Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-24

IVA suC VnACEEst VI was arreeteu IOf 1uytllBR
else but drunkenness; on the Saturday before
the shooting formed plan of going to Bos-
ton to see DR.. Williams and from there to
Lowell where have relatives: intended to
go on the boat the next Monday; was then
and am now an inmate OF the Home; got
Mr. Story TO write to nv sergeant at Togus
to get furlough: the first thing did Mon
Day morning was to take my citizens clothes
out of my trunk and hang them on a chair;
the mail carrier brought no furlough for me,
ana was considerably disappointed; went up
to Gannett's and was barbered; went home
and done some chores; should say between
T. NJ. and midnight, drank two gallons of
beer; ate DO supper nor anything else; drank
about pint at time; smoked between the
drinks; found my keg was getting a little
low; the keg held eight gallons; made an
other brewing that night; drew off the dregs
and washed out the keg; went out about
o'clock and bought pound of hops and
quantity OF molasses: put the hops on to
bile; later went after tobacco; coming
back heard some boys blowing at the corner
Of Bowman and Cony streets about the cleo
ton; said something to them and they
booted at me; coming on home saw what
thought was crowd following me. yelling
Drag him out, drag him out:" felt safer
when got into the house the noise Of the mob
continued, but finally ceased; continued my
brewing, and put my keg away about mid
night, VIXEN Mrs Randall spoke to me; then
went 10 bed and sunk TO sleep; when | went
to bed my citizens clothing was on chair
and S24 in one of the pockets a Togus yeter-
an gave me the revolver; fred at hawk in
my garden about four months before took it
out Of the drawer and placed on stand Mon
day morning; the night of the murder
heard rappine at the door; | asked what's
wanted; the reply was. II want TO come in -
said you slant. tonight" did not say
Warren, nor dill hear the party outside an
nounce that they were officers the mex, thing
knew | saw my window pushed up; the first
thought of was my money; | got up and
CROPPED to the window and put my hand on
somebody's back; felt hands placed around
me, and was frightened, because | heard
the boys say, ''drag him out;" / tore away
and got TO nv bed; there grabbing up my
revolver fired at the form in the window /;
did not know it was an officer; the window
fell, and nv wife rose up and placing her
hands around me said ''has the house fall
emp" did not know that had shot anyone /;
went TO sleep after the shooting, and the next
thing heard was someone bursting through
the back door; the first thing | did was to
grab my revolver with the intention of SELL
ing my life dearly: pointed it towards the
door; when | saw the officers coming iato
the room with their lanterns, and perceived
their badge, | dropped my arm Brucs
bounced upon me and wrenched the pistol
away; l had ample opportunity to shoot; the
pistol was not cooked; Bruce dragged me
into the floor; | wondered what | had done ;
| asked, what does all this mean ~ ''You
have killed an officer. YOU scoupdrel. "
replied Bruce; the officers would not 1T
me put my clothes on aud | had
to walk to the station house half dressed I
had no intention of killing any one and took
no aim Mt any rson's body coming up the
hill started 10 push Lshness out of the
window; it was perfectly dark and | could
| not see who the officer was; dill not know
that Mr. Lishness' cap dropped off into my
room; | have not drunk any strong liquor
since year ago last November; signed the
pledge then and suppose have kept it; some
DAYS | have not drunk anv beer; other days
| would take hearty drink on fret getting
up in the morning; this would take away nv
| appetite for breakfast; before noon | would
take three or four more drinks and by II
o'clock my desire for dinner would be gone ;
some days | would drink two gallons of liquor
and then | so lost my head that lost all rec.
| oning.
| Cross-er1miHdttoH. i hauled my clothes
| from the window On Monday night; did not
| trouble them during the day; | tried to
| push someone from the window | was stand
| ing two feet from the bed when | fired;
merely fred TO scare the intruders; heard a
knock refused to go to the door; Their was
| no light in my house when the officers came
the first time; was moderately drunk when
went to bed; think the officers used me I'M
fairly; have been arrested by Harrington and
| all 6 I a
meet him called him Warren; have sery ed
two terms in jail every time the officers ar
rested me either paid my fine or went TO
Jail put my hops on to the stove at eigh,
o'clock that night; it took three hours for
| them to bile" | admit that [ made a saucy
answer to Mrs. Randall there were three or
| four bows who followed me ;couldn't tell who
they were by sight, was 40 bad; they threat
! ened to pull me out was afraid they would
get my money and take my life; they threat.
ened to drag out NV old gray locks; my wife
was not awake uatil the first shooting oc-
cured did not hear any one at
the window making any talk; point
ed the pistol when the officers entered,
to brighten the intruders; the lantern shining
on Bruce's badge convinced me that he was
an officer; my bedroom door was not but
toned or locked on that night and the officers
trance without breaking down the door
Francis Story testified: Live in Augusta
on the east slider Cony street, where keep a
small shop; Burns got me to write to the
Soldiers's Home after q furlough for him.
Fred Gsnnett testified: Have known Harry
| Burns three years; he was at my shop that
noon before the murder; trimmed his hair
he told me about his prospective Lowell trip.
Lendall Titcomb sworn | was one of the
owners of the old fort on the llth of Novem-
! Der.
The witness gave the names Of the tenants
of the Old Fort on that day. There were
seven in all.
| John Carey called; Lived in the Old Fort
at the time of the shooting; was not dis
turbed by any noise from Mr.. Burns that
| night.
| n, McKern testified Lived in the Old Fort
at the time of the shooting by Mr.. Burns
occupied the room over his kitchen heard no
noise in that part after ten o'clock that dis
turbed me heard no noise on the outside of
the house, did not hear the shooting; heard
nothing until the officers broke the door down
| in the morning; it is hard to hear through
| the floor
! Mrs. n. McKern Heard no noise of much
consequence the night of the killing, until
the loud talk at 3 o'clock in the morning
! MIR. Burns made no disturbance; can hear
through the ceiling pretty plainly; heard a
faint sound As though in Burns sleeping