Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-12-14
BY TELEGRAPH.
A DUAL CRIME.
Two Fiends In Human Form
Commit Murder and As
sault a Woman.
Richmond the Scene Of the Trsg-
edy-King Alcohol Secures
Another Victory.
"Ole Joe" Stands up to Defend
His Wife's Honor and is
Murdered on the
Spot.
Especial to the Kennebec Journal.]

rSpecial 10 the Kennebec Journal.
RICHMOND, Dec. IL.
Wednesday night the town OF Richmond
one of the most fourishing and thriving on
the Kennebec river, was the scene OF an
attrocious murder and double crime. the par
ticulars of which are most shocking. Two
ruffians, Lewis E. Hopkins well known as
! "Slim jim" and Lorenzo II. Turner, fouily
murdered Joseph Dennis, better known as
"Old Joe, and an Indian of the Old
town tribe, and committed brutal assault
upon his wife.
THE SCENE
of the murder is about a mile and half
above the village on the direct road to Gard
liner. Here stands story and half white
house on the east side of the road, in clump
Of oaks. This was inhabited, it seems, by
several families. About q week ago the
Indian and his wife moved into the house
occupy ing the lower floor with man named
Sewall Plummer. The upper story was oc-
cupied by Joseph Francis, a son-in-law OF
"Old Joe," and his wife and daughter.
man named David Carter also had a room
upstairs. Between ten and eleven o'clock
Lewis A. Hopkins. Lorenzo II. Turner and
VIM. Lint under the influence of liquor started
from Richmond Village on their way to their
homes, which are short distance beyond the
scene of the murder, on the Gardiner road.
About eleven o'clock the three drove up to
"OId Joe 8" house, hitched their horse
AND ENTERED THE KITCHEN.
Here they commenced to act in demonstra-
tive manner, carousing and talking ugly.
Hopkins advanced to the stove to warm him
self and remarked:
This is hot stove; if it wasn't l would
make it d-nd hot for them before we get
through"
In a few moments Lint took Plummer,
passed out into q side room, and
gave him a drink, remarking to Plummer
that he was sick and wanted to stop all night.
Plummer told him he might, and then Lint
went out OF doors and sat down on the bank
ing, where he remained during the events
that followed. "Old joe" seeing that there
would be trouble, sent his daughter-in-law
and her daughter of to bed up stairs. As
they were retiring, one of the villains made a
dash at the younger woman and attempted to
sieze her. She escaped, however, and rush
ing up stairs, both women entered their
room and barricaded their door. sold joe
and his wife then went into their bed room,
which is off of the kitchen. and fastened the
door and were in the act of retiring for the
night. The old lady had disrobed and got
into bed and the Indian was sitting on the
side of the bed, when the roughs. now thor
oughly Infatuated, battered down the door,
rushed into the room, dragged the old wo-
man from her bed and carried her into the
kitchen. She screamed for help and the
husband rushed to the rescue Of his wife.
Hopkins stationed himself in the doorway
When the old man tried to pass, Hopkins
struck him, knocked him down and stamped
on his head, killing HIM then and there by
his brute strength. While this was going on,
Turner had accomplished his foul purpose.
Hopkins then seized the old woman and
REPEATED THE CRIME.
1t was most british and fiendish act, and
it seems astonishing that it could occur in
this civilized community.
Then the criminals not satisfied with this
turned their attention to the girls upstairs.
Turner started up the stairway and attempted
to gain entrance to the apartment where the
women were. He told them he would kill
them and at the same time pounded and
kicked against the door. There was q long
water spout leading from the upper part Of
the house to the ground. The young In.
dian then got his wife and girl out upon the
spout and they
SLID TO THE GROUND.
Finding that these had escaped them the
desperadoes made . dash fer Carriers wife
and attempted to assault her. She
jumped from a window, however, and got
away Turner caught her by the arm just
- she was going out. tearing her sleeve. The
fugitives went to Mr.. Sewall Lancasters, near
BY, for protection.
Failed here these devils in human form.
Hopkins and Turner went to the house of
Greenleif Marshall and attempted to break
in. Marshall got up and took . gun which
he supposed was loaded and went out on the
piazza. 1t Was not loaded, however, and
they took it away from him and went on
doing no damage.
AT MR.. SAMUEL LANcAsTER's
the mace another demonstration, and badly
frightened the inmates of the house by -four
ishing their gun. They finally gave up the
gun to Mr.. Lancaster and went of home,
being too inebreated to do further harm.
Plum ner aud Carter on leaving their house
Immediately went to the village and notified
the deputy sheriff who summoned . posse ard
went and arrested the two iends. Turner and
Hopkins, and Lint, whom he lodged in the
lookup. They we're found At home in bed.
A post mortem examination was conducted
Thnrsday affsrnoon, BY Dr.. C. ". Price and