Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-09-26
NO. 227.
The Warren Tragedy.
(From the Rockland Free Press.

"A
s might he got five dollars on account, hired
horse and carriage at loves stable, and
drove TO where his wife was living, arriving
there soon after eight o'clock in the evening,
the distance being about ten miles. The
evidence before the jury of inquest goes to
4 show that he approached the house stealthiIy,
and ascertained who were present. In the
upper part WAS his little child, Charles, and
Mrs. Metcalfs two children, asleep in their
beds; on the table a lamp was burning. In
the lower part were the old man Hassan.
Mrs. Robbins, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Metcalf.
MIR. Robbins had been at Rockland during
the day and had not arrived home. MIR.
Metcalf had been absent since Thursday
morning and had not returned
Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Metcalf, about half
past eight, finished eating dish which they
had been cooking, and went out around the
eastern side of the house together to 20 into
the upper story. As they turned around the
north-eastern angle, they were surprised by
encounering Mr.. Smith, and his wife ex-
claimed MY God, here is Charles Smith"
He placed a hand on the shoulder of each
and said, keep still, girls. The sheriff and
police are after me and had to run away
from Rockland." Then he took his wife by
the hand and told her he wanted her to 20
with him. He said 1--WE got some talk to
make TO YOU, and | want to make it quick"
He then led her down the path and few rods
from the house, out around turn in the
road. There. she says, he told her he was
going to shoot her aud her mother and the
baby, and then shoot himself-"but," she
added, referring to his shooting himself, 'he
did not do that" She said she thought he
would do what he said he would. and she told
him she was not afraid to die. Then Smith
u and his wife started back toward the house.
Near the barn they were met by Mrs. Robbins
m W n hpiu nj huI
gone out to follow them. They all went into
the lower part of the house, and Smith and
his wife and Mrs. Robbins sat down. Mrs.
Metcalf remained standing. Mrs. Metcalf
says. Immediately Mrs. Robbins said:
Charles, you have been telling pretty stuff
about me down to Rockland."
He replied, ~ haven't been telling any
stuff about YOU, you are the one that has
told the stuff
She said, mo, haven't told any stuff
about you
He said. 81 know you lie, you have been
telling stuff"
She retorted, ''You are id liar if you
say have told any stuff about you'll"
Mr.. Smith then arose and pointed a revol-
yer at Mrs. Robbins head and fired. She
fell back. Then Mrs. Metcalf started to run
from the room and as she did so Smith fired
at her the shot nicking particle of skin
from the rim of her ear, starting the blood
slightly, and lodging grains of powder in the
side of the neck. The bullet made its exit
through the front window. Mrs. Metcalf
escaped and hid herself in slight stone en-
closure for flower bed under the window at
the eastern side of the house, but she was
not Immediately followed. She says Smith
drew two revolvers from his pocket, one in
:, each hand, but his wife says she saw but one,
and only one found upon him when he
returned here.
When Mrs. Robbins fell upon the floor,
Mrs. Smith attempted to raise her, and then
her husband shot her also in the back of the
neck at the base of the brain. He then
went around the house to the upper room,
where his child was sleeping in its bed, and
shot it twice-one shot entering the left
cheek bone, and the other the mouth 1t ap-
parentIy died instantly, and did not move
the little head from the position of sleep in
which it lay. Having accomplished this
most foul deed. the nfuriated man returned
to make sure of finishing his victims below.
Raising his wounded wife from the PROSTATE
form of her mother, he held her upon his
knee, and ascertaining that she was living.
requested her. while the blood Oozed from
wounds which he had inflicted, to go through
the mockery of kissing him. She complied,
and Immediately he placed his pistol at her
breast and shot her again. lie laid her upon
the bed, asked her if she dead, and as
she made no response wreaked his vengeance
upon her no further. Strange it is, with
two shots fired into vital portions of her body
she says she knew if she answered him he
would shoot her again. Her wounds are Sc
rious, and recovery seems impossible.
The body of Mrs. Robbins showed three
wounds, either of which, in the opinion of
her surgeons, was sufficient to produce death,
one in the back the spine. one entering
the back of the head and going through the
right eye, the third at the margin of the left
breast near the median or central line.
While Smith returned below, Mrs. Metcalf
left her hiding place, ran into the upper room
where her children were asleep, and taking
them from their bed fed over the hill a. far
as she could carry them and crouched down
among the bushes. Here she heard Smith
finally leave the lower part Of the house and
come TO the upper door yard and call to her
-"Mary, Mary, Mary ~ but she did not an
swer. He then went into the upper room,
where he reloaded his revolver by the light
burning there, after which he seized the lamp
and flung it upon the floor. saying "God
damn 'em, that'll fix em.' As he came out Of
her door he fred again, undoubtedly at her
dog, red spaniel, damning it at the same
time and saying that 1t would never tear an
other mans trowsers-leg. The dog was not
hurt.
h Fortunately the fall of the lamp, which
was quite high one, broke the bottom of
and extinguished the flame, while the bowl
wss not broken or the oil spilled Other
wise the house would probably have been
consumed and another victim, old Mr.. Has
san, been added to the holocaust.
Having finished his ghastly work. Smith
left the house, firing three parting shots, an
parently near the barn, and returned po
more. About this time the old man Rob-
bins was approaching home on his return
from Rockland, and met carriage in the by
4 road. with one man in it. He hailed him
{but re eceived no answer and both went their
!, way smith came directly to Rockland. as
first stated, and gave himself up. He sur
rendered his pistol, 80 caliber five shooter,
D and lot Of cartridges. He seemed less
reckless Of his own safety than of that of
] Others. as he requested the officer to put him
where Robbins, brother Of his wife, then
in the city, could not get at him.
8 George w. Munro son of the great nuh.