Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-06


and would talk cross; he would afterwards
cay he was sorry and beg of mother to con-
ceal 1t; these attacks were often; for the last
two years he has been different from what ]
have described he would get up in the morn
ing and accuse mother of drinking; then he
would return from his work in working hours
and go all over the house and go back to
his work again; he slept but little nights;
would be up smoking and talk all the time he
would be awake; he used to come into my
room and stay few moments and then 20
out; l laid on the floor for fear of him
mother never used liquor except by physi-
cans orders; he accused her mornings of
being drunk; one Sunday at dinner he sud
denly jumped up, took stick and swore he
would kill mother; my brother and | took
hold of him and he threw the stick down :;
when in one of these spells he would be as
white as a sheet and tremble and could hard
ly stand; at these times mother had not been
saying anything to him; I remember of his
accusing mother of selling the sugar and
butter and of getting drink and putting it
down in the store book as provision for the
house; he said once when he came home
from the island that she had sold pork, when
there was none in the house; he was not pro-
viding for us then; ceased to provide a year
ago last August; I recollect Of some cloth
he bought for the boys and said it had been
changed, when it had not / remember of
trouble about some bread mother made he
said it was poisoned and took it away; the
family ate of the bread; he accused mother
of having men at the house when there were
none; accused her of having improper con-
duct with them has made that talk since
about five years; has continued that accusa-
ton without interruption for about l 1.2
years; mother has been very feeble during
that time; while in one of these spells he
broke mothers arm with a stove hooker; did
not know father had pistol; when in these
spells he would make US all go to bed if it
was only seven O'Clock; father was injured
in the head bySa stone about seven years ago !;
it was deep cash little above the temple !;
he has suffered from neuralgia in his head,
shoulders and back; that was seven or eight
years ago; he was blistered between the
shoulders and took medicine.
Adjourned.
On the coming in of the court in the after
noon Miss Little resumed the stand
WITNEss.-Before these attacks father
would complain of pain in his head, back,
side and eyes; his appetite was poor; always
said something was before his eyes; once
said the neighbors and men had turned me
against him and wanted ME to go away; be-
fore started he began to cry and wanted me
to stay sweat nights so that water could be
bank book and money from mother because
he said she was squandering it.
Cross eramination.-Fath was not in
temperate; did not drink every day; he used
to keep liquor in the house sometimes, some
times pint; ale was sent to him during the
forenoon; sometimes came home in the fore
noon and afternoon and got drink some
times my brother would carry ale to him at
his work; father was in jail in Dedham two
weeks for his assault on mother; did not see
the assault myself, my mother procured bail
for him; knew Charley White in Quincy
| father went to put me out once when White
was at our house; White got up and helped
my brother prevent him from putting me out
father made no threats about White that
know of; that was about year ago; father
got very excited after he had taken liquor
sometimes these attacks on mother were aftel
he had been taking liquor; l did not always
know when he had been taking liquor; fathe
once made some complaint about some breat
that was streaked with saleratus; he took SOM
away; never heard of it afterward.
Redirect.-There was once he thought Their
was something peculiar about the tea, ant
said he thought there was poison in it; die
not accuse any one in particular.
DANIEL LITTLE, a son of the accused, Il
years old corrborated his sister in respect +
the conduct of his father; also testified tina
his father accused his mother of puttinl
poison in the bread, and took it to be an
alyzed; that was about one and half year
ago; know that my mother complained to tn
magistrate to have my father taken care of
after that she went to the selectmen; don
know what was said there; l carried her
have seen father since l have been here ant
he says the same of mother that he used to.
Cross erantiaation.-Have been present
during the testimony of my sister; father
kept liquor in the house in a half gallon jug
in the closet; sometimes he would have it in
a half gallon jug and sometimes in quarter
gallon jug; never carried liquor to him at hi.
work; have known of it being carried to him
and of his coming home for it after he would
eat his supper he would take liquor and il
made him cross; sometimes he would keep tc
it all night; he drank all in the jug one night
he drank all in the half gallon jug one night
don't know how much there was in it; used
to go to get liquor for him; was not cross
with me after drinking, but was with my
mother and sister; if said anything he was
| ugly; knew Charles White nine or ten years
he and my brother interfered to protect my
sister from father when he was going to put
her out; my brother was intimate with White
and used to write to him; did not hear father
make threats against White when he inter-
fered; know Tom Kennedy; never heard
ueIehudnt Tell AeHheuy WIat ne Wouiu 40 10
White; Kennedy is in Richmond, Va.
Redirect. When l spoke of liquor meant
| ale.
HENRY ROBERTS. called by defendant, tes-
tilted Il reside at Dix Island; am General
Superintendent of the stone cutting; have
known Little about sixteen years have work.
ed with him in Quincy some; never knew him
drunk; talked to me of his family affairs at
the Island and said they were down on him.
Cross e1amination.-H $50 men under
my charge; don't have much time to learn of
their personal habits.
ALEXANDER JORDAN, called by defendant
| testified Il have charge of a gang of men at
Dix Island: Little worked under me; he
came there on the 10th of June last; has
been very steady while there; on Friday
before the homicide the prisoner did not
work all day but seemed very much excited :;
he was rubbing his hands and walking back
ward and forward; he was at work in the
afternoon; l advised him to come off and stay
week till he got better said he did not want
to leaves never knew him to drink.
Cross enamined.-I have forty-two men in
my gang; it is against the rules to have liquor
| III ,oJo