The Portland daily press., 1875-05-17
BY TELEGRAPH.
MATTERS In MAINE.
Shocking Tragedy in Rockland.
An Intoxicated Man Shoots His Wife and
Then Commits Suicide.

RocKLAND, May 15.-Alfred Spear, young
man of Incorporate habits, about % years old,
shot and wounded his wife last night, and af-
forwards shot himself fatally. He went home
intoxicated about II o'clock or later, and made
the murderous assault on his wife about a. m.
He fired one shot at her, entering her face near
the chin, and passing downward, the bullet
lodged in the neck. Mrs. Spear then sprang to
get her infant, four weeks old, and throwing a
dress over, unlocked the door and rushed out of
the house, her husband firing another shot at
her in the meantime, taking effect in the Shout
der. She made her way some distance down
the street, to the house of her husbands
brother, whose family were aroused, and po-
liceman summoned. When the officers reached
Spears house they found him on the sitting
room floor with pistol shot through his head
and small six-barreled revolver lying under
him. The carpet for yard was saturated with
his blood. He was unconscious, but lived till
about four o'clock.
Statement of the Wounded Woman-Cof-
oners Inquest.
The wife of the deceased, who is i'll in bed
from the wounds received, testified that de-
ceased came home at 10 O'Clock, and she let
him in He was intoxicated and went to the
kitchen for something to eat. She laid on the
lounge with her clothes on, and then went in
ard laid on the bed with her infant, not three
weeks old. The deceased came in and asked if
there was apple pie in the house. She replied
10, and got up with the babe IN her arms to go
out of the bedroom As she passed deceased
he shook her She went toward the entry, aud
as she got to the entry door, the deceased took
out pistol and shot her in the chin, and then
Immediately shot her again in the right Shout
der. She unlocked the door and ran out with
the babe. She heard third shot as she got off
the doolstep. She went to the house of j. d.
Spear, whose wife is a mother of the deceased,
and gave the alarm. The deceased had been
saying of late he was tired of living, and asked
witness if she did not want to take laudanum
and die with him. She identified the pistol,
which was found by his body with three barrels
discharged The policemen testified to finding
the body, and several physicians who were
summoned, testified to finding the deceased in
a comatose condition, and that he died at 4.15
from pistol shot wound near the right tenn
pie, the ball having fractured the skull and
lodged in the brain.
The Jury found that Alfred Spear came to his
death by postol shot wound Inflicted by his
own hand
The wounded woman is comfortable, and it
is thought she will recover.
Funeral of the wouid-Be Murderer-The
Wounded Woman Improving.
Especial to Press.l
RoCKLAND, May 16.-The funeral services of
Alfred Spear who attempted to shoot his wife
and afterwards fatally shot himself yesterday
morning, will be held at his late residence on
Park street tomorrow,
Mrs. Spears condition is much improved to-
day. Physicians probed the wound in her chin
for the bullet this afternoon, but without sue
cess. a.
To the Associated Pressl
Death of an Auburn Physician.
LEWISTON, May 16.-Dr. N. w. Harris, for
some twenty years practicing physician of
Auburn, died last night, aged so years.
Fatally Injured.
BDDEFoRD, May 15-Joshua Perkins of
Kennebunk, while attempting to stop his
horse from running away, was thrown under a
loaded team and is feared fatally injured,
A Smart woman-Accident.
BATH, May 15-Mrs Fowle, about 40 years
of age, rowed to this city this morning from
Westport in skiff. distance of nine miles.
did her shopping and rowed back, arriving
home in season to get dinner.
Lewis mall, rigger of this city, was thrown
from carriage in Richmond, and broke his
leg
Postal.
WASHINGTON, May 49, Offices established
Upper Van Buren,, Aroostook county, Dumas
Daigle postmaster Offices discontinued North
Columbia. Washington county; South Belmont,
NUol5