Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-08

them talking in the boarding house one nlght
and thought it curious; left my tools ana
about $50 owed me there; the money was
sent me; travelled when l first left any path
that found; have accused my wife of i'm
proper conduct with other men think have
reasons to think so; thought so because !
saw her washing herself in water that looked
strange to me; she said it was saleratus water
that she washed her feet in l thought it was
not; have seen her washing a number of
times told her thought she was not doing
rights told her l thought she left my bed
she denied it have accused her of drunken
ness; never saw her drunk she has taken a
glass of punch with me- have seen her when
| thought she was in liquor Thought her eyes
looked rather strange, and thought she kept
company with neighbors i did not want her
to; have left my work and gone home during
forenoons and afternoons; thought l might
get an insight into things, and catch her
drunk or with mems company; looked care
fully about the house and never found any
one there; watched for some one in the
garden last summer but saw nobody; was
uneasy nights and would get up and smoke
never searched during the night for anybody
have been in the habit of drinking but not to
excess; would go some weeks and not take
anything except perhaps Saturday night or
Sunday; summer before last think had two
quarter barrels of beer at two different times
got it more for her to use as she was a deli
cate woman; had strong beer carried to me
at my work in summer but not very often;
broke my wifes arm last spring; spoke to
her about having liquor on one night, and
she went to a neighbours and stopped all
night; went after her in the morning; said
we would have no more trouble; she went
home and laid down and no words were
passed; the store man came in aud he had
10 pounds of sugar down; / think she told
me she had 25 pounds. Nothing more was
said and l went to the mantle-piece and back
again, did not know what / was doing;
got stove crank and broke her arm and gave
her three or four blows; don't know what my
wife did with that sugar; accused her of
selling sugar; l think she sold it because
thought she never used so much; carried
bread to be examined for poison; found none
l still think my wife wanted to poison me ;
she had the care of my money; took it
away because thought she was extravagant !;
l saw provisions were carried out of the
house as fast as l fetched them in thought
so because thought they could not be used
up so quick; have given no support to the
family since l have been on the Island ;
remember of going to Pittsburg one time
taking only MY razor and glasses that used
when cutting stone. Went there to work ;
took no tools stopped two days and one
to protect myself; heard a man say he did
not like me and would kill me when he
caught me out; don't know anything about
the death Of White. Witness detailed the
finding of the shirt in his chest Friday missed
in the house, of his suspicious that it was put.
there to involve him in trouble, of his asking
the boarders not to think anything bad of
him about the shirt and of an unsuccessful
attempt to unlock his chest Friday night to
sin had NOT y, oil
in]. / got up Saturday morning and was un-
easy; did not 60 to work. got a chisel and
pried open my chest to see if they had put
something in it but found things all right; l
was very excited, loaded my pistol NOW,
said ], if they are going to do so, and so, with
me will fight till die if have to have my
life will fight for it, SO l kept walking up and
down the room.
was called to dinner and did not go; said
l could not eat then; Bill Lyme and Charley
White came up; was walking round the
room; they asked me down to dinner; l said
could not eat; Lyme went down and Charley
and me kept talking; talked of nothing Of
consequence; when Charley went down was
standing at the bed side-not the one against
the stairway as you come out, but at the 9TH
er one, with my hands in my pockets; SHOW
| ed around to give him room to 20 out, and
whether pulled out the pistol in my hand or
| not could not tell, but he went down stairs
and don't know OF anything till heard some
| of the women down stairs ask what allied
| Charley; began to come to then and think
and shot myself; don't know about how
many shots i fred at myself; Friday morn
ing saw Mrs. Dolan hand four or Ave hand
bills to the boarders; l thought they were to
| notify the men to lynch me, or do something
bad with me; don't know that the men ever
| threatened me; never had any difficulty with
! White; White did not catch hold of me that
| recollect Of when tried to put my daughter
| out doors; she was scolding me; never had q
| word with White; ne, never talked to me
| about my treatment to my family.
Cross eramined.-I cannot say ever went
home to get drink of liquor in the daytime;
have drank nights; they put me in Jail for
breaking my wife's arm; when Smith spoke
to me about sending money home he did not
| mention Whites name; White was standing
| at the top Of the stairs when shot him;
| cannot tell whether shot him or not, but he
was standing at the top of the stairs at the
| bedside and l turned round to give him
| room; don't recollect of taking out my pistol !;
had my hands in my pocket where my pistol
was; suppose took it out when took my
hands out; the first recollect after he went
| down stairs was when the woman spoke;
turned round for an instant to let him pass
me recOllect that distinctly; never knew my
wife to have men company l never could
| find anybody; still think she had some one
there; think it was biscuit carried to have
! analysed for poison; don't recollect of talking
with "Charley" about a month before he was
| killed, when Stafford was present; Charley
never read letter to me; don't recollect Of
| having any talk with him in the presence of
| Stafford about corrupting my boys; never
made any threats to Tom Kennedy about Char
| ley White; told Stafford when he wanted
me to come down, after the shooting that
wanted to abide by the civil law; some one
made answer and said should throw down
my pistol, and did; never asked if White
was dead; am positive of it; don't think
told Ward l killed White for corrupting my
boys; think told him that thought White
was corrupting my boysj don't know what
said so for; know he was corresponding with
them and never was against them; always
thought the Quincy men were down on me
Smith is the only one of them that can rec
ollect that ever interfered about the treat
ment of my family; did not say to Stafford
xvhi ln in thn