The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-08-10
Tng somgRvILLE TRAGEDY.
Full Particulars of the Mysterious
shooting of Young Turner.
witham, Who Fired the Fatal Shot.
Not Yet Discovered.


Not Yet Discovered.
AUGUSTA, Aug. 9-News comes from the
town of Somerville in Lincoln county OF
what is believed by many to have been de-
| liberate murder. The story is told as fol-
lows: Last Wednesday. Chester 0. Witham,
| twenty-seven years old, had been at work in
the hayfeld for Mr.. Benjamin Turner, and
on finishing his days work, started for home
accompanied by Mr.. Turner's son, Joseph
Henry
Mr.. Turner's house is situated three miles
from Weeks Mill and fifteen from Augusta.
He is one of the most prominet and respect
ed citizens of the town, a prosperous farmer,
and in addition to his farm owns saw mill
His family consisted of his wife, five sons,
Nehemiah, 81 years old; Evander, "a; W. g.
%; Charles, 20; Joseph Henry, 10, and two
daughters. Nehemiah and W. G.. were en-
ployed in the Worcester, Mass, Insane asy-
lum, and were expected home Wednesday.
A short distance beyond Mr.. Turner's the
road bends to the right toward Bruce's cor
ner, and ten rods beyond the turn sits the
Witham house, on the left hand side OF the
road 1t is mere shanty; small, wood
colored structure, the walls shingled, an
apology for an ell in the shape OF lean-to is
built against the wall next the road and
stands twenty feet from where the carriages
pass. The yard is rough, and several white
headed boulders protrude from the ground.
A maple tree stands near stone wal on the
opposite side of the street from the house,
and another at the corner Of the yard four
yards towards Bruce's corner. The appear
ance on every hand is that of Strengthened
circumstances, the interior being deficient
in furniture. The head of the family is
Waterman Witham, fifty-six years old; MS
wife, ffty-five; sons, Chester o.. twenty
seven years old, and George, younger. An
other son lives in Rockland. Mr.. Whitman
formerly lived on what is called "The Gore
Chester had been to sea, but the past sum-
mer has been stopping around hoMf obtain
ing days work whenever he could find it.
On the evening in question just before JOS
eph departed with Witham, Mr.. Turner, who
was just completing his meal called his son
to his side and earnestly cautioned him
against Witham, saying that he was afraid
of him.
lut dCCUuub VI tlC ouDObihS 90 6A'SAA ~
Witham's father is as follows: Chester and
'Pick' came down the road. There were
present besides them my son George, and
son-in-law Campbell, who lives at Bruce's
Corner. My wife was in the house, while
sat on barrel about Is feet from the road
and near the well. Pick on arriving In
front of the house, saw squirrel on the
wall, and ran to the house to get George 10
shoot it. George came out with Chesters
pistol and, standing in the road, fired
twice at it, not hitting his mark. Then he
said to Chester, Here you take it, perhaps
YOU can hit the animal. Chester took the
weapon and was loading it when it was dis
charged accidently. The next l knew saw
Pick turn around, he having been standing
by the side of Chester on the side OF the road
next the house and facing from me- Blood
was flowing from his mouth and breast.
jumped up and caught the wounded boy be-
fore he fell, and laid him down near the
rocks where he stood. He never spoke
word. My wife got some water and we tried
to wash off the blood. Chester, as soon as
he saw what he had done, stood over the
boy for a minute, shouting and screaming.
He then ran towards the house and then OIL
down the road, across the pasture and into
the woods, and have not seen him SINCE
As he was fleeing he shouted, U LORD,
have shot my lifev then sent Campbell to
arouse the neighbors and inform the boys
father of what had happened"
The news reached the Turner homestead
just as the two brothers, Nehemiah and W.
G., arrived in the doOryard. John Turner,
cousin of the Turner boys, had brought sthe
two young men from Augusta, and was at
hand with his span. The father and his son
Evander, at once jumped into the wagon and
John drove his horses at breakneck speeo
until Witham's was reached. When the
aged father saw his darling boy lying dead
on the ground and weltering in his life blood
he was almost heartbroken, and his grle1
was uncomfortable. Tenderly the body was
placed in the wagon and the sorrowlAg
father supported it in his arms until MS
home was reached. DR.. A. r. G. Smith OF
North Whitefeld, and DR.. Frederick OF
Coopers Mills, were summoned, and on
Thursday, made an examination OF the
wound. The family objected to post NOR
tenn dissection. 1t was found that the bullet
entered the body on the right side between
the second and third ribs, two inches to the
right of the sterum. 1t penetrated directly
inwards about an inch, changed its course
obliouely in and downwards forsabout
| inch, and continued on in sigzag course
through one lung, probably reaching the
| heart. A probe was inserted depth OF
| seven inches
| The funeral occurred at the Turner house,
Friday afternoon, there being great gath
| erin of friends and neighbors.
On Friday morning coroner's jury was
| impannelled by Coroner Charles F. Choate
| as follows: John B. Dodge, foreman, VIII
| liam Leighton, Joseph French, Charles Fer
rim, Orrin Crummit and Matthews After
viewing the remains they examined two Wit
| nesses. John M. Turner and William McDan-
| iel. There are eliminating circumstances OF
considerable strength against Witham. HIS
| sudden flight and continued absence Is
| damaging fact The woods and country tor
| miles about the neighborhood have peen
| secured but not trace of him can be tound.
| His father says that he has hunted 1or MS
son. even going as far as Augusta, but In
| vain. Some think he is secreted and that
| food is being brought to him. All the rela-
1 LlVoS Oh Will plCoOhpt OANSp' >--S ~N'-
saw they did not see the shooting. George
was picking up stone, Campbell stood with
his back to the shooting, the mother was IN
the house and not observing what was tax
ing place. The latter, however, once told
for fact that the Turner boy was seated up
on the rock when shot, although his father
sticks to the story that he was standing by
the side of Chester. The question arises
how could the bullet pass downwards If the
bov had been standing up, as it must neces
sarily have an upward course, if the pisto
had been accidentally discharged while the
two were handling it, even if Witham was
considerably taller than his companion
George Witham Immediately after the shoot
ing started for the store at Bruce's Corner
marketed basket of eggs, returned withou
saything about the shooting to anyone.