Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-26
Death in the Woods shot through the
Heart.


Heart.
Willie E. Chase, aged &c years. son of Wild
ow Flora Chase, who keeps the factory board
ing house No l, on Cushnoc heights, in this
city, started out on Friday morning last for
the purpose of hunting in the woods. He
took double-haIrelled shot gun and was ac-
companied by his dog. He started for
Beech hill, some four or five miles distant,
where he had previously been quite often.
He did not return that night, and of course
his mother and friends became very anxious,
spending all the night without sleep and the
mind narrowed with fearful forebodings.
Early Saturday morning. the two elder BROTH
ers started in pursuit of the missing boy, but
returned about ten o'clock in the forenoon,
their search unrewarded, but soon started
again Other parties also went out on the
errand. The dog that had accompanied VII.
lie returned home, about ) L. M, Saturday.
painting, half famished and ravenous with
hunger. After being fed, the dog started
out again, and led another party to the SPOT
where the body lay, which in the meantime
had been discovered by those preceding them,
and the brothers returned from their sor-
rowful errand with the painful intelligence
that they had found the body of Willie, cold
in death!
The body was found near the edge of Bal
lard's brook, that empties into the Kennebec
above the dam. The stump of decaying
pine tree, with bare branches lies BY the wa
ter's edge. A huge boulder slants off by the
side of the same. Willie had some traps set
near this locality, and it is conjectured that
he was on his way down to examine them.
His gun was probably resting over his should
ef, the muzzle in front; while passing down
iha slap NH nd l.
feet probably slipped, throwing the breach of
the gun over into the tree, and bringing the
muzzle against his left breast. The trigger
catching in one of the limbs or twigs, one Ct
the barrels was discharged, the contents en-
tering the breast and passing through the
heart, producing instant death. He was found
lying upon his face, with the gun under him.
His head was laying upon the stock of his
gun, and the skull broken by the fall. The
faithful dog had remained by the side of
his young master all through the weary night,
the moonbeams falling coldly upon the sad
scene. lie fingered there until the evening of
the next day, and then returned home only to
save himself from starvation and to lead
friendly feet to the body of his loved master.
What story of dumb animals devotion! A
gentleman living in the vicinity says he saw
Willie pass into the woods Friday afternoon,
and early on Saturday morning heard the
yelpngs of dog, and at intervals all the
forenoon.
The body of the young man was brought
home and a coroner called, but an inquest
was deemed unnecessary.
Supreme judicial COurt.-AppIeton,C c. J.
Presiding.
SATURDAY, October oath.
Elias Plimpton vs. Robert II. Gardner ct
al
The arguments by J. Baker for defts. and
and Libbey for pltf. occupied the forenoon
session. After dinner the judge charged and
gave the case to the jury at half past two.
They had not made their verdict when. the
court adjourned.
The grand jury came in on the opening of
the court this morning and returned the fol-
lowing indictments John Dunphy, Augustus
Dunphy ct al, Daniel w. Starbird, victualers
without license; Mary A. Creation, ct al, as
sault and battery; Jas. Ware, Jr., Sarah X.
Williams, Prudence Williams, perjury; M. S.
Mayhem, common seller; Benz. johnson,
innholder without license; f. ID. Bowman,
Harvey Mitchell, liquor nuisances; A. L.
Clary ct ais, conspiracy; Jas. Farren ct al,
breaking and larceny: A. & W. Sprague
Manufacturing Co.. neglect to build q fish
way; and Town of Vienna, bad road.
The trial of the criminal docket will be en-
tered upon next Monday forenoon, and is not
expected to occupy more than two or three
days.
The presiding judge will call over the civil
docket on the opening of the court Monday,
for the purpose of assigning the order oftrials
after the criminal docket has been disposed
of, and requests gentlemen of the bar to be
present.