Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-11-16
spring TO talk with him. ~ R-erHaggs
F. L. FsrtinRton Was city marshal Of An


II phen Rogers Reside in Augusta. Known
Jason 'rbner ever nee he was small hoy
Some niue years ago he "prest he'd" or lectured
His repuaion Is that he is qu,ck-tenp, red
HI utu passion, and j. quarrt lsome.
Charles Morrill,: Reside in Augusta; was ior
mnile on the police focre. Known Jason Serb
most OF the time since be was small boy
Was at the house of VIM. Stone at the time oi
the muid,r. saw Sclibner about the time he
came out of the house he ran out in the direction
,i h mothers; followed soon, going INTO the
house fret; then went down wlere Scrbner was,
Wit. others; Scribuer was lying on the ground,
with one arm on his head. lie talked some, in
random way. He said, "tell Sarah to take care
OF the Oh loren" that they should lead better
he than he had. Helped get him up to the
house. lie is . quick tempered man, and has
that reputation; said 10 be lazy and quar- resome.
Cross eramned-Throat was cat wien fonDd
him IN the field. with the razor near by. Made
some reiig ious remarks When we were moving
hun said it hut his throat. DIR. Brckett told him
he had done poor job on his throat, and Scribner
asked me to take the razor and cut his throat so
that he would die.
VIM. Stone: Reside in Augusta known Jason
Scribner ever since he was born. he has
worked for me several times in hayiDg. Saw him
along up to the time of the murder; have seen
him ut his home. Discovered something different
within year in his conversation. lie appeared
rs though he was In trouble. lie TAXED vehe-
mently always talked that way. Seemed to be
more exctsble in his conversation. He is =
quick tempered, passionate man, but Is considered
peacesbe.
Cross eramined-No particular time in which
noticed anything peculiar about hun Saw moth
ing of the kind last winter or spring He always
spoke vehementy and disconnected. Had no.
ticed some change within the last two or three
years.
Horace Leighton: Live in Augusta; am 10 ;
live near Jason Scribner's; never heard Jason
threaten to kali Daniel; one Sunday they had
trouble. George. Daniel and Jsse were out 10
the shed, and Jason said he "would run . knife
through his Cd d-n heart if he didn't look
Quit" Don't know to whom he referred
Gross examined. lie had been +, aiding paper
previous to saying that. he said 1t aloud. lie
didn't seem excited.
Linwood Wentworth: Live in Augusta, three
mies from here; known Jason Scribner nine
years; WAS IN to his mothers last winter when he
was there, several times. Daniels little boy Fred
WAS there; got to speaking about Daniels wife,
ana Jason said, "What do you want to talk about
her for she is . nasty, dirty bitch" Then he
said to Freddie. go home aud tell your mother
that if she should wash in eighteen waters she
would still stink" Another time Fred came IN
and his Grandmother asked him to sit up and
have some dinner; said he had been TO dinner;
his Grandmother again asked bin to sit up and
have something to eat, and Jason put the chair
up to the table saying if he didn't get up id
q lick, he'd kill him.
old Jason was ugly when ne talked to the child.
George Wood: Reside in Augusta, and we'll
acquainted with Scrlbner, living fifty rods from
him for five years Have seen him often; worked
with him been IN his house, and he 10 nine. lie
uses profanity and is qaick tempered aud passion
ate. Was into his house seven years, ago when he
and wife had trouble about getting boy PAIR OF
boots. He told her if she didn't dry up he would
knock her Cd Id brains out.
Cross erdmined. Noticed hun last winter, and
couldn't but he was all right.
Abby L. Wood, wife Of last witness, testified
Scribner uses profane language, with great Ire.
quency. Had seen him threaten his wife with =
whip ID his hand she had said nothing to aggra-
waite him. Last spring he sa,d TO her "Ssrah, 1
heard today that we had called upon the town.,
sne then turning to me added, Its eud
amt i'll | will take my hand up easy and lay II
down heavy on some one yet.
Cross examined. lie came IN from the moving
field when he used the abusive language to his
vile she did not particularly notice his Conduct
last spring; didn't see nythiLg out OF the way
in him.
Scribner 20 years; have worked Tor hin when wife
was sick. He WAS very profsne " his wife and
other persons. One time he went down street
and came home and brought some Holsters, and
behaved i'll when being Ieproved be WAS mad and
manifested it. He went OF, but came back with
q knife and used threatening language to my
self and wife. Vile greatly alarmed. Didn't
know but the woman would die she was SICK ali
the next day.
Gross eranined- Couldn't help hearing about
his condition.
Elmer A. Scribner Age Is; son of Jason
Scribner. Had worked out some. Have seen
father throw dishes. He would do so when he
got mad with ANY thing. He would throw dishes
on floor, and break glass in the north window
Mother and he were talking and he got mad,
and fired Q boz through the window lie has
caught up thing and lhl eatened TO knock mothers
"d-n brains out" Used proisne language al
ter Saw him break q door, when he came IN
with armful Of wood.
Gross sramined-Fsther thought more of the
little ones 10 the family then be did Of the Others
He would take them 10 his arms and kiss
them. Sometimes took the children when be went
awsy from home. Never heard him threaten
to kill the children.
Daniel +. Scribner Brother Of the prisoner;
am 20; married been mariied years; Jason has
made threats CANT NE. Last March be threat
epcd to kill me in the presence OF mother Swung
piece of iron over my head, and said he would
'kpock nv G-dd-n brains out" 10 March,
in the stable, when l was hsrnessing my horse,
he came up and after sotne WORDS, drew his
knife from his pocket, and came at me. l said
"You pat up that knife and he did so At once.
Two years ago, raised . sled stake, slung it over
nv head, and threatened TO kill me. Five or
six years ago, he raised chair, aud threatened
to split my brains out. On the morning Of the
murder told mother l was going ~ the city to
get . warrant to arrest Jason. saw him about
tue house after that, and saw him leave mothers
house to 70 to his own On another OCCASION Ja-
sop took the tea kettle cover to me. s4.r
Crosseramined-Had no trouble with him on
the day Of the first assault. When mother took
him by the arm she said, "You miserable devil,
what are you abouti" lie caught up the
iron bar, when rushed by him, crowding in at
the door, When be raised the sled stake he
provoked about my taking halter; when he took
the chair had accused him Of visiting my wife.
Almeds F. Scribner: Wife Of the last witness.
Known Jason eight years, and seen him frequent
ly. Five years ago he caught up chair, and
threatened to split my brains out; did this twice,
and accused me of talking about him. He after
wards apooglzed by saying he wss mad and
couldn't control himself when he was mad. He
had pointed . revolver at me when We walking
together from the village, and afterwards
laughed. Related the incident about taken the
tea kettle cover to throw At her. At his
house. heard him threaten to split out the brains Of
his wife. Noticed that recently he has been
more spiteful against certain people.
Gross. erumiasd-Hsd made no threats to me
when we were walking up from Augusta. Didn't
notice him particularly last wiuter. Lett of
drinking . year ago last fall.
The government stopped here.
George Scribner WAS recalled by the defence,
and said when he found Jason in the field with bis
throat cut, he said he had set out to kill his chill
dren three or four times since that. Saw him in
ail four or five weeks after the homicide, and he
asked me il he had killed. the children. He said