The Portland daily press., 1883-04-11
THE CALAIS TRAGEDY.
A Special Plea by the Calais Times.

AShoWihS dpoub tho hiiihS VI Atilty anu pho
shooting of Eaton. 1t is the reverse side of
the shield; and SO we turn it to our readers.
They can Judge for themselves We adhere to
the opinions editorially expressed In The Press,
for we see no reason to change them;
All respectable and thinking people in Calais
are deeply and justly incensed at the general
press comments upon the shooting affair In this
city. demon OF misconception, error and In.
Justice seems 10 have possessed the wires and
the types in order to mislead and prejudice the
public mind. Many newspapers In Maine, In
other states, and across the line, have made,
unwittngly We know, most lbelous charges,
for which they are responsible In law. These,
OF course, will gladly receive the truth, and we
notice that they are already getting near
enough to the facts TO form calmer and fairer
views A few papers, from which no justice
may be expected, have hastened to make po-
htical capital out of the tragedy; and two edi-
tors, at least, have made 1t the occasion for de-
flaming the dead. Had the paper, for instance,
that stated to Its readers that the lato Emerson
Eaton--a man known in life as most temperate
and abstemious and a Napoleon In business
ability and industry--was "a character noted
for his fastness, reckessness and dissipation"
been published in this valley, Its statement
would have been met with q volume OF indig-
nant comment, and its publishers treated with
merited scorn and contempt.
In the published descriptions Of Herbert w
w. Eaton's character and modes OF life, very
..t'lo oo'tece assertioh mas peen maue' ~ 70
sIue ,na' ne rs man Oh wealth., Dut al tno
rest that haasheen told IL in the main imagin-
ary. He is pictured as "a drunken nabob who
has led the fashion for fast set in Calais" as
"the leading spirit OF circle OF dissoute
young men VINO stroVe 10 initiate ms wantoh
gayehly, as professional spendthrilt OF tne
1so 1oSnaru. Pa..ern, ana Jesse James IN respecl
oi uare-ueviihessi as mastered by dissoiuto
habits, which made him the fit instrument for
tho commission OF desperate deedsi, as tne
owner Oh an elegant summer residence, where
ne entertained MS boon companions In sumI.
tuous style ana planned Bacohanalian orgies
as the keeper OF large retinue OF servants,
upon whose costumes, changed by frequent
whins, NO expended great sums OF money,
e.c., eso., otc. NOW tue iact Is that MS
eisgant summer residence has been also bis
wintor anu only reslashce, Inc nouse ~ IN
no way pretentious and was erected at = mod
crate cost, Here he has led q retired, quite
secluuea NE, LIS one or Two horses were
cafeu ior py stable poy, and a single servant
prepared his 1000 ana Kept his home In order.
Whiie ne mas given away large sums oil money
70 relatives ana others, his personal expenses
nave been comparatively small, and the prop
erty ne originally Inherited has been enlarged.
ne mas seemed TO care little Tor society, has
had lew intimate friends, and has seldom en-.
teftsiheu people not members OF ms family.
!i ne mas not onen az intruder on the notice OF
quenter OF pubic places, rarely attended an en-
tertainment, and was so seldom seen IN company
tnat 10 many lie seemed TO DO ona OF isolation.
having large means, Inherited when young
man, ne mas ied NE OF ease; ana idieness led
70 the formation OF bad habits and indulgence.
