Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-01
QUINBY ON TRIAL.
The Murderer Of William KenniSton Of
BOOt-bay, Airaisned.
His Counsel Con+endins for Verdict OF
Manslaushter.
Especial to the Kennebec Journal.

| Special to the Kennebec Journal
| WIscAssET, Oct 81.
| The Lincoln county court house was one
press of people this morning when the case
of Llewellyn Quimby, the self confessed
murderer of William Kenniston, was called.
The intense feeling which this terrible crime
excited last spring, has only lain dormant
during the summer months, and now, when
the criminal is about to answer to the law
for his act, has appeared again as strongly
marked al at the first. The possibility that
justice may be avoided by the prisoner is the
one topic of discussion for young and old.
On south side form sat a slight, small
featured man of very youthful appearance.
whom the fixed look of the spectators would
have pointed out at once as the prisoner, had
not the bright steel handouts upon his
wrists plainly distinguished him. His eyes
were apparently fastened upon the floor, but
close observer might have noticed that they
moved uneasily under the lids as they fur
lively glanced at the faces about him. Only
once did he exhibit any emotion, and that
was when the widow of the murdered man
appeared in court leaning upon the arm of
George Is. Kenniston, the son. Then the
prisoner started but quickly recovered him
self, and the proceedings Immediately COM
mencing, took his seat by his attorney, Geo.
B. Sawyer.
At $50 the work of impaneling the jury
was begun and, contrary to the expectations
of those familiar with the case, was easily
completed, the seats being finished at 1910.
County Attorney Castner opened the case for
the prosecution and brief outline of the
story of the crime and of the charge which
the State had made submitting to the jurors
a plan of the house where the crime was
committed.
Thirteen witnesses for the State were then
sworn aud Octavia W. Kenniston, widow of
the murdered man, took the stand. Her
story, as brought out by examination, differs
but little from that which newspaper readers
are already familiar with. The old couple
had retired before nine o'clock on the night
of the ninth of May and had fallen asleep
whes Mrs. kenniston was disturbed by a
sound which she took to oe the kick of
horse. II was then, she judged, about ten
o'clock. After listening but hearing no fur
ther sound, she once more fell into doze
She was again awakened by the sound of
some one at the chamber door. This room
adjons the kitchen and is entered by door
opening in, the door at the time being fas-
tened by button.
Arousiug her husband she told him that
some one was in the house and as Mr.. Ken
niston called out to the intruder the door was
burst open and a person stepped to the bed
side, bidding the old couple be quiet In an
instant Mrs. Kenniston heard blow followed
by groan from her husband and as the as
sault was continued, the old man drew the
clothes over his face to shield himself. As
Mrs. kenniston cried out the assault was
turned upon her and blow struck which
knocked her off the bed At the same time
the old man attempted to get up but fell upon
the floor.
The assailant was then unable to find his
victim and stepped back to light a match.
As he did SO Mrs. Kenniston SAN that the
face WAS covered with white cloth, perhaps
a handkerchief. The old man Immediately
spraug for the villain and the sound of
struggle followed, the two rushing into the
kitchen. Two pistol shots followed and then
the woman fed by side door into the dining
room, escaping thence to neighbors house.
Freeman Giles. In the bedroom all had been
absolute dEhItss anu OHif ny souius COulu
Mrs. Kenniston judge of the tragedy that
was being enacted.
Characterization brought out the fact
that two watches were always hung by the
side of the bedroom door at night and
small sum Of money was kept in closet at
the foot of the bed. Quimby knew where
these articles were kept. He had worked
for Mr.. kenniston for some six months, hav
ing come to him from his uncle's where he
had been taken sick Immediately after his
release from the reform school. He had
lie # the Kenniston home secretly one year
before the murder, though for no reason |
that the lady could give. At ll.20 recess
was taken.
John TX. Corey was the next witness
called. He is a neighbor to the kennistoDs,
and was the first man at the house after the |
alarm had been given by Truman Giles. !
Found the side AMI shed door open and |
plank set up beneath an open window of the
ell chamber Was only accompanied by a
boy of fourteen years. and SO waited until
others had Joined him before entering the
house. When he did go in he found the bed |
disarranged and covered with blood. In the
kitchen lay the body of Remission in pool
of blood Near the stove at his head lay a
heavy iron bolt and near by broken knife.
1t was then about midnight.
Nathan Baker. the man who drew the |
plan of the Kenniston buildings then exhib- |
tied in court, testified to the accuracy of
this drawing and the court adjourned at
l2.30.
The case was resumed at two o'clock, |
Stephen 4. Welch taking the stand. His
story of the finding of kennistOns body |
agreed with that told by Corey, but this wit /
ness positively identified the bolt produced |
in court as the one he had found in the muir
dered mans bed room. Being a blacksmith |
his trained eye had at once noted an imper- |
fection in the thread-cutting Oh one end and |
this fault he pointed out to the court. He |
also identified the pieces of knife. Cross |
examination failed to shake his testimony
1t will be remembered, ins connection with !
this case, that at the preliminary arrraign- !
ment of Quimby at Boothbay, on the Thurs
DAY morning after the murder Wednesday |
night, his responses though inaudible at
ter the third inquiry were loud enough to be |
heard. The response then was guilty.
The following noon, Friday, in the county |
Jail office, Quimby confessed to having mur- |
dered William Remission of Roothbay, Civ
full particulars of the crime before Geo. b.
kennston and others.
The grand jury found an indictment
against Qumby and he was brought into
court Thursday afternoon of last week to
answer to the charge of the murder of VIM.
Remission He pleaded not guilty.
A Prominent York County Citizen Dead.