godfrey.

Mrs. Margaret Marsh was called and testified as follows:

I live on Hammond Street in this city near Broadway—nearly out to what is called Barkersville. Mrs. Atwood had been stopping at my house about four weeks—was boarding herself then—I had boarded with her on French Street. She kept boarding house there I think two or three years. This fall she came to my house. I had seen the prisoner at my house several times while Mrs. Atwood was there. He was there on Saturday night preceding the Sunday on which she was shot. Saturday night he came into the house and called her names. Was there Saturday night only a few minutes. He came there Sunday night and knocked at the door. I went to the door he asked me if I was alone—I told him I was. I went into the pantry and he followed me in, made believe take a drink or did take a drink from the water pail. He came out and shut me in there. Mrs. Atwood was in a little bedroom off the kitchen. He went in there, after a while I heard her say, O yes John, I will John, then, Oh Mrs. Marsh—then I came out of the pantry—and I saw her come out of the bedroom. I said, 'Oh she is going to faint.' She said 'Oh the pistol.' I looked in his hand and saw the pistol. She went from the bedroom towards the pantry—he pushed the door open and got in there—then I got out of doors. When I went out doors I heard two or three pistol shots—two certain. I saw Lawrence when I came back again, he went right past me and went away. She was on her knees. Her sleeve was afire, caught from the pistol. Mr. Boynton ran and said, what is the matter and Mrs. Atwood said, 'O! that miserable John Lawrence has murdered me.' Then Mr. Boynton went out and brought in some help when they came in they helped her on the bed and one went after a doctor and another for Policeman. She lived till Tuesday night—Mr. Raynes was with her about all the time till she died; there were others to change with.

I saw Lawrence when I first went to Mrs. Atwood a year ago last fall, he was boarding with her then. Lawrence was at my house two or three times a week during the last of it. I never was in Bangor till I went to Mrs. Atwood's to board. I had no conversation with Mrs. Atwood after she was shot. I was not well myself and did not feel like talking with her.

Cross Examination. I saw him when he first fired at her. He was standing at the pantry. He had some fish hash there, brought it there Friday—for me to fix for him. He asked me that night if it was ready for him. I did not notice anything uncommonly out of the way with him. Never knew him to exhibit any temper or ill feeling before the Saturday night. He came quite early in the evening Saturday. Saturday night he was quite drunk. He had always appeared gentlemanly before that. Was not there long Saturday night—did not sit down. He saw Mrs. Atwood Saturday night. I heard what passed between them. He called her a name, and she said she would make him prove it. He did not appear to have any business with her more than with me. I did his work. He never stopped all night there.

If they conversed alone it was but a very few minutes, for I was out of the room but a few minutes. He always complained to me that she did not treat him decent, as she did others. He said no man could say anything against Mrs. Atwood and tell the truth. That was not more than two or three nights before Sunday evening. He came about six o'clock Sunday evening, I think. Mrs. Atwood ran into the bedroom when he knocked. I told her it might be John, and I did not want to hear anything, and she had better hide, and she ran into the bedroom. Do not remember of prisoner saying anything to me after he came into the house. When he came into the entry he handed me a little pail and said "have you got my hash ready?" I told him I was alone when he asked me at the door. He went to pantry and took a drink from the water pail. The first thing I heard after he left the pantry was Mrs. Atwood crying "I will, I will, John." I heard some person speaking low before she said that, but could not tell anything that was said before. As soon as I heard her say that I came out into the kitchen. I first saw her coming out of the little bedroom, and he was standing outside of the door with his back towards me. They were the length of the kitchen apart. He was standing in the same place when he fired the pistol, only he turned around. I said, Oh. Mrs. Atwood is fainting,—said it two or three times, and she said O, Mrs. Marsh, a pistol. I said I guess there is no pistol here. He made no reply. I passed by her and went up to Mr. Lawrence and said, O! John, John.' I saw that he had a pistol in his hand. When I got there he turned around and fired two shots at her. I saw him point the pistol. He did not advance toward her when he fired. When he fired Mrs. A. said, "Oh, my hand! oh, my arm!" I left the house to call help—could not say how long I was gone. When I came back she was on her knees in the kitchen by the bedroom. The prisoner had gone out. Just as he left, Mr. Boynton got down there.

Re-direct Examination. Saturday night he said to me that I did not know that I was keeping a whore there. And she said, John Lawrence. I shall make you prove that. It was on account of this that I told her to go into the bedroom Sunday.

Dr. Henry H. Seavey called. I was called upon to see Mrs. Atwood Sunday night, Jan. 2d. Found Mrs. Atwood sitting on side of the bed, supported by a gentleman. I examined; found marks of three bullets; one through arm, one through hand, and the other through between the sixth and seventh ribs on the right side. She had lost a good deal of blood. I attended her 48 hours, till she died. Witness here produced the bullet that was taken from her body after her death. Her death was caused by these wounds, I suppose. I know of no other cause of her death. I found no other disease or trouble. Persons wounded in the abdomen do not usually die before some four or five days. It was from wound in the side, and the loss of blood from the other wounds that caused her death.

