The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-05-07
Shocking Affair in StetsOn.

The Bangor Wing has the following
particulars OF the murder of an aged citi-
zen of Stetsoa, in Penobscot county, by
his insane son
Saturday morning about eight O clock
the wife OF Mr.. Silas Davis OF Stetson
happened to look out of the window of
their house, when she saw her husband
lying on the ground in the door-yard and
his son, James F. Davis, standing over
him, brandishing an axe. She ran cut as
quickly as possible, but only in time to find
Mr. Davis dead, his head terribly mangled
and the top of the skull cut completely
off through the ears and Just above the
eyes--the effect of blows administered
with the dull axe in the hands of his SON
She was of course hOrrOr-struck, and in
tear OF her own life, but her son offered
! her no violence, and standing quietly by,
| alternately looked at his bloody work and
examined the instrument by which it had
| been accomplished with as much indiffer-
ence as if it had been an OK or sheep he
| had killed. He seemed to feel little or no
concern about the crime he had committed
and talked but little. He remained about
the house until the arrival of some neigh
bors who took him into custody and re-
moved him to Stetson village. The mur-
dered man was about - years Of age and
was much respected in town where he had
| long resided. His son, who has thus hur.
ried him out OF the world, is about 80 years
old Some time ago he was regarded as
being unsound in mind, and he was sent
to the Insane Hospital at Augusta, but was
returned by the authorities there as sane
man. The neighbors say that his father
had expressed fears of violence at his
hands, but nothing Of the sort is positively
known to have occurred. A daughter O.
the murdered man says that her brother
James has threatened her life, and once
even drove her o1t of the house aftel
chasing her, axe in hand, declaring he
would split her head From all these Cir
cumstance it appears that James has beer
and is still insane, and this fearful occur
renee is lesson which should be a warn
ing to relatives of persons of unsoun(
mind to keep them under proper restraint
Appearances indicate that the murderer
approached his father from behind, anC
telled him by blow upon the back OF thu
head, finishing the bloody work after hi
victim lay stunned and PROSTATE on thu
ground. Mrs. Davis heard no cutlery
and it is evident that the crime was com
mitted quietly as well as quickly.
AS soon as the people in the vicinity hat
heard the news Of the terrible TRACED,
they locked to the place in crowds Ate
the murderer's arrival ut the village h,
was taken before Trial Justice John Rog
ers, on complaint made by Charles Z
Hammons, to which he pleaded not guilty
Alter the examination of witnesses, tn
Justice ordered that Davis be committee
to the Jail in Bangor to await trial, an.
Deputy Sheriff Henry w. Damon brough
him to this city arriving at half past tel
O'Clock Saturday night.
Davis IS Of medium height compact,
built, has dark or black hair and nous
tache, and not an unprepOsessing counte
nance. He talks freely when interviewed
sometimes wildly, and then with a point
edness that almost inspires one with tn
belief that he is sane
His name was Delaney, lusty, heart,
chap oftwenty, who was hired last summe
by the good elders of the Tyringham fam
lily Of Shakers to assist in farm work, an,
the extent of the ruin he wrought canno
yet be told He had not been long a
work when it was suspected that the girl
were manifesting a tondness for him no
proper under Shaker rules, so one nigh
Elder Battles demanded Oh unexpected ad
mttance to Nh Delaney's room. There h
found one of the young sisters bidder
under his bed and he was promptly dis
charged. Since then three of the sister
| have become mothers one of them, it i
said. bearing a pair of bouncing twins. .
course they have all been dismissed from
the society and Delaney has gone to Mich
igan. The elders are now suspicious o
everything feminine on the premises