Generous, sensitive and genial when in sober
moments, ne was led 10 violate his nature
under the influence OF lliquor he freely ac-
knowied its curse, ana at times struggled earn
esIly against IT'S power. lie often Yielded only
long run mas used lar less nquor than the ay-
eIAge hapiIuai uIihker found IN every COM
MUMMY but IN MS case, TO an extraordinary
degree, II naa the enect to neutralize many
ho9ie qualties ana deinrone all Judgment
anu reason. "A lew months ago he said TO q
friend that he would gladly give every dollar
ne owned 10 go back TO the time when he took
his first glass OF liquor. These are few facts
with regard to the habits and character of
Herbert w Eaton. We are constrained to
no purpose to palliate his offence against the
law, or mitigate its just punishment
In the discussions of the deed committed by
Herbert w. Eaton, we have knowledge OF but
ore editor who has made a fair statement, and
he has reached his conclusions in spite OF alt
the error and misstatement that has been cir
culated by the press around him. The New
Age, published at Augusta, says editorially,
This case Is not fair sample of average ca
ses. Tne act does not appear to have been the
sion OF any sort, but the offspring of sponta-
neous, motiveless impulse, superinduced by
debauch.' This is common sense. How
could there have been any malice aiorethought
~ ,n snis case, wnete man snoois orotner who
,;ss mas sis siosess ,onuuau., 70 Whon no Was
t asl ~ unususi sies u anecs'on, win wnom
80 10 Ass 80 49, nsa i snsasess n'sunueIssanu-
tns, tnsa.a diiI lol MnuS9 oehens ne nau iong pro
1s0eu. ~ no'S az. az, ~ utviuo
a.s s.eIsne -. NV ooau .noss nase peen
S no iiena Win MnyLn
ho ho vas 1onsslsng, anu ~ whom ne
V@a Va. 10 auese9u an snsly woLu.
~ 'ae pape.s - Lave uengaseu " oescfips ms
s.laa u9ou a. sa atlo3.ous nulaesI plompteo py
ra. hoar. VIII slosous Wsnsonnsss,
y. -usno - usnnes uius. as the
st.a'hs.,lh. ~ ~ ~oea1s WIN nAlics
N.. ~ 49,, ~ Tat, ta " .plaeu
sSsd ~ sht . 81 oaas a1s rom .ne nfss 1e
aet ana the tss,ina5y hasc.a ~ :" cssr sno
.na., r,n,,ss, ssslsa D, a;s,,..e ~.
thsra was ,ha .Iish,ss, ai,ea
imnliad Noraoyar ,ha s,at,,,as
IL t;~;n, ,ha ,nnssh~an. e. ,,,.,si ie,.,f.s
saws that .wboaver Eiils : hnmaa hai1g .,;.ba
ont arnrasss5 ~ ;n,nl;s5 malice asora,S6,omrh.
shall ha imnr;sonad not ,Tors IA, ta,, 49,.
or f;nsd not aycaadins stnao - Isers ~. @ ea.o,
eiven the onin,on hat Fa,on cs5,sas ~ aa.o s,',
S;.,ad -. 49, ,ta. aasIs.,. Sanaot " ~
the nanars torse,.ing that ali Is i sos
tbrongb Iagsi fc,,ns world b.va has h;..s
contrsrv ~ Eli Ia. s,d ,,rsc,ina IA LAY III ~
sn.hari;;as ,s;,ho,. asrsa,, =. ..u, neiI n ,ne
&c. arA re- ha,a $500 80 IA. aa7
tbat sxcsaSad seyan ,;mss ,ha ama,r. " esa an
nossibis ,snsi,s ,er tha ntFaace aoun' Vi 'no
fssS'o'0 ve-S ~ s.e o-
but speclai grievance OF the papers IS tnat
Eaton resisted arrest lhat ne Darricaded his
house, armed himself with revoiyeIs, threaten
ed 10 shoot the oincers, ana aehed tne whole
state. Ihere Is not parucle OF evidence TO
give color TO such picture. Ihe TACT Is that
the oincers never went 10 the mouse. Eaton at
no time resisted or threatened to resist any
body. his only idea, aftei he was made to
realize that ne mad committed terrible deed,
was 10 90 violence 10 himself. The
ofncers VINO went with tne warrant foI his ar
rest were met py irienos VINO mad been TO the
house, and were convinced oy them that Eaton
would take nis own .iie st tneir approach.
Guarantees were giyens the onncers as soon as
his condition was calm enough ne wonidfyolun-
tariiy surrender nlmseii, ana they simply re-
mained IN the vicinity 10 see tnat the guaran-
tee was enforced. Ihls was the wlsest and
best policy. Inc testimony all shows that al.
though Eaton was assured Kelley . wound was
not serious, ne walked the noor 10 an agony OF
remorse, and those with him had des-
perate struggle 70 prevent MS using upon him
sell the revolver wnich ne heid In his hand.
ne declared .nat ne couio not realize what he
had Done, ana ,ne Wnoie anai was 70 hiin like
dream. Az one tine tne oufden OF Els talk
afOQem9nt