Daily Kennebec Journal

The Gordon Murder Trial.

Sixth Day's Proceedings

Testimony of the Prisoner.

He Does Not Deny Committing the Murder!

Belfast, 15.

In opening for the defence, Mr. Wallace, the prisoner's counsel, cautioned the jury against giving too much importance to the statements of his client before the Coroner's Inquest, as they were made in a state of excitement, and insisted that the position of the Government must be so strong in order to satisfy them of guilt as to absolutely exclude every other hypothesis.

The first witness called this morning testified to the peaceable character of the accused and to the friendly relations maintained with the brothers up to the day before the tragedy. The blood on the prisoner's clothing was accounted for by his throwing himself on the grass where the bodies were laid.

Mrs. Lucella Gordon, aged 68, mother of the prisoner, testified that the brothers lived together upon terms of friendship, that they worked in company the Saturday before the murder, and that John T. manifested no displeasure when the farm was conveyed to Almon. Her examination elicited nothing important.

AFTERNOON.

The evidence in the trial was closed this afternoon with the examination of the prisoner, who occupied the stand for over two hours. He swore that amicable relations always existed between his brother's family and himself. That the statements of his threats were false. That he cheerfully acquiesced in his father's arrangements in substituting Almon for himself and in fact was ignorant of the conveyance of the farm until after the murder. Although he suspected that his brother's wife wrote the anonymous letters to Miss Edwards and was somewhat vexed with their author, however it might be, still no words or trouble with her were ever had. Having arranged to leave next day for Massachusetts, where he expected to work, he retired early in the evening before the murder, and was first awakened by Anna, his niece. After getting her and the little boy out, without perceiving any one near, he attempted to rescue his brother, but was driven back by the smoke. He then gave an alarm and was met by Ward, the hired man, and a neighbor, who assisted in clearing the house. He saw no axe and was excited. Knows what afterwards transpired. The prisoner acknowledged the falsehood of his statement to Sheriff Norton and others that one Green was the guilty person. Said that he made it to arrest suspicion from himself and attract sympathy. He disclaimed the letter found in the jail. This testimony, although given with remarkable self-possession, was in many particulars irrelevant and immaterial, as he didn't deny committing the murder. The Attorney General declined cross-examining him. The arguments on both sides will be made on Monday.