The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-03-03
An Atroc1ous Murder in Kennebec County.
4 TWENTY-FIN YEARS OLD SON MURDERS HIS
MOTHER, MUTILATES AND BURNS HER BODY
THE CONFESSION OF THE MURDERER.

Special correspondence of the Journal
CHINA, Feb. 2Sth, 1881.
Our quiet little town has been thrown into fever
of excitement over one of the most horrible and
fiendish murders ever perpetrated, and which for
brutality has in this State never been equaled-the
murder of Mrs. Deborah Merrill by her Charles
Merrill.
On the direct road between Branch Mills and
Weeks Mills, about one mile from the latter and
four from the former place. are the farm and build
ings Of Abram Merrill They are in good order and
repairs and Abram, who is hardworking honest
man, could have made an easy living had it not been
for his son. He is, or has been this winter, at work
in logging camp b miles above the foot of Moose
head Lake. His family consisted of his wife Debo
rah his son Charles, who has not been at home reg
uary until within the last six weeks, his daughter
Fanny and husband, Mr.. Lilly, who have lived in
the northern end of the house by themselves Mr..
Lilly has been at work in the Insane Hospital at
Augusta; this has left the two women much of the
time alone. They have not livel very peaceably
together for 4 long time and were not speaking
terms.
Mrs Merrill was what might be called strong
minded woman; She liked, in the language of one
Of our 9electmen "to rule the roost'' and generally
succeeded She large woman weighing near
ly 1850 pounds and was about 81 years old. Charles
aud his mother had quarreled "a far back as the
Sept election, when he came home 20 vote, she not
wishing him to vote the (,reenback ticket, and they
have quarrelcd frequently since.
Mrs Merrill was last seen alive by her neighbors
one week ago Friday last. SUNDAY and every day
till Thursday, Mr. Mignault, living one mile from
the house. called after her go and help nurse his
wife, which She had promised to do, but he found
her part of the house fastened each time. Friday
Mr.. Rowland, the nearest neighbor, called in to
Fanny. lie asked her if he had not better 90 down
to Augusta and see if Mrs. Merrill might not be
there with some relatives. "No.' answered Mrs.
Lilly, cts to go down there. She is murder
ed, and you had better get out crew and search for
her, But he dill not until Saturday, when search
was begun in earnest, ana toward night they dis
covered a number of small human bones near the
Watering tub and some i'll barrel of ashes, look
ing though the flesh hat been burned OF them.
They then examined the large old-fashoned fire
place in the kitchen and found very dsagreeable
odor Of cooked meat 1t was then too late to search
further that night and as suspicion pointed very
strongly to Charlcs he WAS taken into custody by
Deputy Sheriff Frank Perciyal and kept under sur
Veillancc in pcrcivals store at Weeks Mills through
the night : guard WAS also placed over the house.
era came up, and there was little doubt that
Chas. dbl the deed. Mr.. Libby urged him to confess
but he would not. lie finally called Mr.. Percval
one side and asked him W hat he had better do Mr.
Perciya told lim that il he ala it he had better
confess ut once, which he did. Previous to the
confessions however, the searchers had found more
bones, also some hairph> in the barnyard and the
bone of leg minus the foot and ankle, with some
lash, al fl, In III
Ell They found this in the manure pile back of the
barn, which i, Situated about five rods to the north
OF the house. has. said that he and his mother
hat had trouble for some time that eliminated on
saturday night, the 18Th of February, at about
O'Clock, He wanted the team to use awhile and
went Y the Darn to take il. Mr. Merrill came out
and tried to stop him; lie grabbed Il hammer and
struck her the head, killing her instantly He
then covered the booty with hay and went 10 the
house. sunday morning the neighbors, George
Jackson and others, say that he went by their
houses dressed in his mothers clothes and they
thought ut thu time ii Wa- Deborah. Monday ne
took An re and cut on the legs arms and head from
the body, which was frozen at that time and ac-
counts for the absence of blood in the barn, cut
them M in small pieces, carried them into the
house ana burned the flesh of in the fireplace ex
w tlltlt lltti W d tl bil one reg, lie Iltn mo-
them a. before mentioned. Tuesday he cut the
body into two pieces, put them i'll the pung. wrap
ped i'll a sack, and went downto Windsor hoping to
dispose Of it on the way but there were too many
teams passing. He brought them home and depos-
iteti in the barn once more. Wednesday he took
load of potatoes and went to Augusta to sell them
taking the pieces top of the load, wrapped up as
before. On the road about five miles from the
house are what is called the Barton woods into
which he carried them about five rods made 4 hole.
IN the SNOW, put them in and kicked some snow
over them. He said his sister knew nothing of the
murder, but people in the neighborh0od think she
did They are very much against him and had they
known of hi- confession before he was carried to
Augusta, Sunday afternoon he would doubtless
have been lEmchcd. Fanny, who ha7 4 Young child,
has been out very little this winter. She SAYS She
suspected nothing of tlc murder until FRIDAY. She
said there Wa~ very strong Slnell of meat burning
Monday and she knew her mother WAS not in the
house, but Charles wa always in the habit of steal
ing anR she supposed ne had brought something
hoinr and wa cooking it up to get rid Of it. She
also saw him carving the two pieces of the body
into the barn Wi,"n he came home from Windsor,
and asked him if it was something he had stolen
and wanted - hide before his mother got home.
He tod her il was not but She did believe him
She's considerably olerthan Charles and it appears
very strange that She should know no more about
1t than she pretendS, for Charles and his mother
hstd to - hN the windows of her end of the house
ngoingto the barn that Saturday night, and Charles
carried the head arms ana legs back to the house
to burn them.
Charles Is quiet, modest appearing fellow, -
years Old but looks younger, light compleNioned,
about > feet inches TALL is not very stout and is
little round ~houlGered; he does not drink, to-
barco, nor swear, but has always had bad name
for thievery, He can probably keep as innocent
looking countenance any man in the state hardly
ever smiles or laughs and has not associated init
mately with amy persons. When the bones We're
discovered Saturday night he looked Quietly on
seemingly no more interested than any one Of the
bystandels. and dii not display any emotion what
ever. lie has always had a mania for stealing
taking property from his relatives as quickly as
from perfect stranger In May and June OF lS7S
lie purIoined quite 4 number OF articles Il set of
double harnesses Of DIR. :. J. NeWall, Of China "A
COW of his brother-in-lnW Mr.. COlburn of Windsor
aud goods belonging to others too numerous to
mention The victims made it too for him
in the state and he went to Minnesota. While there
was jailed one year for some rognery, has had
number Of terms IN Jail beside.
Iii, father has settled a number of his mis,lc
meanorS for him, costing the old man !; good deal
of money Charles was very brazen in what he took
and to illustrate: lie once, while his uncle was
away from home, stole game fowl from him, and
Just as he had left the premises lie met his uncle
coming One; not at all disconnected, "unclc' said
he, 1--WE bought game cock of one of your neigh
bors mentioning his nance haven't YOU got a box
c"ud carry him in he makes such a terrible nose'
The old gentleman thought he had, and hunted up
one but lust As they We're mailing him in, Charles
asked ms uncle if he would not buy him. and sure
enough they made a trade and Charles went OF
with the cash leaving his uncle with the worth of
two rooSters III one.
Ills defense Will probably be insanity nearly all
of our murerers are thought insane now a-Cags
Coroner Libby deemed an inquest unnecessary and
delivered the remains to the friends. This is the
first murder known To have been committed in