Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-10-28
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State News.
Reported for the Lewiston Journal.
The Tragedy in Mercer.

PARTICULARS or IuL MURDER AND SUICIDE.
A FRAIL WOMAN FALLS A VICTIM TO A
BASE pEsTRoYER-TuE FATE OF BOTH
ATTEMPTED CREMATION ny EXCITED
NEIGHBORs.
Only few years ago, Mr.. Tracy owned
a good farm in Mercer. on which he lived
with his wife and six small children. 40
far rs your correspondent knows, or can
ascertain, they lived happily together and
ujDycd the respect and confidence OF
those sith whom they associated Not far
from them lived Hiram Walton and wife
aud two small children. They, too. owned
a snug little farm. lived easily, and seemed
Ia enjoy life. The two families were quite
Intimate, aud no one suspected ANYTHING
wrong, until the community where they
lived were astonished with the fact that
Tracy sud Mrs. " alton had left their fam-
lilies, and together had left for parts an.
known They were finally heard from. Nv
in. IN Lowell. Mass. When they had been
gone about two years, Mrs. Walton return
Ell 10 her husband, who cUudoned her
faults, and the two Mere living happily to-
gclher again. But their rr-wedled life was
brici, FOR "a 4 short time Tracy returned.
too. sought and held an interview with
Nrs. w alton, and by his superior magnet
&c powers OF argument compelled the poor
weak minded woman TO go With him again.
They had been gone this time about tw o
years when, last mouth. Mrs. W. returned
10 her husband the second time. lie Quiz
city Informed her that at the last session
OF court held AT Skowhegan. he had obtair
ed decree of divorce from her, and that
she was no longer his wife. She begged
his forgiveness for all her unlawful acts
that had made his life miserable and her
self an outcast, and implored MIN 10 per
plt her 10 work for him, or where she
might earn money 10 pay the expense she
had caused him. Knowing the simplicity
OF her nature and the honesty OF her heart,
he assured her though she had no lawful
or just claims on him for support, II she
| chose TO stay nj his house, he would not
turn her away nor see her suffer for food
or clothing, If she would never leave with
Tracy again. She promised that II he ever
approached her again 10 resist him with ali
her strength. and the sequel shows that
| this time she Kept n,r s'f,l. When Tracy
found where She was aud that she was
with Walton again. he came for her the
third time. Whether he saw her amer she
left lin until yesterday, your correspon-
dent has not learned. His father states
that since Monday he has been wandering
about day aud night, appearing mere CT a.
~ than sane. and he. the father, feared
that the son was plotting some horrid deed
Yesterday morning he went 10 Smithfield
and procured pint OF rum OF the ageu:
aud a double barreled shot gun OF some
other party, and thus armed and equipped
set out for the house OF her he loved. He
reached there about IL o'clock. A. NJ. and
called her TO the door and entreated her Ia
20 with him again. She stoutly resisted
him and tried 10 reason with hun. cut his
brain was on fire. his reason was subvert-
ell aud drunken passion ruled supreme.
When he found lie could not accomplish
his devilish purpose, he was prepared for
a more iiendish act. She was still standing
ia the doorway. and he quickly stepped
back two or three PAGES, raised the gun
and fred one barrel. The contents. buck
shot. tered her left breast just over the
heart. aud she TELL lifeess 10 the door
while all h r blood seeuied TO pour out Of
the huge and CHASTITY wound. At the in
slant he fired he turned aud ran a short
distance. and then stopped and turned to
see II the deed was fully done. When he
was satisfied. he turned and ran into the
woods. a hall mile away. Soon three or
four shrieks were heard and then the re-
port of gun.
The citizens in the vicinity By this tlme
were aroused, aud immediately went into
the woods, from whence the reports came.
and found him on the ground, partly re-
cling against the trunk Of large tree.
senseless aud dead, his throat all shot
away, and his clothes crimsoned with his
| own bad blood. The citizens who found
him there were SO incensed because OF
the base deed, the inhuman butchery he
had committed, that they proposed TO burn
his remains where they lay. and had begun
to gather brush tor the purpose. when the
aged father of the dead man arrived and
implored them to desist. Moved by the
tears and entreaties of the old man, they
kindly took up the lifeless form and carried
IL to the old mans house, about q half mile
distant. A coroner was summoned, but
his services were not needed. Numbers Of
our citizens visited the place OF the murder
and suicide last evening, and pronounce it
the most revolving crime eyer committed
in this part of the State.
The murdered woman has the sympa.
thies of the community and the public FOR
all believed her, before she made the ac-
quaintance of her murderer, an Innocent,
suiless little woman. who was trusted by
ner husband and respected BY all who
knew her. She was censured. OF course,
for leaving her husband and children, but
those who knew her best, blamed her
least, for they knew her weaknesses and
how powerless she was, to resist the ap-
peals OF be-, destroyer. The character of
Tracy ID a rebus. He seemed strong
minded, energetic man, and once enjoyed
his family and his frienes. L.
So. NOrridgewock, Oct. sd, 1875.