The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-04-09

Daniel IL. Spinney' ESD, u o' soous W
years Of age. He has been for many years Z
dealer in wood. He 10 and always has beer
q nan Of strictly temperate habits, and un'
firing industry. by close application he hsi
accumulated handsome property. paying Al
annual town tar Of over q hundred dollars
He has for several years lived on his farm, ,
beautiful place called "Paradise Hill" in III,
west Of the city. about . mile from Marke
Square. Here he was content. in the bosom
of his family. to seek for the highest happi
ness he expected to arrive ct here. Natarall,
strong In his prejudiees, he had at times beer
on terms not the most smicable with som,
who were attached to him by ties Of cousan,
guinity. Prejudiced agsinst sectsrisnisin. h,
has attended no church. nor submitted to an,
parish TAI. He wife occasionally attended
church, and his children have within . fe~
weeks attended the Sunday School.
In his beloved partner and three little chill.
drsn. whose bright and happy spirits shed
sunshins about the retirement OF home, he
found a. great . solaee N in seeumula'ing
wealth. He has been married about fourteen
years to one who 10 represented TO have been
q lovely woman. kind. considerable wife, an
affectionats mother. Q generous slater and
Kind friend.
Such was the home on "Psradise Hill" as
the holy hours Of the last Sabbath sped on in
hriIliancy and stiffness in the city. and the
churches were thronged by those who sought
the invigorating and soul-reviving influence
If Christian worship.
In another section Of our city, on Christian
Shore, about mile and . half distant, was
another home. Here was Q father. mother.
and i've children. For eighteen years that
father, Nelson n. Downing. had never en-
tered house of worship. The wife was con.
saed by family cares at home, and the chill.
dren leit, % far ~ he was concerned, TO follow
the bent Of their own inclinstions. Downing
was q skillful mechanic. As q sawyer none
could 90 before him. He had constant en-
ploy at the Navy Yard and high wages, but
they were nearly all squsndered in drinking
and gaming. The Sabbath to him Was day
OF recreation. Hunting and ashing occupied
its hours. and the spirit flask Was his pocket
bible. The wife Of Downing WAS the young
est daughter Of the late Joseph Spinney. and
was . cousin to Daniel.
As the sun was declining in the west last
Sunday afternoon Mr.. Spinney and his wife.
after tea. took . walk. as they had been ac-
customed. over to the "Shore," and the hrst
place az which they called was ~ the resi-
dence Of Nelson n. Downing.
Between Mr.. Spinney and Mr.. Downing.
we have the authority Of 3. for saying. there
has never been other than friendly feelings.
When they entered the house, the family had
taken tea. and Downing was engaged with a
knife in carving the meat from large bone.
In short time he took chair near Mr. SPIN
ney, almost in front Of him, and frequently
patted him on the knee In the course Of his
conversation. ID. held on his knee his young
est daughter. some seven or eight years old.
He said that he had been up 10 Great Bay
that day . cunning, and that the game was
plenty. Mrs. 5. asked him where his fish
werei He said he would show them direct
ly. In the course OF conversation he remark
cd that 4. y. Rowe had obtained his place
again q; the Navy Yard, and ID. asked :. un-
der whose influence he bad obtained il s.
replied that he did not know. but had been
informed that Woodbury., Jenness and his
brother Sam bad given some aid. ID. then
remarked that Rowe had one OF his i'll turns
ON going over in the boat lew days before,
and that IL took three men TO carry him TO his
place ON the Yard. s. only replied that il
kowe's family could be benefited by his po-
silion. he hoped he would retain IL. This Is
all that was said about Mr.. Rowe. Awhile
after, ID. remarked that he owed Mr.. Spinney
q bill for wood. Said there was some error
In IL Mr.. 3. replied. yvu can put IL right, TO
suit yourself. before you settle It. Without
any more proyocation than the above CONVEX
sation, Downing began in very abrupt man
ner to abuse 5. by saying. with 2rofsne ex-
pressions We do not care to givs-"You are q
- Spinney.'' Seeing his wife was touched
with the remark. he sdded-,.Sh is q good
woman though she Is Srinney."
Perceiring there was storm brewing. MIR.
s. said to his wife, "Come, Sarah, it is time
70 Co." 3. then rose. buttoned up his coat.
and was about opening the door. when Down
ing stepped between him and the door, say
ing he should not 90. No resistance was
made by 8. who turned round to make his
exit by another door. ID. knocked his hat
off. and seized him violently by the hair OF
his head. s. put out his hand 10 keep him
at q distance. Downing said he would have
his hearts blood. and gave him three or four
blows before s. In self defense forced him
against the wall and down to the floor. Then
came the severest tussle, such as might be
expected between two men OF hercuiean
strength: the one with temper when excl
ted OF lion herceness, the other maddened by
the po,ations Of the drunksrd. 1t said that
the son OF ID. struck 8. several times with a
hoe handle, and ID. states that chair was
broken To pieces over his head by some OF the
family. The wound, and bruises yet appar-
ent, show that the contest was . severe one.
Mr.. s. departed as soon as he could escape
his wife had gone before him into the house
OF Mr.. Cole to obtain aid. Mr.. 5. and wife,
al about half. past seven. left for home by the
way Of the mill bridge. Downing did not
know the course they had taken, and took
the circuit Of the pond in the opposite diIec-
ton. Tho above facts We obtained in CONVEX
sation With Mr.. ID. II. Spinney.
As the testimony At the Inquest which We
publish shows what happened afterwsrd. We
do not deem 70 nsesssary 10 repeat it here. IL
should be lnderstood that the house Of Mr..
Perkins Is but few rods west Of Downings,
and that Mr.. Perkins went with Mr.. Samuel
Spinney only TO the corner Of the road near
the mansion Of Misses Sherburne. From this
point Samuel s. and Downing were without
other company till they reached the fatal ter
mination OF their journey. We think Mr.. s.
Spinney did ell in his power-risking his own
lie in the company OF . man mad with rum
and intoxicated with passion. with . loaded
gun, and the threat Of loaded revolvers in his
pocket from the BALI Of vhieh no one could
ieel secure. lie had no time 10 call aid. for
ID. travelled with rapid speed, and . moments
Ielay would be fatal to his brother and sister.
II Was fearful walk-the threat Of death
wss on the murderer's lips, and his eomPan-
ion was endeavoring TO show the effects OF the
crime on his family and on himself. But II
wss Of no avail. The levelling Of the gun at
q couple Who rsscmbled Mr.. 5. and his wife.
showed the frmness Of the intent When
Downing len Spinney to 80 into the woods,
he promised that no harm should DO done.
and that IN short lime he would walk back
with Mr.. s. to the Shore. Samuel hasted
and reached the gate just - his brother had