Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-15
Local anu State Mems.
THE SCRIBNER TRAGEDY.
TRIAL OF JASON p. sCRIBNER FOR
THE MURDER OF HIS DAUGHTER
MAUD.
Insanity the De fe nee.

readers. An lnhuman father, Jason p. ScrIbner
while in fit of anger, with spade beat out the
brains Of two Of his children, and made an At
tempt to take the life of third child and also
that of his wife, who fled from bis presence.
The sweet babe, only year old, fingered until
midnight, and then its little life closed Maud
was beautiful, rosy checked child of three years.
Her skull was crushed in by the murderous spade,
and she lived but an hour and half. Earnest,
bright boy of five years, received swinging blow
across the left side of the head which felIed him
to the floor His life trembled in the balance for
weeks, banging as it were upon . single thread.
The boy has recovered, but will always bear upoa
his face the marks of his fathers violence.
Scribner was committed to the Kennebec
county jail to await his trial for murder at the
present term of the Supreme Judicial Court.
The indictment, under which the trial is held Is
for the wlful and malicious murder, with malice
aforethought, of Maud lone of the murdered
chdren.)
There was not large crowd at the opening Of
the court yesterday morning, but the numbers in
creased during the day until the court room WAS
filed.
Messrs. S. Il. Titcomb appeared IS counsel
for the prisoner The conducted for the
government by Hon. +. F. Webb County Attor-
ney. BY order of the Judge the prisoner was
brought in. He appeared well, and has gained
%.
wore full beard of sandy or red hair; his dress
plain and simple.
A jury was then impanuelled from the two ju-
res in attendance. But one challenge was made
by the counsel for the defence. The names of the
Jurors selected are as follows:
Charles +. Nash of Augusta, Silas r. Getchell
of Winslow, William +. Trask of Chelsea, Ben
jamin X. Woodsum OF Fsyette, Sumner Hswcs Of
ii. Marrow of Winthrop, Josiah Nelson Of West
Wstervllle, Benz amin +. Fuller of Hallowell,
Willis II. Wing Of Manchester, Alopzo b. Nor
rill of Waterville lchsbod A. Pettengill Of Mon
mouth, Simon w. Baker of Clinton.
Charles T.. Nash was appointed foreman by the
Judge
Mr.. Webb opened the case. by addressing the
court and jury.
The reading of the indictment has informed
you Of the nature of the offence. The crime
charged is that of murder, the greastest offence
that one person can commit against another. II he
is guilty of murder he should be pu nished, for the
better security Of all. 1t is Of consequences to the
prisoner, as it involves his liberty and his charac-
ter. He defined the legal term for murder. aud
of the different degrees. This case is peculiar
from the fact that the homicide il not denied. The
prisoner did knl Maud ScrIbner. The prisoner
will ask to be excused on the ground Of insanity.
He must satisfy you OF that by prePond, rance
Of evidence. This question is often invoked as an
excuse for crime. man Is not obliged to be
perfectly sane 10 be responsible for crime. 1t is
n nice question to decide where the line Of respon-
sibllity ends The question for you to decide will
be, could Scribner, in this act, distinguish between
right and wrong.
Mr.. Scrbner is some So years of age; was born
in this city his mother is new living; his father
is dead. He lives on the Brook road, some three
miles from the city. lie WAS married some l6
years ago; and has worked on his farm and work.
ed out. They have five children living. OIe
child was scAded to death. Scribner and hrs
wife had little jars; he aud his brother had Diff
Guilty. He is quck-tempeied, wouldn't submit to
any advice, and when crossed, would manifest it
by bad language, swearing at his wife, children
and neighbors. 1t will appear on trial that be is
an ugly man. On the lin Of May last he worked
for his mother in the forenoon, being III peculiar
state OF mind; he was cutting wood fur bis moth
err at the time. Came home the afternoon;
his wife was in the cemetery with two children
He had previously been told that his brother
Daniel WAS going TO get warrant tor his arrest
for cutting up harness Scribper took hoe and
started for the burial ground. Men were TO work
there, and he returned to the house. and took
spade in his hand. He and the children and
wife went into the house, and there the bloody
scene WAS enacted, with the attempt Of Scribner
to take his life, the particulars of which known
to our readers Mr. Webb showed . diagram Of
the premises.
The government witnesses were then called.
S. W. Bat, of Wsterville, civil engineer, testi
fled to making sketch of the place.
Mrs. Sarah A. Scribner, the wife OF the accus-
ed, was sworn and testified that she was the wife
of Jason p. Scribner. Am 81 married April IL,
1862, in Augusta, went to live with his mother, v
ed here TIL oldest boy was three months old, when
went 20 our own house built by husband have had
eight children, five living at time of murder. On
Saturday morning be went to help bis mother cut
wood. He Came home at III O'Clock; went 70
getting dinner; went TO graveyard to zee whether
flowers were up which nad sOwn. saw him coming
up hoe on shoulder and child following him. we
went to the graveyard. When we came back
Hattie Vaughn came along. Talked with her aud
walked down to Coombs When we came back
Jason had gone home. saw that he WAS mad.
and be swore at me. lie kept coming nearer
and raised the spade Is if to strike me- tie said.
"G-d d-n you, have lived with you Just
as long a. l want tot He then put down the
spade and went into the house. l followed with
the children. He shut the door and came at me
with the spade, scrapng my arm and showing me
into the corner. He struck Earnest and the babe,
who fell. As the babe fell seized her 10 my
arms and rushed from the house. Afterwards he
struck Maud. He did not say word after be ee-
gan striking the children. When Earnest was
struck by his father he fell senseless; the baby
was standing by q chair. He struck one after
another, just IS fast as he could. Maud stood in
the middle Of the room, and be had better
chance to hit her. He appeared At the house
mad; knew by his talk and looks. On Friday
previous had gone down to have him taken
care Of. He appeared the same - ever. 1non-
day night he undertook to choke me. he
grabbed ct my throat and jumped out ofthe bea
aud went out into the kitchen. lie began to
swear ct me, and said had imposed on her.
Cross sranined-Had no trouble with husband
on day of killing; he had no trouble with Maud
when be went into the door be appeared mad; did
not know what caused him to be mad. He was quiet
the night before. Sometimes he would get up
in the night and swear at me and smoke. be
complained Of my putting rubber under his pill
low which did not. He also broke out square
OF glass from the bedroom window. After that he
said 81 was damned fool for putting my hand
through that square Of glass" He then smoked
and went to bed. He took il up again 10 the
morning, and began again to Cd d--n me
about the rubbers. Once he got mad With me for
saying that bad no victuals in the house. and
threw q box through the window, with osths.
Something more than year ago he went out to
Jones house and said "We'li have . Fourth OF
July, old Jones, we'll have . Fourth Of July."
One night about midnight he vent out. and came
back and said, damn em have given 'em
warning" He had been mad about two years;
had some trouble about his fathers property. In
March or April he took down the clock and found
fault with 1t because it struck. and kept him
awake. He carried razor il his pocket for some
three weeks prior to the tragedy. Had heard him
say if he had got to murder, he would murder.
He had threatened his brother and his wife. He
had threatened to run knives through folks did so
to me- He said last fall he wanted to see every.
thing in ashes. He would like TO see them ell
burnt, from Coombs' Mills up. He had COM
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