The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-04-06
A Shocking Murder.

GARDINER. April L. isaac rage, man
about 10 years of age, living at Searley's
Mills. in Chelsea, three miles from this
city, shot and instantly killed his wife early
this forenoon. Alter dragging her body
out of the house into the woods he return
ed to the house and cut his throat with
razor, making a fearful wound which will
probably prove fatal. Page has been in
poor health and circumstances for some
time, and it is believed he was insane when
he committed the deed. They leave five
children, the youngest a babe three weeks
old
The facts connected with the commits
sion of the deed. as near as car be obtain
ed. are these: The persons in the house at
6 O'Clock Saturday morning were Page. his
wife, five children and an aunt OF Mrs
Page. The latter shortly after went over
to a neighbours Page then sent his two
sons to another neighbors to borrow nails
to fix hog pen This lett three children,
the Oldest a girl years old, in the house.
Mrs. Page was sitting in front of the stove
in the kitchen, when her husband, who
was in the bedroom, appeared at the door
with IA small seven shot revolver in his
hand. Mrs. Page threw up her arms and
exclaimed:
Don't fire. when he discharged the
pistol, the ball passing through the right
forearm. At this point the Oldest daughter
fled for assistance, and appearances indi-
cate that Mrs. Page then started to run out
of doors through the ell. and that Page
fired several more shots, the one that in
tlicted the fatal wound, however, being
the only one which took effect This ball
entered the back of the neck, pierced the
spinal cord at the base of the brain and
lodged In the brain, probably producing
instant death. She either fell out of the
open back door or was pushed out by
Page. The body was found very near the
steps, & few moments later, but life was
extinct. Page then seized dirk knife,
the blade of which is eight inches long,
and after discharging the revolver at his
own head, the ball producing slight
wound in the forehead over the right eye,
he ran out of the back door with both re-
volver and knife in his hands. He went
round the barn back of the house and into
the road near the grove, where he inhict-
ed three wounds on his throat, with the
dirk. Throwing the knife away he ran
down the road, the blood flowing from his
wounds in streams Opposite the house
lC lllSl MS aunt WIN lCluIHCN anu
she led him into the house where he re-
manned until the doctor arrived. Accord
| ing to the aunt's story, Pages first words
| when he met her were 'My God! what
| have done? have killed my wife" The
| revolver when taken from him had six
barrels discharged and rs no reports were
heard it is believed all the shots We're
fired inside the house.
The murderer is in the custody Of Sheriff
| Libby and will be removed to Augusta for
examination as soon as he sufficiently re-
covers from his wound. Page was able
| to sit up and converse this Sunday noon.
though still very weak from loss OF blood.
He appears rational, though hardly con
scious of the magnitude OF his crime. He
| is perfectly willing to tell all he knows.
and says he had the idea that some one
was coming to take her away and that he
grabbed the revolver to protect his wife,
and he remembers nothing that happened
after that until he was brought back to
| the house. He asserts he never had any
| trouble with his wife except when his
! head was not right has not been himself
| tor nearly two weeks; wouldn't hurt his
wife for the world and more to the same
effect. He seems to be man Of less than
ordinary intelligence and has been jealous
| OF his wife, staying at home to watch her
! movements. About the first of February
he made an assault on her, beating her
teartully and kicking her out Of doors.
She complained to the Selectmen of Chel-
sea, who demonstrated with Page, and he
promised better conduct in the future
The general opinion is that Mrs. Page
has always conducted herself properly and
faithfully. and that Pages vicious DISPOSE
ton was the sole cause of former disputes.
Pages age is 81, and Mrs. Page was %.
They had been married 10 Years. Page
owns 4 small farm, but has not paid
taxes for several years and was recently
compelled to mortgage the farm for 5000
to pay a prior mortgage which would
have. henn tnrnclnSal