Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-28

mat night, Charles
BUILT ROARING FIpr
III the fireplace in the sitt;no
apartment. His sister heard H.
;, cracking up chimney, and feared ,b.,
l''e mouse would catch fire. Sbe ,.
r -. room TO demonstrate with her brother
: "e Aerosehe can stood on the floor. Thoro
-, tremendous fire in the fireplace and
Ars. Lilly saw something resemblino =
Junk Of meat among the wood els a
'io'"er what 1t was, and he said it was =.
p''ch Knot. No suspicion had entered b.,
MINI up to this time that her brotbs, no.
capable OF committing such a damn.h,o CT
- ''a'ricide. She feared that he had stolen
'o"e meat from neighbor and taken this
method OF disposing of it. Tie next mo,r-
ing ne washed the curry of the andirons
several days passed. A horrible forebod;ny
I'a' everything was not all right seized upon
her. She questioned her brother clossl,
about her mothers whereabouts but cor,d
elicit nothing satisfactory. A neipbbor
iropped in, and Mrs. Lilly communicated
er terrible suspicious that foul play had
'een committed. This lady at once notified
Deputy Sheriff Frank Percival of China who
visited the house and conversed with Mrs
Lilly: This was Friday. BY this time
Whispers and intimations began to float
through the neighborhood that
MRS. MERRILL HAD BEEN ForLLY Mrp-
Inc niger OF suspicion pointed towards
me young man, Charles, whose noncbalence
and apparent Indifference at his mothers
non-appearance was certainly peculiar. Sat
lrday morning little groups of men gathered
around the house. They talked together
1t hrst in whispers, and then boldly out that
Charles Merrill was a murderer Ahop,
noon squad of men, under the direction of
Deputy Sheriff Percival, commenced thor
ough search Of the premises. Charles fol-
lowed them around, with his hands in his
as cool as if the result of
he search did not mean life or
Heath to him. Soon the men began to come
lpon traces of foul play. The snow
near the stable door was in places stained
With blood. There were prints of bloody
fingers upon the wooden floor of the sitting
'oom near the fire place, and the andirons
we're coated over with what looked and
burned flesh of some kind. The
nay in the barn was pitched about and the
MANURE HEAP
thoroughly thrown over. A few thrusts of
he fork, and the strongest recoiled from the
'ickening sight. There. in that manure,
cere charred Junks of human flesh, cut into
mail pieces, and eridentiy half burned.
Near them ras sere,at .forkfuis of stram
with blood The chain of evidence
vas now so complete that the deputy sheriff
arrested Charles, and at once despatched
messenger to Augusta after Coroner William
H. Libby, asking him to come to China as
soon as possible and hold an inquest over the
remains. The man arrived at Mr.. Libby's
residence at midnight, Saturday. Mr.. Libby
promised to start for China the first thing
Sunday morning.
WORKING UP THE CASE.
Sunday morning was one of the most
beautiful of the winter. The warm air and
sunshine limited eloquently of approaching
spring. The church bells were ringing out
heir first peals, to call people to the worship
Of Him who came to bring peace and good
will to earth, when Coroner Libby and a
Journal reporter started for the scene OF
tragedy, where all laws, humane and divine,
had been violated. In an hour and half
hey arrived at the residence deputy sheriff
Percival where Merrill was under arrest The
fellow was loafing about, in the charge of a
Seepcr. the most unconcerned man in the
village. The house was a mile beyond.
Around it were gathered hundreds of country
people, in state of intense excitement
New discoveries had been made since day
break pile of ashes had been found IN the
ear of the ell, in which were fragments OF
he human Skull, IL" hai Pihs;" "" "'N>N
rom a woman's dress. and few slight orna-
nents. In the stable an axe had been found
with its blade covered with blood. Men were
constantly bringing into the house, little
,bings which went to make the proof OF muir
Ter irrefutable A shred of calico was found
which Mrs. Lilly identified as coming from her
mothers apron. All these things were taken
into the sitting room where the body had
been burned, and carefully inspected by Cor
,uer Libby, DIR. George f. Brickett OF Au-
yusta. DIR. G. J. Nelson of China, and others
rho room where the examination of the re-
-o,..ins was held, was low posted
with three windows. On the moor
was a rag carpet. The walls were covered
with pictures, and, horrible mockery, above
he fireplace hung the motto
.Gop BLESS Our HONE.
n, one wall was picture of the Madonna
md child. The medical gentlemen examined
he remains. and pronounced them unques-
,;onably those of hnman being. when the
,rowd outside learned this, they surged up
.r.;rst the door, muttering imprecations
and threats against the fiend who had pro-
famed their hitherto quiet village by his uh-
holy work. There was no constable present.