Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-09-26
A STR ANGIE ACT.
w"r,h $4,000, and Afraid Of Coming to
aml.

I On Monday last Mr. Stephen Cannon Of Fair
field Centre, one of the wcalthiest and most sub
stanial men In the town, attempted suicide by
cutting bis throat with razor. Though the
wound WIS severe and ghasily one, it did not
prove fatal. He then attempted drowning, vt
which he also failed when he was found by his
, own woi knen. Mr.. Cannon is over seventy years
! Of age and has long been reckoned among the
sharpest and shire widest business men OF
Somerset county. He has accumulated property
valued at some SIS 900, and had one to sup
port hut himself and wife. lie suffered the loss
! of all his children, several years since. He has
been one Of the directors of the Fairfield Nation
al Bank since its organ zsfion, and ono of the
| largest stockholders of the West Waterville Ma
tional Bark. also one Of the Trustees of the West
Waterville Savings Bank. For the past thirty
| years he has been extensively engaged as drov.
| err buying cattle for the Brighton market. He
| hiss long been Of the leading democrats
of bis town. and ba. been the candidate of
| his party for representative TO the legislature
Notwirhst ,nding Mr.. Csnnon's greet wealth,
from long habits of penurousness he has come to
regard himself poor aud from ahject fear Of
| coming to want he made this attempt on his life
| OF late, he has been 10 a tate of great mental
anxiety. Taking no notice Of any one, he would
pursue hi work, doing The same thing. over and
over . hundred times. The forenoon b. fore the
attempt on hi. HE he walked the floor consta ntly
He is not likely to die from the effects Of the At
| tempts at suicide. and Mr. Cannon now regrets the
act. The affair ted great excitement through
out he town, rs he was msp widely known.
| Suicide Of the Postmast-r OF Brunswick.
The intelligence was received iu this city yes
| terdsy, tina, Rev George c. Crawford, Postmaster
at Brunswick, had in the morning cut his throat
with . razor and died IN five minutes. IL is
thought me ntal depression must have been the
cause for this dreadful deed. Certainly no man
| was more pleasantly situated and dearly beloved
by an interesting family and peced by bis fell
low men. lie vas for years = preacher in the
Methodist dc nom nation, retiring from the minis
try few years ago. he was chaplain of the
3lst Maine regiment during the war; and there
| WAS no man in the regiment but spoke we'll
Of him. lie was Steward of the Maine
Wesleyan Seminary for some ten years
He was genial and pleasant always, carrying sun
shine and Joy wherever he went. The act Of yes
terdsy is past accounting for, and must be reckon
ed among the mysterious things of Providence
that seems dark indeed. May the light come to
the beresved and stricken family, and their faith
er's God whom he so long and faithfully served.
be to them strength aud conf TT in this ,r,irg
hour.
We further learn that yesterday morning. Mrs.
era ~ford went up stairs TO call her husband to
.,l sh.t h. l. kas -, ,.l.a
little nap. She retired, and in two three min
utes hearing fall, she rushed up and found him
with his throat cut from ear to ear 1t is thought
that he in q fit of insanity, IS some time snce
tie was thought to be sufferer from insanity.
Newspaper Change.
Joseph o. Smith, Esq, of this city, Deputy
secretary of State, has purchased of Mr.. c. A.
Woodbury., the Somerset Reporter newspaper
property at SkowhegAn, and tina paper will here
after be published by him. Negotiations which
nave been pending for some time. were completed
yesterday, when the establishment with sll lie
franchises, good will. printing material, etc ),
passed into Mr. Smiths hands.
Mr.. Smith has had experience which will quail
fy him for the newsI aper profession. For four
winters he agent OF the Associate press here,
furnishing daily reports Of legislative business;
he has been at different times engaged as spt ciai
core ,pondeLt OF the Portland Piess, Boston
Journal and Boston Globe. His scQuaintau ce
18th public men aud The administration of public
affairs is large, and will ne OF advantage to him in
nis new position. He WAS two years mt mber of
the House of Reprt senrali.es from Aroos,ook
| county, Two years Assistant Clerk of the House
has been five years in the Office of the Score.
t,ry Of State, for The last three Deputy Secre-
aiy. He Is IA Gear and ready wrlief, and q gen.
eman OF excellent judgment aud executive sbil
ty, who will bring discretion AID fore,hough, IN
| he management Of his business Usually he
cain y dellbeIates before acting, and the action
then is almost always sure TO be in the tight dj.
ection. He Is one of the m )st honorable gentle
| men We ever met; his iepdshp is Of the quality
that one seeks 10 retain after it has been cultiya
| red aud secured. The Reporter is the leading
newspaper of Somerset county, and the only re-
rubiican paper there Published 10 one of the
,msrtest and most en,erprising inland villages in
| Maine, it has always held high rank among the
journals of Maine, and under the direction of its
| uew proprietor will receive a fresh impulse of
prosperity aud usefulness.
Fire la West Farm In dale.
La b.. .lt E.rh, IL.