The Portland daily press., 1877-09-03
MONDAY MORNING, SEPT. 8.
Northern Aroostook.
The Fort Fairfield Poisoning Case-Sui-
cide-Arrested for Arson, etc.
from Our Special Correspondence

From Our Special Correspondence
FORT FAIRFIELD, Aug q, 1877.
Our little village has during the past week
been called upon to record two very sad and
fatal casualties Tuesday night, 21st inst, a
bright and intelligent lad of eleven years died
after brief illness, and with symptoms that
indicated foul play Close upon this sad event
came the report that one of our most highly
respected young men had deliberately COM
mitted suicide. The circumstances which led
to the first are about as follows:
@fhe family of Deputy Sheriff Joseph L.
Hall (blacksmith) consisted of himself and
wife, daughter, aged about 10, and the boy
Zenas, aged H. Mrs. FL all has twice been at
the Insane Hospital at Augusta, but for some
few years has been at home, showing only
occasional symptoms of insanity. In her
rational moods she had requested friends and
neighbors to see that she aid not do harm to
her children, to whom she was ever kind
mother, when sane. Her only symptom of
insanity was manif ested in her determination
to kill her boy and girl. She has made many
unsuccessful attempts to procure poison. At
one time she attempted to drown her boy by
holding him in hogshead of water which she
had filled for this purpose. The boy over
powered her this time and escaped. At
another time she gave both children bedding
poison, and another blue vitriol. Recently
she gathered all the poisoned fly paper she
could procure, and sleeping it, hid it away till
the desired opportunity should cffer itself.
Some two weeks since Zenas was taken sick
from the effects of eating green apples, ETC.,
and passed into typhoid fever and congestion
of the brain, with other symptoms which the
attending physician could not mprehend.
After the hOp'a death hair tod
council of physicians assembled the morning
of the funeral to make post norton examine
ton. Not the slightest suspicion had entered
the fathers mind up to this time. The
mother, finding her secret would be obtained,
went to neighbor and confessed the deed
The funeral occurred in the afternoon, large.
ly attended, after which the mother was taken
few miles away to the home of friend, and
will probably soon be returned to the hospital
Her only regret is that her attempt at the same
time to poison the girl did not succeed.
At early noon Tuesday Marshall Powers, son
of ADDISON Powers, deliberately went across the
yard and into his fathers workshop, and with a
gun shot himself through the forehead. His
age was %. He had been suffering from sore
foot, from effects of scarlet fever, and was prob
ably discouraged. He had recently been study
ing medicine. and was very promising and
upright young man.
In June the barn of George Watson of letter
+, was burned with goods of John f. EN-
hOucs ALOoS RlAUU, uO iuSuTduC0. h6C6ubly,
circumstances led to the arrest of one Henry
McDougall and Charles Bolstridge. for compli-
city in the affair. The evidence warranted the
holding of the former but the latter was dis
charged. Next day McDougall turned state s
evidence and accused Bolstridge of paying him
800 to burn the barn, which he did, He also
paid one Boulier like sum to assist Med, and
Boulier escaped across the line into New Bruns-
wick. Bolstridge is young man of means
and took, this course to revenge himself on
Watson for breaking match between Boil
strldge and Watson's daughter. 1t is also in
evidence that Bolstridge had offered $50 more
to Med. to burn Watson's new barn when fin-
ished. Mr.. B. awaits the September session of
tie 5. j. Court to sanction his right to board at
the expense of the state.
The Sunrise has been sold to Ed. A. Lynde,
son of the late John 81. Lynde of Bangor
&Plenty of tram this month, and the great DO.
tato crop promises WELL Starch potatories are
preparing to devour them at the rate of some
thousands of bushels per day.