Cross Examination. Was not with her at time of her death. Was there about two hours before. The wound in the arm and hand bled freely—not much from wound in the side—she bled about two quarts. About one fifth of a person's weight in blood. Do not think the loss of blood alone in this case would have caused death. I did not expect her to die so soon. I expected that she would die from the internal wound. I made a thorough post mortem examination, and discovered no other cause for her death.

Maj. Geo. A. Bolton called. I am city Marshal of Bangor. Was called on the night Mrs. Atwood was shot. Capt. Archer came to the office and told me the crime had been committed, and I went in search of this Mr. Lawrence. I went to No. 7 Main street,—saw a light through the door,—burst door open, went in and found Lawrence lying on the floor. I took light and went along to him, and he looked up and said. " do you think I am cut enough to die?" He said, " Is that d—d —dead, if she is I can die happy." I took from his hand a knife and a revolver which I found in his room. He said to me afterwards. " I meant to kill her. and intended to finish myself with the remaining charges, but the caps got off and she would not go." He said he borrowed the pistol of John Nickerson—wanted me to return it. I thought he was considerably intoxicated. I was there perhaps an hour. I sent Mr. Baker after a Doctor when I got there. Soon after Mr. Lakin and Mr. Rice, policemen, came. I saw him next morning about ten o'clock, and took him to jail. Did not have any conversation with him next morning.

Few days after he was carried to jail, I had some conversation with him about some things that he left in his room, wanted me to have them taken down to the auction room and sold. Wanted some photographs—one of his sister, and I got them for him. He talked about the matter, repeated the assertion that he meant to kill her, that she " went back on him and he meant to kill her." He explained that. Said she had promised to marry him and had been going with other men.

Cross Ex. "I have known the prisoner for 20 years. " First knew him in Brewer. "Did not know him in the army. Have seen him very often in the city since I have been Marshal. Did not know Mrs. Atwood. I saw her next day after she was shot. I sent for Dr. Jones Sunday evening when I went to prisoner's room. Was present when Dr. Jones was attending to his wound. I should judge there was between one and two quarts of blood on the prisoner's floor when I found him. The blood had nearly stopped flowing. His foot was lying nearest to the door and about eight feet from the door. He had an old valise or carpet bag under his head. There was a load in the room. I think there was no blood upon the bed. He did not move till I went round in front of him. He was lying on his side and he partly turned over. He spoke to me first. I never expressed any compunction or sorrow at what he had done. He expressed no desire to recover. He said that she gave him the knife that had been produced here. I found that the caps were off the pistol—the pistol had two charges in it. He named certain persons who had been going with her. He named five persons who had been with her.

(The witness gave the names of five respectable gentlemen well known in the city.)

Stillman G. Archer called. I was called to Mrs. Marsh's house very soon after Mrs. Atwood was shot. She was sitting on the bed-side bleeding from her arm, supported by Mrs. Raynes. I went down to the police office and then went back to Mr. Marsh's to learn where Lawrence stopped. Mrs. Atwood told me that he had a room over Rines & Nichols' store. She said " if you find him I don't think you will find him alive." I went afterwards with the City Marshal and Mr. Baker to the place and found him. The door was locked. We burst the door open. Lawrence was lying on his right side towards the door covered up with his jacket. He had taken his jacket off. I discovered that he had his knife clutched in his hand and the Marshal took it from him: also took an axe out of his room. I stopped at his room all night. The most of our talk during the night was about Mrs. Atwood. I was obliged to go up home to let my folks know that I was going to stop out, and the prisoner asked me to go and see how Mrs. Atwood was. I did go to see how she was, and when I came back I told him that she was mortally wounded; and he said " Glory to God. I shall die happy whether I go to Hell or Heaven;" said I have long intended it. He said he loaded the pistol to kill her and himself: said that he had loved her as he did his own life, and that she had gone back on him and made him crazy. I should think from the smell of his breath that he had been drinking. He said he had been drinking preparatory to the deed—to get up courage to do the deed. He appeared to be as rational as any man who was intoxicated. He very often called me up to the bedside and took hold of my hand and said that he knew what he was about.

The prisoner reached out his hand to his brother. And his brother told him he could not take a murderer by the hand, and the prisoner said go to h—l. I am as good a man as you, and requested the Marshal to put him out of the room.

He told me that he had given Mrs. Atwood his summer's earnings. He said he supposed he should be hanged. That he thought he ought to be. He asked me several times what they would do with him for shooting Mrs. Atwood.

Cross Examination. I left next morning about seven o'clock, about the very last conversation I had with him he was very desirous of making away with himself; wanted me to get him some poison.

He wanted his pipe every time he woke during the night. I gave him his pipe and he smoked. He appeared to be calm in the morning when I left. Did not ask for liquor any time during the night. He named over one or two other persons besides those mentioned by the Marshal who had been intimate with Mrs. Atwood. Said he had followed them with her.

At half past twelve the testimony for the government having been closed the Court adjourned till two o'clock p. m.