Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-31
WHAT CAUSED IT.?
John Parks of Madison Found
Dead in a Ditch,
Near His Home, With a Large Rock
Resting on His Body.
Nothing known Of Cause Of Death. But the
Air Is Full Of Rumors.


izens of this place were considerably start
led this morning by rumor on the street
that man had been killed on New street
leading off Main street, during the night.
The report spread like wildfire and soon
nearly the whole village was on the scene.
Investigation showed that at about s.5e
this morning as Jerry Sheehan and John
Buckley were moving along the street,
they came to ditch which the Manufac-
turprs and Investment Co, have dug for
the purpose of LAYING water pipe.
Across the ditch, which was about II
feet deep. was laid a plank on which peo-
pie crossed and il was while crossing the
plank tha, Sheehan discovered the body of
a man living at the bottom. Sheehan gave
an exclamation of surprise, and with BUCK
ley jumped down TO the body.
The mans head was near huge boulder,
and on his back lay large rock weighing
10 pounds, which Sheehan lifted from the
body. II was found that the man was
dead, and so Shcehan notified the people in
the first house at hand.
Soon large crowd gathered, including
DR.. W. G.. sawyer, who had been sent for,
The body was removed from the ditch,
when it was discovered that ii was the body
of John Parks, who lived nearby.
The excitement was intense and suspl-
cions of foul play were indulgcd in by IA
large number of those present \ messen-
ger was dispatched to Skowhegan to notify
Coroner Addition. The Journal man in
yestigated the matter and from the evidence
of those who knew anything about the man
at all, gained the following information;
John Parks, aged Is years, did not come
home last night at the usual hour and his
wife waited and watched throughout the
long night for bin. Parks had been at
work in the pulp mill that day but had not
come to supper, and the wife, of course.
was much worried about his absence.
1t is stated bs those who say they only
know from hcArsay. that Park, VINO was
somewhat afflicted TO drink, had been on a
spree Saturday night, and it was probably
while going home IN state of intoxication
that be fell into the ditch receiving injuries
from which he died
Then came out story of quarrel that
Parks had with one b'Brien week ago and
the fact that stone was found on the body
by Sheehan strengthened the suspicious of
,a,,t ,Ir
M, a., .,i,o,, tho s,rao, hos been onan
,.arIv a v.ar and il is very dangerous pass
;n,s ,t-nn,,h ,hara at p;ght and Il is renorted
that complaint had been made about the
danger to residents along the street.
The ditch in which Parks was found led
= 81 s., ~, ,,,a;r d;tch Of tho street across
WI .'oa' l';,t, parl,s house stood and with.
!, So Gao, of Tho bousc Within that shor,
a;.,anaa ,f b;s homo Jobn parks died. hu,
u.'.'Nu w " H.. 80, ., A., ,hara.
~ - fornd a bruise n, tho loft
s.,,,ai Lono and ano,bar inst below the
r,''s,,al ,,,,thns of Tho Loft cvo The hody
80 ,.ol, nnnr;shod and tberc was no evil
Jar,o af ,;olanre on the trunk or limbs.
- III .;snr ,,,nr,is ,xas VOL, established
~ S,,r,er nvnros...s himself as satisfied
,ha, ~, nnither ,lI rho hrn;sc nor both would be
snt,;,.;ont IN ,r,durn dcatb. rxcept re-
'i.s ,,s.;,;i;,,, ,'e ,horo ho,g frarture
g .t,n ;,r,o- ,ab1o of tho frontal hone.
VI rI,;, r1L daononnd ,l,a mys,erv surrounding
p,rl,s, AL, and tho crowd was eaperly
'l;scnss;,g the poss;bil;,es of murder
- ca.,,,ox I,1l;to, ,r,;vcd on the
49,, r. ,.ia,..,,l ,hn rom,ins and hoard
,I.o s,a,a,no,, of Dr SAWYER and others.
nr S,v,or Thought tho man hal been
,inn1 s;r hours wLou bn w,s called in the
-.
,,. p,,l.s tall C,ro,er ,dd;top ,b,.
,.,I ~ i,,.,, IN tho h.hi, of com
;',,. - dr,,,,, shc d;1 not think he
,,ilh.,,.o b,d any, monev She said that
49,, ,,a',, In "a Satnrj.v n;ch, she went ont
a., .1;,,.,, al Lodi dawn the road to
sa,' - She ,,onlJ 500 him coming.
H.. hos,,,, ,,,;,r on, bo,I, sbe and Mrs.
,-i,aLar ,,eruan who was stavinp with
~. haarI vn;ca or Voices outside. and
III .tan,,'. :, ,,a, p,rts A man was
9o',n5 eo ,ro ,D,,o saw parks with two companions
io"''t h.,~h"r w." shon and parls was then in
III "'i ''i't' "''
''Hrta''' TT a,;ors ,ore Shecnap and
,..ai'Is,. and ,,ny s,s,od to The .JnrRyA,
I'uN ~. ~ ~, ~, sno porks ,f,or %
r", ~ y, NAV 50
WI ,s porLs from, ,h,, time until he
sou nr ,e,s throwp in,o the ditch2 That