The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-03-01

The finger of suspicion pointed toward the
young man, Charles, whose nonchalance ana
apparent indifference at his mothers non-ap'
pearance were certainly peculiar. Saturday
morning little groups of men gathered around
the house. They talked together at tirst IN
whispers, and then out boldly that Charles
Merrill was murderer. About noon squad
of men, under the direction of Deputy Sheriff
Percival, commenced thorough search OF thS
premises. Charles followed them around,
with his hands in his pockets, as cool as II tne
result OF the search did not mean life or death 10
him. Soon the men began to come upon 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 nool
of the sitting room near the fire place, anu
the andirons were coated over with wnat
looked and smelled like burned flesh OF some
kind. The hay in the barn was pitched ABOUT
and the manure heap thoroughly thrown over.
A few thrusts of the fork, and the strongest
recoiled from the sickening sight. There, IN
that manure, were charred chunks OF nuin s1e
flesh, cut into small pieces, and evidently nan
burned. Near them were several forkfuis OF
straw saturated with blood. The cham Oh
evidence was now so complete that the deputy
sheriff arrested Charles, and at once dispatGneo
messenger to Augusta after Coroner III.
IL. Libby, asking him to come to emma as
soon as possible and hold an inquest over the
remains. The man arrived at Mr.. LIBBY :, re-
sidence at midnight Saturday. Mr.. LiDoy
promised to start for China the first thing
Sunday morning.
Sunday Coroner Libby arrived. The house
was surrounded by crowds of country people
IN state OF intense excitement. New aus
coveries had been made since daybreak. "A
pile of ashes had been found in the rear OF the
ell, in which were fragments. of the human
skull, few hairpins, few buttons from
the stable an axe had been found with its
blade covered with blood. Men were con-
stantly bringing into the house little things
which went to make the proof of murder ire
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 Coroner
Libby, DR.. George E. Brickett of Augusta,
DE- q. j. Nelson of China and others
The medical gentlemen pronoun ced the re-
mains unquestionably those of a human be-
ing. When the crowd outside learned this,
they surged up against the door, muttering i'm
precautions and threats against the fend who
mad profaned their hitherto quiet village by
his unholy work. For fear that he might be
lynched Merrill was soon hurled away to Au-
gusta where he is confined in one of the undeS
ground cells in the jail.
Our dispatch of yesterday substantially
covered MerrilIs confession. When asked IT
he was sorry for his crime he answered uncon-
cernedly that he supposed he was. The only
motive he gave was that he had grudge
against his mother. He said he remembered
very distinctly all the circumstances of the
tragedy and did not claim that his acts were
other than deliberate and performed while he
was in his right mind Merrill is described as
of dark complexion, six feet tall and muscular
and not bad looking.
Merrill had his preliminary examination be-
fore Judge True at Augusta yesterday morn
ing. He plead guilty and was committed to
await the action of the grand jury in April.
His trial will come off in October before the
Supreme Court. Merrill manifested stolid
indifference to the proceedings, and was not
cious crime which he had committed. He has
been interviewed by several parties since his
incarceration and shows not the slightest feel
ing of sorrow for the deed.
There is terrible excitement in the usually
quiet little town of China and loud threats OF
lynchiug have been made