Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-05
THE PUTNAM MURDER.

The murder of Mr.. Avery d. Putnam of
N. Y.,on Broadway car, has been noticed in
our columns. His assassination excites great
feeling from the we'll known good character
OF the victim, and the unprovoked assault up
on him, as well as on account of the equally |
well known bad and desperate character of
the murderer, and the efforts which will be |
made by his associates to clear him. At the |
coroner's inquest, Mrs. Duval who was with |
Putnam when murdered, testified as follows:
She testified that on the evening in ques-
ton she entered Broadway and Seventh av-
enue car at Eighth street, in company with
her daughter Jennie and MIR. Putnam. The
witness then proceeded to describe with great
minuteness the positions occupied in the car
by herself, her Daughter and Mr.. Putnam.
On reaching the Gilsey House her daughter
Jennie left her seat and advanced to the front
door of the car, which was shut, to look at the
new clock at that moment she noticed man
standing on the other side of the door "mak-
ing faces" at her child; Jennie said, "Oh
mamma, a rude man is making faces at me-"
Witness then pulled her daughter back the
man in front then opened the door and ''made
faces" at Jennie again Mr.. Putnam arose
and closed the door; the man again opened
the door, when Mr.. Putnam again rose and
said "What is the meaning of this?" closing
the door the second time again the man out
side opened the door, when Mr.. Putnam re-
peated the question, "What does this mean?
The man muttered something to the effect
that be had paid for seat and meant to have
one Mr.. Putnam then called to the conduct
or, and appealed to him for protection; the
conductor told the man 10 sit down and be-
have himself; the man then made a move as
If he intended to sit down by the side of Jen-
ME, when she (the witness )moved her daught-
| er to her other side the man then asked wit
ness what the girl was to her; she replied
that she was her daughter whereupon the fell
low said, s'Yah !" and sneered at herr he re-
peated this conduct more than once Mr.. Put
nam then said to the man, "If1 had known
that you were in liquor, l should not have
said anything to you" and at the same time
turned his back to the intruder: the man then
gibed and sneered at Mr.. Putnam, but the
latter did not take any notice of his offensive
conducts the man then said: Say, how far
are you going up?" he repeated the question,
but Mr.. Putnam made no reply; the man then
rose, put on his hat, clenched his fist, and
giving Mr.. Putnam wicked look, said 81
am going as far as you are, and before you
leare this car IriH gire you HE'LL" laying
great stress on the last word he then left the
the position he had formerly occupied. After
the scene just described, no word was spoken
by Mrs. Duval or Mr.. Putnam, until she told
the conductor to put them down at Forty sixth
street when the car stopped, Jennie left the
car first, followed by Mr.. Putnam; as witness
rose the car moved, and she fell back, and
was consequently rather behind the others;
as she recovered herself she saw man run
down by the side of the car, and thought that
it was some one running to get upon the car.
and that he would run against her; as she
reached the rear platform she saw the man
strike Mr.. Putnam with something shining"
on the left side of his head; Mr.. Putnam, who
was waiting to assist the witness off the car,
then fell.
/ The fatal iron hook was then produced.
Mrs. Duval could not swear TO the weapon
the assassin, she testified, struck his victim
with the handle, and held the weapon by the
hook, which encircled his fingers like ring
he struck Mr.. Putnam twice; the latter fell
'like lead" she then heard her daughter
screaming, and she believed, but would not
swear, that she heard the car bell ring the
car went off al great speed, and she called
out, "Some one, stop that cart" the man who
struck the blow ran away directly after the
, murder; crowd then began to collect, and \
gentleman assisted witness and her daughter
to raise Mr.. Putnam's head; they carried him
to crossing, and he was afterwards carried,
face downwards, to Kiersted's drug store the
witness remained with him until he was re-
moved to the police station.
Assistant District Attorney Fellows at this
, point asked Mrs Duval to identify, if she
could, the man who had assaulted Mr.. Put
nam. The witness replied that she was sho, t.
sighted, aud leaving her seat walked slowly
around the room, gazing earnestly in the faces
of all present until she reached the spot where
Foster sat. Mrs. Duval, after looking at him
for an instant, pointed her finger at him, and
said, "That is the man." Fosters bold fea-
lures paled visibly as the witness uttered these
words, so much SO that Mrs. Duval added,
"but he was redder on that night" Foster
smiled at these words, and resumed his seat.