Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-04-06
MERRILL THE MATRIc1nr
An Interview With the Weeks, M,,,s
Murderer.
Inc 1hastly Story Of His Guilt Rehearsed
ne Indignantly Denies the Report That H.
is an Incendiarv.
His Trial to Come Off Th,. Term,

Tue criminal, whose atrccious butchery of his
indulgent mother caused such a thrill of -
ror in the community short time since
Mefriii Will be arraigned before His Honor
william +. Whitehouse, Judge of the Sune.
rior Court for Kennebec county. this term
lie EVIL employ as his counsel, Lorinp Farr
Esq, and John Potter, Esq.
CHAT WITH MERRILL.
journal reporter had long talk with
the young malefactor yesterday. 1t was a
pleasant spring day outside, and the April sun.
shine flooded the interior of the Jail with
Its glory. 1t must be douby irksome to peep
through iron bars when everything is telling
OF freedom and life and activity. The scribe
pulled out his lead pencil, and looked into
the cell.
''Hello, Merrill How are YOU getting
alonz?"
Merrill recognized his visitor, and came
forward. How are ye?" he responded.
The fellow bears confinement we'll al
though he complains that the lack of exer.
else and fresh air makes his head ache. His
cell is neat, but rather bare. Bible and a
few newspapers occupy shelf in one corner
There is one popularity about Merrill. lie
looks no one in the face. There is nothing
apparently vicious stamped on his counte-
nance. He looks like an ordinary Young
fellow brought up in the country, not like
desperate capable of committing the most
heinOus of all crimes. He talks readily
about the murder. The moment you ap-
proach that subject he loses his reticence.
and becomes communicative. Of course no
one can accurately probe his thoughts, but he
apparently has no realization of the enormity
of his crime, and does not feel the pangs of
remorse which would naturally be supposed
to attend the preparation of such an infa-
nous act he is guilty of. He eats with
relish, sleeps well, and peacefully snores
away in his dreams.
THE MURDERER's CONFESSION.
''Well, Merrill, suppose that you still ac-
knowledge that you killed your mother?'
''They say did. But they couldn't have
proved anything against me if I hadn't owned
up
"Did you bear any malice towards your
mother, or did you have any grudge against
her, when YOU committed that fearful act?"
mo. That very afternoon we drove down
to the Mills to do some trading. We got
home about four o'clock. 1 went out into the
barn to put up the horse. Mother came out
on some GRAND or other. There was ham,
mer living on a beam which | used for clean
| ing the horses feet. l went up behind her and
! struck her twice on the head, pretty hard.
| She fell on the floor dead. | don't know
what impelled me to do this. | left her ly-
| ing there on the floor; did not cover the
body up, and went into the house. | called
into the part which my sister occupied, and
spent the evening with her. Slept as sound
| " as usual that night, and did not have any
unpleasant dreams. About seven O'Clock
| the next morning Sunday went into the
barn to do the chores.
MorHER's BoDY LAY ON THE FLOOR,
with the hammer beside it. There were two
marks on the skull where had struck her.
| I hardly know how I felt when | saw her
there. The whole affair seemed like an ugly
nightmare | went on about my milking,
and worked away, with the dead body lying
there unconcealed. Nobody ever visited the
barn. and let her remain there on the floor
until Tuesday, when they say cut her up.
concealed the pieces in the edge of the hay
NOW. Wednesday l wrapped the body up
1 a
tatoes and started for Augusta. When got
to Barton's woods, disposed of the burden
nv hiding it in the snow by stump. The
potatoes sold at Pettengill's Corner. When
7 got home that night began to realize what
I had done, and to fear detection. l built up
big fire in the fireplace; put on lot OF
pitch knots. and tried to burn the pieces.
Did not pour on any kerosene, but the DRESS
hair and the wood made roaring fire. The
next morning logged what was left out In a
basket and buried it in the manure heap.
thought nothing about law or about running
away. supposed that they would miss her'
I'm, didn't have NV mind made up what to
do.
| SEEMED TO BE DAzED,
and could hardly realize what l had DONE
..Had YOU been drinking p
aNo. sir. 1 do not remember drinking any
that day"
.Did you have some trouble with your
mother last fall. p
.wc had no words. Ivoted the greenback
ticket. and she took my bed away so that
had no place to sleep. Ipacked up my Things
and went up to Tyler's Corner to Alfred
C,.rk,,. I worked around until about the
first of February, when 1 came back 10
mothers.
| MINOR CRIMES.
upon being closely Intercepted merlin
re,ated some of his previous escapades' NJ
wa. employed at the Mansion House JUST
before il burned, and while there stole some
money from a stage driver. The man WAS
asleep. but light was burning in the room
On the floor lay the trousers of the slumoer-
inc driver. with a fat wallet protruding 'fo'"
the pocket. The opportunity was too so0a
|