Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-02-15
The Auburn Murder.


money is the root of all evil" Every
mans observation tcstifcs to the truth Of
the remark. The murder committed at
Auburn. of two aged ladies', helpless and
unprotected as they were, in the dead Of
night, justly alarmed the whole people of
the State. For what was this hOrrid crime
committed and by whom :! has perplex-
cd the public, and the officers of Justice
ever since. The victims were apict ladies
living retired and peaceable lives at their
home. when IN the middle of the night,
the stiffness of their peaceful abode was
dist, rbed, and two fellds in human shape
awoke them and demanded their money,
as the mulatto Harries confesses. twill
be rccollected that at first it was asserted
that money could not lave been the Object
because none was taken. 1t would be
difficult to imagine for what else such a
horril crime would be ventnrcd upon. tor
certainly no other stimulant could nerve
the arm to such deed. The theory, that
it was not money, that the william or vii
lians were after, was not believed in by
the New York detective. and he therefore
we mt to work differently from those who
preceded 1t now seems that the New
Yorker was right, for ore Of the murder
ers has been taken. and has confessed the
deed, giving all the particulars. This
muatto. it is said, is familiar with scenes
of blood, and he alleges that he was urged
to the deed by another. We give the fol-
Lowing from the Lewiston Jourao1
WHAT TOOK PLACE IN THE HOUSE.
Meantimc,as the negro allcges,his ac-
complete. armed with hatchct and knife,
be himself having no weapons,went ahead
through the rear entry door leading into
the shed, into the house. When the negro
returned with his cap, he passed into the
Sitting Room, where he heard proceeding
from the room where Mrs. kinsle slept,
the door being open, the shrek and cry.
" Polly, Polly. come here, polly being
the giving name of Miss Caswe!l.
Ii may he mentioned here that the negro
states that the accompIicc on reaching the
sitting room, as the former afterwards as
ccrtained, laid his Ratchet upon the lounge
and proceeded at once to Mrs. Kinsley's
RRsSaago tf Ay" ssspns Ier i'm
mediatly moved to her bedside and seized
her with his hands. Just then it was,
she shrieked and cried. "PoiIy. Polly
come here " and the negro appeared upon
the scene.
THE MURDER
Az soon as the shrieks were made and
the plan thus spoiled, the accomplice sciz-
ed chair and struck Mrs. kinrley with
it over her head, demanding n know
where the money was At first Mrs. X.
said that "ber daughter had all the mon
cy with her down toLe~istOn. "The negro
then appeared upon the stage, and the de-
mand was repeated. WREN she indicated it
was at the head of the bed, in u closet in
that place.
The negre then opened the passage way
door leading from the bedroom into an.
othey reem at the right, and searched the
passage way in every part but could find
nothing. The money was really in a Trunk
on a bureau in the room beyond, and there
was second door in the passage way open
ing directly into the room. The negro
missed it, suppos,ng that the passage way
was only closet, while it was both a CLOS
ct and passage way. While the negro was
searching far the money Polly Caswell,
aroused by the cry, arose, came out into the
sitting roOm,a proceeded to the mantle
piece where che was trying to light lamp.
The accomplice. hearing Polly coming
out left the bedside of Mrs.kinsly, the
latter being partially insensible, and pass
ing out of the bedroom-leaying the negro
tiptoea up behind Polly.
who stood back to the mantlepeice, and
struck her on the head with, as is suppos.
ed, the Ratchet. This fellcd her to the floor;
and the accomplice left her supposi,,g she
was dead. 1t was there tina. the pool of
blood was found on the flocr.
The accomplish then returned 10 the
bedr0onr AND demand was again made for
the money. bnt no response was received.
Mrs. Kinsley was still aliye,but perhaps in
a swoon Her pockets and the closet were
again searched. While the negro was
searching the closet the accomplice was
on the bed with the half dead body of Mrs.
Kinsley, and what happened there the
negro does not pretend to have personal
of.
At this point Polly, who had been left
for dead, by the mantle. peice, was discoy-
cred up and moving across the floor towards
her room, her white night clothes making
her visible in the dim moonlight. The nc
gro went out to take care of her, and sciz.
ing chair, struck her and at last felled
her in the doorway, where she was found.
Returning to Mrs. Kinsley's bed room the
negro found that the accomplicc had made
way with Mrs. X. by stabbing Ter in the
neck. The negro was then sent for light
all the transactions above detailed hav-
ing been in the dark. He proceeded to the
kitchen, but in trying to obtain match,
he upset the matchbox and it turned out
that neither of the mUrdcrers could light q
lamp. Having satisfied themselves Ofthis,
after some immaterial incidents, they set
down together upon the lounge in the sit
ting room and talked over the money M
ter.
After sitting there short time. the ne.
gro said ut is of no use to stay here. we
can't find the money, " whereupOn they
Dath arose and left the house by the back
lOOr.
The negro asserts that when he entered
he house he had not the least idea that
murder was contemplated. but when the
work was commenced he says "hc did his
part"
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE MURDERER.
was born free at Fortress Monroe. Vir-
,inia, in lo45. My parents are living |
impose, but | know not where thew are.