Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-13
DEAD CHILD IN EVERY ROOM.
The Horrible AID Heart-Rending Par
ticulars.
INTERVIEW WITH THE MURDERER.

\ horrible ragedy, almost too terrible TO mar
rate, occurred Saturday afternoon, about three
miles from the city, near the Brook road. The
scene of the tragedy is story house, situated
On the cross road leading from tue Brook road to
the Sidney road, and about fifty rods west of the
.o-called Jewett school house. The house stands
alone; is one story aud unpanted; there are no
very neighbor,; it sets end to the road, and
You enter 1t throuI IA a door in he end Passing
from a small entry you enter what Is called, we
suppose, parlor, ia which is a bed, which one
OF tAe mud cred children was lain after the awful
work of death. The furniture is scanty; the on.
" thing hanging upon the walls i motto, ".Stcee
Home." Can anything be more opp p,ite to that
than the scene upon which we gazed Was there
anything there suggestive of sweet home Blood
upon the floor, blood upon the door posts blood
upon the implements of labor. You la,s directly
from the ParoI to the kitchen, the floor of which
i bare as was tha Of the p4rlor, although there
l. an air Of neatness amid the general appearance
OF sqlallor, that betokeus omtn's taste and
mothers dizziness. \ strong man can cary off 10
h. arms all the furniture the kitchen contains
with the exception OF the cpok,tove. A siak
room or huttery, bare and unat,tactiv' and bed
lead from the kitchen Tue house i, unconnect
ed with any outbuiIIing, a small barn aud shed
being few rods on 4 door opens f.om the
kitchen southwark, IN small back eutry, and
thence out Of doors. The stuat N of the house
Is beautiful. There are fertile green field.
sOYing down TO a brook pleasant forest scenes the
&c covering quite a range OF territory and Indeed
there i nothing in the outlying scenery, touched
~ ~ the gentle hand Of -piug that /. at all sng-
gc,tve of murder.
Uuul saturday night, thi. was the home of
ason Scnbner, his wife and five ciildlen. He has
had eight Children having Lost three lie married
Sarah W iicoN Ca Saturday, one Of the children,
the oldest boy of fifteen, Elmer, wa. absent at I'll.
uncies, Virgil Scrbner. The four who were at
home were Herbert, aged II Earnest, aged 81
Maud, aged 3, aud girl baby one wear old
Scribner is a man of thuty-siX years Of medium
height, squaely and comPacty built. weighing
l6j pounds. lie is muscular and smart for a per-
sonal encounter but it is the general testimony
that he is not very ready or willing to perform
useful work lie has red hair whi,kers and
moustsche He has two brothers living 10 the
vicinity, George and Daniel F. Scribner', farm
OF twelve acres is moitgaged for $500. every cent
1t Is worth, and las; fall the mortgage was fore
closed, and there didu't appear to be the slightest
prospect Of ever lifting the mortgage This with
a law suit he had last fall served to make the man
detected aad respondent The other day writ
was served upon him for debt, and he ha. been in
very embarrassed eli cumstances. lie had been
drinking man until two wears ago ; rapgely
enough, while IN the habit of drinking he wa.
cheerful and industrious; after he reformed he
become moroSe, ugly and indo'eut He worked
at one time in fulier's brick yard. When he had
plcn'y of liquor he would do two days work in
one. Besides farming in small way, be would
do 'odd jobs, as he could find them. He ha.
often talked a. though he were insane; said he
wanted to see everything in ashes; expected be
would be ruined and didn't much care if he was
He has threatened the life of his brother Daniel
The neighbors have been quite alarmed, and
thought he ought to have been taken care Of In
deed, on Friday his wife came to the city, and
laid the particulars of his cruel conduct before
the City Marshal, City Solicitor and others of the
city authorities and if the arrest had then been
made the horrible scenes of Saturday would not
have occurred. Mrs. Scribner and her children
sought refuge for few days at the aims house
but for some reason returned to her miserable
home.
On Saturday, Scribner appeared to be very
quiet, more so than for some time. He held the
baby and rocked her, and seemed to be unusually
affectionate. He always did seem TO love his
children tend,rly; and whatever harm he might
infict upon her, Mrs. S. was quite sure he would
never lay the hand of violence upon his little
ones. Saturday afternoon, about one o'clock,
Mrs Scrbncr went down to the cemetery where
her children are buried, short distance from the
house, to see about some plants or slips He
soon followed her, having hoe over his shoulder
and accompanied by two of the children Earnest
and Maud. Hattie Vaughn came along, aud Mrs
Scrbner feeling little fearful, asked her to ac-
company her. She went round another way, on
her return home, Hattie accompanying her, and
when she reached home found her husband stand
ing out doors, near the back door, foaming at the
mouth. He had spade in his hand, and was
throwing the dirt about. The children were
standing near him in the door-ysrd he flourish
ed his spade about. Mrs. Scribner warned him
not to strike the children. He replied, &C
d-n you. you have imposed upon me enough
| cant speak to Herbert (meanng his brother),
without your imposing me !" She asked him
what he meant by being imposed upon. He then
took up the spade and went into the house, being
followed by his family. Mrs. Scribner was stand
ing near the stove in the kitchen, the little
boy and the baby were standing by the
north window, while Msude and the ed-
est boy were standing the other side of
the room. 1t seems though they were ar.
ranged 10 the room preparatory to the slaughter.
Suddenly Scribner seized the spade, and exclsim-
ing, "Damn you" attacked his wife. making a
thrust at her with the spade, which had blunt
edge, and which only grazed her right arm, with
out doing any damage. Then raising his spade
he struck Earnest, the little five year old lad,
swinging blow across the left side Of the head,
which felled him to the floor. The nhuman father
then gave him another blow after he had fallen.
Then with similar blow he struck the baby and she
fell as one dead. The mother rushed forward and
picked her up, to make her flight from the house.
Again swinging high in air his murderous weap