Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-04
HOMICIDE Ar rar nosr1rAI.
0ne IAsane Patient Chokes Another Tn
Death With visited Towel.

1900 ssefPSbSu a. TUT luea0
Hospital yesterday morning about half pas
SIX O'Clock. Capt. VIM. H. Alexander q
Richmond has been private patient at tn
Hospital since July. 1879. suffering at frs
from general paralysis and laterly of soften
ing Of the brain. causing him to be entirel
helpless. He being a man weighing owe
200 pounds, his attendant has been in th
habit, for a long time, of availing himself o
the assistance of Edward E. Smart, anothe
patient in the institution, from Portland
who was committed the same year with Capt
Alexander, and between whom strong friend
ship has ever since c5istet,-making it yer,
pleasant for Capt. Alexander to have hin
with him for company. and to assist the at
tendant in lifting, washing and feeding him
and IN return giving much pleasure to Mr.
Smart in doing these little acts of kindness
Mr.. Smart has never exhibited any dispo
sition to injure himself OF any one else. H,
is very intelligent looking man and very
gentlemanly in appearance. so much so tina
those who have met him at the institution
did not believe he was insane He has al
ways been allowed To go about the institu
ton, mingling with the other patients. tn.
officers and their families, there being ne
suspicion on the part of the officers of any
danger of his doing harm to any one.
Mrs. Alexander having spent much time
at the Hospital in attendance upon her hus.
hand hol - A.
character of Mr.. Smart, and took great salts.
faction in his attentions to her husband
knowing that many otherwise long and weary
hours, lying helpless on his cot, were made
more pleasant by his constant desire to de-
him some kind act, and his cheerful manner
and pleasant conversation while with him.
Mrs. Alexander has been in the habit of Wis.
iting her husband every two weeks. She
came Saturday night to remain till Monday
as has been her usual custom.
Yesterday morning the attendant in charge
Of Capt. Alexander, and Mr.. Smart, ate
breakfast together, after which the at
tendant prepared breakfast for Capt
Alexander, Mr.. Smart carrying it down tc
him on the next floor, as had been his custom
for a long time, the attendant remaining in
the dining room to remove the things from
the table. In a short time after this he heard
a groan proceeding from the room occupied
by Capt. Alexander. The attendant went
directly to the room, where he found Smar,
had evidently twisted up a towel and put il
around Capt. Alexander's neck, and, with a
short piece of gas pipe which he put
into the bite of the towel, twisted
it so tightly as to choke him to death. They
were both lying on the bed covered up with
the quilt, Mr.. Smart with one hand clinched
on to the piece of pipe with which he had
accomplished the deed. Capt. Alexander
had ceased to breathe, while Mr.. Smart was
in frenzied condition. An alarm was inn
mediately given, and the officers and atten
dants were at once upon the scene, but toe
late to save the life of Capt. Alexander Mr.
Smart was taken to another room and put
under restraint. He has since passed into a
a quiet and partially unconscious condition
apparently absorbed with his own thoughts
The attendant, nor any one else, had noticed
any change in Mr.. Smart's condition. DR.
Harlow, in his usual morning visit. saw both
men only a short time before the homicide
ard both appeared as usual. Mr.. Smart is
the last patient in the institution that would
have been suspected of any act of violence
as his quiet, orderly and gentlemanly manner
has attracted the attention Of every ONE
visiting the Hospital These characteristics
were so marked that people who saw him
were not willing to believe him insane.
The sudden and unlookrd-for death Of
Capt. Alexander is great shock TO his wife
and will be sad news to his friends and ac
quaintances.
fl is n satisfaction to Mrs. Alexander. a:
we'll as TO the officers of the Hospital that
Mrs. A. was at the institution at the time
and that her frequent visits at the Hospita
gave her a full knowledge of the intimacy %
her husband with Mr.. Smart. and the free
dom which the officers gave him. not only tC
attend upon the Captain, but to go witt
others in and about the institution. she mol
they not thinking of the slightest danger
And now in her great grief, at what has ST
unexpectedly happened, she exonerates the
officers and attendants of the institution
from all blame in this sad affair. Mrs
Quinby and Mr.. Manley of the boar'
Of trustees visited the Hospital. as soon al
the news was made known to them.
Coroner VIM. II. Libbey of this city wa
called, and after n careful examination o
all the facts deemed an inquest unnecessary
LITCHFIELD.