The Portland daily press., 1876-04-03
BY TELEGRAPH.
MATTERS In MAINE.
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
A Man in Chelsea Shoots His
Wife Dead.
AND THEN ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
Jealousy the Cause.
Especial to the Press,1

Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA, April Isaac L. Page of Che.-
sea, two and half miles from the Togus
Home, killed his wife, Arletta q. Page, about
$50 o'clock Saturday morning, by shooting
with pistol, firing several shots, one just graz
ing the forehead, one through the arm, the ia
tai one passing through the spinal column to
the base of the brain, doubtless causing instant
death. He then attempted suicide by cutting
his throat. The knife being dull he was not
successful Page was a soldier in the Nine
teeth Maine Volunteers, is about 40 years old,
height feet 10 inches, compactly built; has
been out of health. Mrs. Page was % years
old, was of fair complexion with dark brown
hair and hazel eyes. Her maiden name was
Brown and she was formerly of Jefferson,
Me. 1t is the testimony of all who knew her
that she was pure, affectionate and hard
working woman, q good neighbor, kind
friend and deeply interested TO lift the finan-
cial embarrassment from the shoulders of her
husband. They had five children, and were in
Strengthened circumstances. In answer to
the inquiry as to why he did the deed, Page
said he was jealous of his wife. He commence
ed to be jealous year ago last winter.
VIM. FL. Libbey. coroner summoned jury,
who rendered verdict that the deceased came
to her death by pistol shot fred by her hus.
band.
DR.. Martin of Augusta. who has attended
Page, reports that he will be able to be remov.
ed to the county Jail Tomorrow
In the testimony before the coroner, John E.
Page, brother to Isaac, said he thought him
insane at the time; would often talk about his
wife suspiciously; saw him few days ago and
he said he felt dreadfully; he (John) had no
suspicious of the deceased.
VIM. T. Searls testified: Was we'll acquaint-
ed with Page; never noticed anything strange
in his conduct until last winter; had recently
looked pale and thought that something allied
him.
Thomas r. White, who is intimately ac-
quainted with Isaac, testified that he hadn't
seen anything out of the way in his conduct or
appearance.
Reuel Brown, brother of the deceased, tes-
titled: Live second house below here; last
spring, ayear ago, Isaac and his wife sent for
me to come up, and he sent the children out
doors; he then said that ''he and Let had got
into trouble" she said, "Ike has got jealous of
you. He wont give me any peace, and now
want you and him to settle it." L laughed
him to scOrn for being jealous of his wite's
own brother, and the matter seemed to be set.
tied then. was called again and talked with
them. he wanted to part with his wife and
/ advised him not to as it would be the means
of breaking up the family he said be would
take up with my advice; she had complained to
me of his abuse; 1 never saw any violence; he
was naturally of good disposition; he carried
an ill-feeling against me for year; his wife
said he meant to kill me.
A. N. Douglass, a neighbor, stated that in
his opinion jealousy was the cause of the muir
der. Page has been in the habit of watching
his house. In September last, while at work
for Douglass he would run out where he could
see his house 25 or 80 times day to watch to
see If anyone was going there. Page was sharp
in trade and business. No appearance of in
sanity except his jealousy. S.
ITO the Associated Pressl
GARDINER, April 1.-The scene of the muir
der and attempted suicide reported yesterday,
is near the place called Searles Mills, in the
town of Chelsea, about three miles east of Gar
diner, near the Junction of the road running
easterly from Gardiner to the Togus Military
Asylum, and the road which runs south from
Hallowell to Windsor. The house is half
implanted, close to the latter road on the wes-
tern side, some twenty rods north of the Togus
road, and in plain view from both roads for a
considerable distance There are half dozen
houses within sight of the house, and one near
ly opposite on the Hallowell road. The house
faces the Togus road. The front door
opens into small entry, from which door
leads to the right into the parlor, back of
which is small bedroom. Another opens
from the entry to the left into the kitchen,
which also has small bedroom in the rear.
There is also small ell entered from the
kitchen which has door on the same side as
the front door. Next to the ell is barn. To
the right of the house and little to the rear
across the road is a small grove The facts
connected with the commission of the deed, as
near as can be obtained, are these:
The persons in the house at six o'clock Sat-
urday morning were Page, his wife and five
children, also an aunt of MI. Page. The latter
shortly after went over to neighbours. Page
then sent his two Sous to another neighbours to
borrow nails to fix hog pen. This left three
children. the Oldest girl of eight years old, in
the house. Mrs. Page was sitting in FROM of
the stove in the kitchen, when her husband,
who was in the bedroom, appeared at the door
with small seven.barreled revolver in his
hand. Mrs. Page threw up her arms and ex-
claimed, Don't fire." when be dischared the
revolver, the ball passing through the right
forearm. At this point the Oldest daughter
fled for assistance, but appearances indicate
that Mrs. Page then started to run out doors
through the ELL and that Page fired several
more shots, the one that inflicted 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 pro-
ducing instant death. She either fell out of the
open back door or was pushed out by Page.
line body was found very near the steps a few
moments later, but life was extinct. Page
tnen seized dirk knife, the blade of which is
eight inches long, and after discharging the re.
volver at his own head, the ball producing a
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 to the road near the
grove, where he inflicted three wounds IN his
throat with the dirk. Throwing the k;rfe