Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-04-20
From the Pennington Chronicle.
4 SHOCKING TRAGEDY!
An Insane Son Attempts TO Murder his
Father and Afterwards Commits
Suicide.

Never has II been our lot 10 chronicle such
terrible tragedy rs the one which was enacted IN
our very midst Thursday afternoon Of last week
The father Of the principal actor, M. Enoch
Avery, is hard working, Industrious and honest
Turner who lives In the southeastern part OF this
/ town. about one mile from Rev j = swiil's' anu
/ l. about 81 years Of age Mr.. Avery family con
si.t. Of himself, wife, two sons now living nt
home, anil four daughters married and removed
into other states. one Of the sons, some - years
Of age, has the misfortune TO be not Of very
sound mind, bus Is perfectly harmless.
The chief actor In this terrible tragedy, George
w. Avery. was the Oldest son, and was about %
OF age, six feet and one inch In height, weight
about leo pounds, being powerfully built This
.on has frequently had dts OF insanity, the hrst
time being In lsi2, when he WAS sent TO the Insane
Hospital a. Augusta, aud remained there about
one yenr again In lst5, remaining two years -
Since his retsrn up TO the day OF the tragedy
George has the greater part Of ths tune Oecu sane
although sometimes he has acted strangely FOR
lit.e time.
During the drst part OF the week the family
noticed that he acted strangely said very little
aad appeared sober and often deep in thought, yss
his father says q Gorge never worked harder than
he hai Monday, Tuesday and wednesday, in that
time cut,n. very large amour, Of wood. When
Ia the house his face was very much flushed, and
he seemed very nervous though always ready 10
assist about the chores.
with this preliminary sketch, We will give the
facts As our reporter learned them from the father
Friday morning: About 10 20 a. m, Thursday,
Mr. Enoeh Avery arrived home from Pennington
Falls, where he had been for load % boards.
| ha slv Inf fha u
warm himself, leaving George 10 INVOKE aud put
Up the cattle. He stopped In the house some
three quarters OF an hour then got up and went
out % the barn 10 feed the cattle and George afer
putting them up, went TO the house and mp stairs
10 his chamber.
The father, aller tending his cattle began TO
unload his boards, aud continued doing so ill he
was called In 10 dinner by his wife. when he went
directly to the house and seated himself at the
table With biz wife and other 500. lie had hardly
commenced eating hi. dinner before George came
down stairs armed with shot gun, and a. be
opened the door leading into the kitchen he pre-.
sented the gun at his father aud pulled the trigger
the whole charge striking the father on his ehe,,
and glaneing on, three Luckshot passing com.
pletely through the left arm.
The mother screamed and rushed from the
- T.
son Giiman's, for help. Mr. Avery sprang up
from the table and went for his son, following him
back up stairs and into the chamber, where des
persie struggle took place foi the possession Of
the gun, the sOn resisting with all tic desperation
of maddened maniac. The father finally secured
the gun and started back down stairs, closely fol
lowed by George who renewed the attack and
AFTER another terrible struggle wresied the gun
AZ nj til
him with IT,
Ar. Avery by ihis time had grown very weak
nom loss or blood and he was endeayoring o ger
away from him, when he noticed pistol on the
foor Mr.. Avery picked up the pistol and passe
nto the front entry, at the same time shutting and
holding the door, then discharging the pistol from
the front door. After time, not hearing anything
from his son, he discovered that George had gone
out of the house.
Mr. Avery then procured 4 stan and set out for
Mr.. Gilman's, where he remained some fifteen
minutes, then started on his return On his WAY
back, Mr.. Avery discovered smoke Issuing from
his barn, and soon the whole building was in flames
The neishbors from all about collected as rapidlv
as possible, when 1t was discovered that all of his
'tock' including one yoke Of oxen, two cows and
one two years old steer had been turned ont the
the IRE. The barn was connected with the house
by long shed, and 1t was only by the greatest
exerions that the house was saved.
Nothing was seen Of George until the barn wa.
entirely consumed, when in raking over the ruins
mass Of charred flesh and bones weighing some
% pounds, were found. The supposition Is that
after turning out the stock, he shut himself I'D and
then hred the barn, pershing in the ruins. The
ruins OF the gun were found beneath the body.
Had not the father been very strong man, there
Is no doubt that the result must have been fatal 70
MIN out as he weighs nearly eU0 pounds, aud is |
proportionaiiy strong he was able to cope with |
lhe maniac. As II was, the old man was handled
rainier severely by his son, receiving beside the
wonnd IN MS breast which Ia a serious one sew l
eral bruises about the face and body during Inc
struggle lor The gun. lie is ROW confined 10 the I
Deu. Tue parents can give no reason for the bovis
ailsck on MS iather as no hard words OF any klnd
nad passed between them. We understand that
'nc Wy mas once before tired to shoot hs father
An inquest was deemed uunecessar '''