The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-14
A MURDERoUs BRUTE.
Details of Shocking Affair in
Richmond, Me.
Am Old Indian Jnmped Upon and Killed
His Wife FeIoniously Assaulted = The
Guilty Party Arrested.
Special to the Press.l

OF murder having been committed last night.
Investigation confirmed the report and elected
the following facts: Lewis e. Hopkins, Loren
20 H. Turner and VIM. Lint, who all live on
the river road above here. came to the village
lasteyening for spree. After imbbing free
ly and getting noisy and ready for mischief,
they started for home in team. On the way
they stopped at the house of Sewall Plummer,
about q mile and half above the village.
The house was occupied by Plummer, an old
Indian named named Joseph Denney and his
wife, Elizabeth, Denney's nephew named
Joseph Francis and his wife and daughter and
by David Carter and wife. Hopkins and
Plummer got out of the wagon, leaving Lint
in charge, and demanded admittance, which
was granted. They passed through the first
room occupied by Denney and his wife into q
sort of kitchen, containing cooking stove and
wide bed or lounge, and occupied at the time
by Plummer, Francis and his wife and
daughter. Adjoining this room were two
small rooms, used as bedrooms
Hopkins went up to the stove, and holding
his hand to it said, "Yoa've got good fire; IL
you hadn't I'd make it d-d hot for you'll"
Francis soon after got up, and with his wife
and daughter went into one of the bedrooms.
Lint got out Of the team, and coming into the
room where the others were took out u bottle
| of liquor aud asked Plummer If he would take
something, which offer was accepted, the two
retiring to the other bedroom to indulge.
| Meanwhile Francis, fearing trouble, came ont
of bis room, and, with his family, started to go
up stairs, having to pass Hopkins and Turner
on the way, who made grab for the woman.
She succeeded in alluding them, and they got
| up stairs safely and went to bed
| Hopkins and Turner then went to the door
of the old Indians room, which had been fas-
tened by the old man, and demanded admis-
sion. No response being given, they forced the
door open. Denny was lying on the bed, his
| wife, partially undressed, was sitting on one
side. Turner grasped her and dragged her in
| to the next room, where, throwing her on the
wide couch, he succeeded in outraging her.
| The old man, who had resisted the men as
well as he could while lying down, hearing his
| wife's cries, got up and started for the room
where she was. He was met at the door by
Hopkins, who knocked him down with his fist,
aad then jumped on his head with both feet,
on which were heavy boots, killing the old
man instantly. Hopkins then turned his atten-
tion to the old woman, and while Turner held
her he also outraged her The young Indian,
| up stairs, hearing the disturbance, got up, with
| his family, and all three dressed themselves.
After accomplishing their purpose below, Hop
| kihs and Turner started up stairs to repeat
their performance there Francis had fastened
the door on hearing them coming, thus check
| ing their progress.
4
| From window in the upper story of the
house runs spout about fifty feet long, made
from sapling tree, and leading to the ground
below on an incline. Francis, finding the two
men would effect an entrance through the
door, put his wife and child out of the window
and, following himss4f, all three descended to
she ground. Carter, who, with his wife, were
also in the room, then climbed out leaving his
| wife to follow. Before she could get out-of the
| window Turner burst open the door, and run
| ming in caught hold of her clothing. She tore
| herself away, leaving the sleeve of her dress in
his grasp, and hurriedly climbing out of the
| window slid to the ground upon tho spout.
| During this time Lint and Plummer, after
having their drink, had gone out doors. Lint
afterward returned and laid down on bed,
appearing to have no active connection with
/
| Soon after, the three men went to the house
Of neighbor named Greenough Marshall and
tried to get in. Marshall had heard the rum
| pus end arming himself. with gun met them
at the door. They took the gun away from
him, but could not get into the house, Mar
shall's wife having locked the door. They
then went to another neighbor, Samuel Lam
caster and reused him up. Whenlhe came. to
the door Hopkins handed him the gun and told
him to see If it was loaded; ii so to discharge
| it and return it to him (Hopkins). An exam
ination showed the gun to be empty and it was
returned as requested. The three men then
went to their homes and went to bed.
| After getting out OF the window Garter came
to the village and reported the affair to VIM.
T. Hall, chairman of the selectmen, who sent
Carter to Deputy Sheriff Hodges.
| The latter, taking assistants, and accompan-
led by Mr. Hall, proceeded to the homes of the
three men and arrested them. They were
brought to this village and locked up where
they are now awaiting the preliminary trial,
which is to be held tomorrow.
The coroners inquest was convened at
O'Clock this forenoon and lasted all day. The
| jury as formed by Coroner Charles H. Hodge,
was made up of the following men: Stephen
| f. Blanchard, Samuel FL. Lancaster, Geo. G,
Gaubet, Benz. f. Kidder. Jos NJ Curtis and
Samuel H. Ring. An autopsy on the body of
the murdered man was made by Drs. Libby
and Price who made the following report:
Autopsy, nine hours after death. Cause of
death, rupture of blood vessel, producing effu-
sion of blood between membranes covering the
BRAIN to ounces of blood aud serous were
removed from the brain. Death almost instan-
taneous. The form of heel. marks with nails all
over the face.
The verdict returned by the jury, con.
densed, was that Joseph Denney came to his
death by blows inflicted by the fist and boot
of Lewis E. Hopkins, and that Lorenzo 81.
Turner was present and accessory to the
| crime.
The witnesses have been all bound over to
| appear at the Supreme Court at Bath this
month.
Denney was a member of the Oldtown tribe
of Indians, and was familiarly called "Old
Joe." His wife is about SO years old. Both
are quiet, inoffensive people. Hopkins is 38
| years old, tall and dark complexioned, has
| wife and three children, and served in the
army in Co. H., 10Th Maine Regiment he
| has been drinking man but was not consid
cred dangerous though somewhat disposed TO
be ugly when drunk; is known around the
town as "Slim JIM" Turner is a smaller
man, % years old, unmarried, with well-de-
veloped appetite for strong drink. All the
parties are well known here, Considerable
excitement prevails but everything is orderly
The general opinion is that the prisoners are
in very bad position. II is said that Turner
has confessed his guilt.
George W. Hussey, w. G. Wyman and
| Fred Wellman, saloon keepers, have been ar
rested this evening charged with selling liquor
| to Hopkins and the Others Important evil
dca,ca will ha oriuar, at