The Portland daily press., 1870-01-20
The E.ngor Murderer Canfessss.

LaWrehce, who is now IN al in Bangor,
awaiting his trial for shooting Mrs. Atwood,
MS pafamour, has explained to reporter his
motives in committing tie crime. He says
that he was very much attached to Mrs. At
wood, and that she reciprocated his affection
till short time ago. They were to be married
as soon as the woman could obtain a divorce
from her husband. Some time since Lawrence
heard that she had formed other acquaintance
and saw that she grew cold toward him. Her
new associates wore better clothes than he, and
she was reported as saying that she "did not
like his STYLE" Lawrence says:
after / had treated her so we'll and we bad
been together so long, l thought it was con-
founded hard for her to go back on me in that
way; and L mace up my mind that if L couldn
have her, nobody else should"
Reporter-"When did you make up your
mind to commit the horrid deed?'
Lawrence-"I had pondered over u ior solle
time, but did not fully determine on " t.li sun,
day afternoon a few hours before shot her.
Reporter-'It is reported rI anu eeneraily Pc
the influence of liquor, when you committed
the homicide. But l saw you on the street
Saturday and Sunday before the mu, der: Won
were well dressed and did not appear to me to
be at all excited by liquor"
Lawrence-"That is the fact. Iiouor had
nothing to do with the immediate execution of
the crime. The demons of jealousy and re-
venge had taken possession of me-"
Reporter-"Was there any orA present in the
room when you committed the deed?"
Lawrence-"When went into the room
saw no one but an old lady. AS entered
thought L heard some one run into the bed
room. l asked the old lady where Elmira
Mrs. Atwood's Christian name) was. She said
that she had gone out; didn't believe it and
went to the bedroom door, opened it, and found
Elmira there
Reporter-"But you didn't shoot her in that
defenceless condition."
Lawrence Yes; drew my pistol, after
asking her if she wasn't going to speak to me,
and fired. She screamed and begged for mer-
cy."
Reporter-"Mrs. Atwood said, the day be-
tore she died, that she struggled with you, after
you fired the first shot, and that she got the
wound in her hand from having hold of the
muzzle of the pistol when you discharged the
second shot. She also stated that she snatch
ed the weapon from your hand-that it fell on
the floor, but that you got possession of it
again before she could secure it,
Lawrence-"That is pretty near the truth.
She fought we'll for life but could not save her
set."
Reporter-"where was the old lady that
you spoke OPP
Lawrence-"I don't know. 1 think she fed
out of the house, as didn't see her afterward."
Reporter-"Where did you go when you left
the house?'
Lawrence-'I went right to my room on
Main street."
Reporter-"Did you intend to take your own
life at the time you made up your mind to kill
your victim?"
Lawrence-"I did. L reserved one shot in
the pistol especially for that purpose. But
when placed it at my head and snapped it, it
didn't go off, and looked to see what the mat
ter was and found there was no cap ON it."
Reporter then determined to cut your
throat?"
Lawrence--"Yes. Elmira made me pres
ent of small pocket knife about year ago; I
took that and cut my throat. I intended to
make sure thing of it, and only regret that I
didn't succeed"
On abiding to the probable consequences of
his crime to him, Lawrence replied: "The more
is the pity that I had not made sure work of it
with the knife
Notwithstanding this full confession, Law
renee has pleaded mot guilty" at his arraign-
ment before the Police Court He has been
committed to Jail for trial at the February
term.