The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-06
KNIFE BLADES FLASHED.
Descendant Of the Noble Red Man
Kills One Of His Tribe,
SON OF SUNNY ITALY WATTS FOR
HIS VICTIM TO DIE,

And Yankee Stabs a Deputy Sheriff
One of the Passamaquoddy Indians
Murders Another at a Dance and Then
Takes to the Woods-Jea1ousy and
Fire Water Responsible-A Sheriff and
Two Newspaper Reporters on the
Trail.
EAsTPoRT, July 5.-The Pleasant
Point Indian village, seven miles from
this city, is peopled by the remnant of
the Passamaquoddy tribe. There at
1890 this morning occurred stabbing
affray resulting in the death Of Joseph
Sopiel, member of the tribe who had
just returned from Bar Harbor. It was
the Glorious Fourth and the Indians,
men and women, were enjoying cos
tune dance and having good time
among themselves. Sopiel was there
and being well dressed, good looking, and
just from Bar Harbor, he was in for
good time. Capt. Ross Francis, the muir
derer, was also in and out of the dancing
room. His wife, % years old, nearly 80
years his Junior, was present. Being
good dancer, she was apparently enjoy
ing herself dancing much of the time
with Sopiel, which fact members of the
tribe say excited the jealousy of the bus
band, who proceeded to call Sopiel to
account then and there before the whole
crowd.
There were some words and then, SO
the witnesses say, Francis swung his
Eu&v srrl,A -
knife in the breast of Sopiel The knife
entered the right side, glanced across to
the left side and pierced the lower end of
the heart. The wounded man made an
| effort to reach the door, but in moment
| fell to the floor. The party was held in
| the house of Edmund Francis and from
| there the stricken Indian was carried to
| his own home, short distance away,
| where he died 25 minutes from the
time the blow was given without having
uttered word. DR.. Rogers ofPembroke
was called, but his services were not
needed. the Indian being dead long be-
| fore the doctor arrived.
| After the stabbing, some of the other
Indians sought to hold the murderer un-
til an officer could be sent for, but Fran
els didn't propose to be interfered with,
and f1ourishing his deadly knife and
| their hands off of him. One of the tribe
| is sworn constable appointed by the
Governor of the state, and it so happens
| is nhalf brother of Francis which,
some of the Indians say, is the reason
| why he failed to arrest him then and
| there with the result that the murderer
escaped and is still at large.
This morning five Indians came to this
city and swore out warrant before JUS
tice McFaul. With this warrant Deputy
Sheriff Martin and two newspaper cor
respondents, started at once for Pleasant
Point A thorough search was made,
but it was clearly evident that Francis
had allowed no grass to grow under his
feet, having had nearly u hours to make
good his escape. He is an expert hunter
and can get along in the woods better
than almost anybody else. Sheriff Mar
tin has telegraphed to the authorities in
the surrounding towns and also to Grand
Menan, where Francis has often been
accustomed to hunt and
fish and with every cor
ner of which he, is thoroughly ac-
quainted. He cannot hide very long, as he
is pretty we'll known, and is bound to be
arrested soon. He is man of short
stature, thickset and with thin NOUS
tache. He was always of pleasant dis
position, honest in his dealings and un-
less his temper had been aroused by,
feelings of intense jealousy he never
would have committed the murder. The
deceased Indian was widower, Al years
old. and brother of Selinor Sopiel, the
famous base ball player.
Francis was in this city the Fourth,
and took part in the canoe races, which
are always feature of the local celebra-
ton. He started for home in the even
ing in good spirits, and his rash act
must have been done on the spur of the
moment, worked up possibly by an am
pie supply of fire water.
Stabbed Deputy Sheriff.
BANGOR, July 5.-Frank Larrabee, at
Oldtown, was today bound over in $4,000
bonds to the August term of the Su-
preme Judicial Court on a charge of
stabbing Deputy Sheriff Lancaster of
Oldtown, Tuesday, while the deputy was
arresting an Indian charged with an af-
fray. Larrabee was brought to this city
this evening and locked up.
Michael Angelo Ferrari Arraigned.
RoCKLAND, July 5.-Michael Angelo
Ferrari was arraigned today before Trial
Justice Ulmer for assault on an italian
fellow laborer on the Georges Valley
Railroad at Warren. County Attorney
Kalloch appeared for the State, and At
torney Fife of Fryeburg for Ferrari, who
pleaded not guilty. At the request of
County Attorney Kalloch the hearing
was continued to await the outcome Of
the victim wounds, which are expected
to prove fatal.