Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-23

The SCION Murdrr-Mrs. Jackson Inter-
viewed.
Mrs. Jackson, the widow Of William C. Jackson,
who found dead in his barn at Scion, i. a
slightly built, modest looking woman, rather tall
with thin. tightly drawn lips hollow cheeks, and
full, gray eyes. Her hair is of a faded shade of
red aud she would be classed 'ordinary"
woman. In conversation she evinces marked
degree of intelligence, and her sentences are care
fully weighed, clear cut and free from useless
words.
In conversation with a reporter, she said that
the movement made for an inquest was not started
until after her hush ands will was opened and the
fact established that the property had been left
exclusively TO her. This will was made n Au
gusta, five years ago. and at that time her husband
asked her to keep its existence a secret, ~ his
family had not been on pleasant relations with
her. The elder jackson was present at the fun
eral aud told her that he saw no reason to believe
that the cause of his sons death not from a
kick by the colt. At the inquest be swore posi-
lively that he never believed otherwise than that
he was murdered. sister of her husbands re-
ported that the evening after the funeral she over
heard Benson say to Mrs Jackson that lit was bet
ter than q club" and that she replied you had
better go to bed. George, and think of what you
are saying" The first she knew abont the in-
quest when on her way to Scion village, and
PASSING the cemetery, she saw men at work dig
ging up her husbs nds body. She returned home,
without going TO the village, and was shortly
afterwards summoned. She asked to have every
one called that could know anything about the
matter, and had freely shown the premises to all
who wished to view them. She phosophicslly
ranvassed the case from all sides, and theorized
about it with a good deal of earnestness. She
said she had been married twelve years and for
Inerly lived in Sidney. She admitted that she did
not live pleasantly with her husband and that he
was naturally jealous. On the night of the acci
dent she said she at first thought her husband had
gone to one OF the negobors, as he was frequent
" in the habit of doing so, aud staying away an
hour or She could not tell why she va,
fearful this occasion. She did not go to the
barn, and did not her husbands body that
night. After she called Benson. she went up
stairs and got into her mothers bed. She at first
said Benson could not have left his room without
her knowing it, as he would have to pass the
kitchen window opposite her sleeping room.
Afterwards she said that she went to sleep directly
after her husband went TO the barn, that the door
half closed, the hinges be ny towards the head
Of the bed precluding the possibility of her seeing
out into the yard. The story of the mysterion,
hottie and lis contents was told substantially as
has already appeared. She was certain that her
husband never drank drop of lquor in his life
aud that there had been no tramps about the
premises. Her husband very deaf STOPPED
cared little about bis dress, and never went into
-ociety.
George Benson, who was found at his uncle's
tiety he had gained excellent joke, and laug he'd
a. he related his connection with the affair.
Nothing CLEANED from him, excent
hat he considered the colt more than ordinarily
kind and that he did not believe that Mr.. Jack
son had an enemv in the world. He claims to
he sickly. but looks as tough ordinary NOR
tals is above the medium stature, has black. cur
" hair and a decidedly unpleasant eye He is
rather soft spoken, and seems Indifferent to opin-
ION, saying that they could do what they were a
mind to with him, he didn't care what"
The neighbors agree that Jackson was Jealous,
and express the belief that he had occasion to be
One saws that he has seen Benson aud Mrs
Jackson riding down from Scion, hugging and
kissing in the carriage, and more TO that effect
Al Scion village these stories are discredited As
rule, and the villagers say that she was a smart
capable business woman, and always behaved
properly so far as they knew.
man was found at work for Mr.. Wilbur who
had taken care of the colt before he was gelded
and he said that the colt was kind. lie had seen
an axe near the watering trough 10 the barn yard
and that axe is now missing.
Benson has not been arrested thus far. The
opinion prevails that an effort will be made to in
diet him at the September term Of the Somerset
court.