The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-01-14
More About the Appleton Sensation.

IaSJ week Une journal gave Dr1e1 ac-
count of the shooting of Ex-senator Stephen
j. Gushee of Appleton by Vinal o. Weed.
Since then the whole matter has been venti-
lated, and it puts Mr.. Gushee in an unenvi-
able position. The Rockland Tribune has
| interviewed Weed, the shooter, who tells
the following story: s'I moved to Apple
ton from what is known as the Kingdom in
Liberty some ten weeks ago, having contract
ed to work for S. j. Gushee, and was to live
in tenement of his. My family consisted
of myself and wife. I saw certain things
that convinced me that my wife was not do
ing as she ought to, and decided to return to
Liberty and live. l went to Liberty last
Sunday, and secured a place and engaged
Mr.. Bunker to come after me the latter part
of the week Came back to Appleton Mon
day, returning to Liberty the same day hav-
ing made up my mind to come back to Ap-
pleton in the night and look around a little.
| arrived at the village just after dark and
instead OF going to my own home, | stopped
at Mr.. Il. f. Sprague's and took supper |
entered my house between s and o'clock in
the evening" and secreted myself in d closet
under the attic stairs. | waited until | heard
my wife retire and then entered the sitting
room, which adions the bedroom where she
was sleeping. l had taken my gun with me
and laid down upon the lounge. There was
a light burning in the bedroom, although it
was turned down low. Iremaned there I'M
til / should say it was past midnight. Soon
after this L heard steps coming up the stairs,
the door opened and someone came into the
room where | was, locking the door after
him. Taking off his overcoat and overshoes
think he had no shoes on-the man stepped
into the bedroom, where | could see by the
dim light that it was Mr.. Gushee He then
removed his clothing and passing around to
the back side of thebed, got in. [ waited few
minutes and then stepped through the door
into the bedroom, saying as i did so, I've
caught you now 1 was holding the gun in
my hands, and he sprang from the bed at me,
saying as he did so, For Gods sake Weed
don't shoot I put up my left hand and
caught his right, while with my right hand
discharged the gun, the contents taking eff
feet in his right thigh. The discharge Of the
gun eXtingushed the light and in the con-
fusion struck at him with the gun two OF
three times, but don't know whether 1 hit
him or not. / then threw up the window
and called out Halo! Halo! two or three
times as did not know but that I had kill
ed him. He then went down stairs, but re-
turned and said Weed, you have shot me
and l don't know but I shall die, let me
come in and help me do up my leg l said
If you don't clear ont from here, I'll put an
other charge into YOU He then left, send
ing back in a few minutes by his wife for his
clothes. In the morning Mr.. Gushee sent for
me to come in, and offered me $500 to say
the shooting was accidental, which l refused
to do
The Rockland Opinion, which may be said
to represent Mr.. Gushee's side of the ques-
ton, says:
Weed was a hunter, and on Wednesday
had been away with his gun. That evening
Mr.. Gushee spent the evening with Mr..
Linnekin. On his way home, he called at
Weeds, having some business with him.
Weed hainp from home Mrs Weed
though she had retired, had no delicate
scruples about entertaining company under
those circumstances. Mr.. GuShee was in
discreet enough to remain some little time.
He denies any criminal acts Or intentions,
but it must be admitted that the situation
was very comprising one when Weed made
his appearance, little later, with his shot
gun on his shoulder. Had he blown
Gushee's brains out at once, he would no
doubt have been regarded as an in ured huS-
band vindicating his honor in blood, and the
deed would have received a kind of llsttica-
ton. But Weed was not that kind of a h.s-
band. He placed the affair on a strictly
commercial basis at once, and informed Mr.
Gushee that he had him at his mercy, and
demanded cash as the price of his forbear-
ance and silence. He named his price as
$500. Mr.. Gushee denied that he had been
guilty of any crime, and reSoutel y refused to
pay blackmail. Weed then deliberately raised
his gun and fired on Gushee, taking cool
| aim at his legs. so as to disable but not kill
him. Mr.. Gushee made his way home, and
DIR. p. A. Crooker of Searsmont was sum-
moned, and dressed his wound. A full
charge of small shot, fired at so short range
that 1t made a single ragged wound, entered
the right leg, i'll front and slightly on the
right side, about three inches above the
knee. The wound is a severe and painful
one but is not regarded as dangerous, bar
ring accidents.
The Opinion further SAYS:
Weed, who lived in Montville, is a low.
ignorant man he is a haf-breed, his mother
being an Indian. His wife is a girl of but
seventeen years of age, comely looking, but
having a reputation for loose morals that
seems to be based on pretty reliable testi-
| mony From all accounts, the Weeds have
been keeping pretty hard place, and card
| playing and carousing was going on much OF
the time. Mrs. Weed was popuiarly believ-
| ed to entertain good deal of male company
| in her husband's absence, and it was not sup
f1,.,t1 wi. .f..I