Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-22
BULLET IN BRAIN.
Augustus Sawyerof Monmouth
Found Dead in Barn.
Body Covered with Hay and a Bullet
Hole Through Lip.
He Had Been Missing Gines Saturday and
Was Undoubtedly Murdered.

MONMOUTH CENTER, May 2l.- Special }
The good town of Monmouth is excited
over a murder as atrocious as it is myste-
rious. About two miles from Monmouth
Center, on the road to Purgatory Mills,
there lived an cd man, about 70 years of
age named Augustus Sawyer. He was a
man who had never married, and since the
death OF his mother, some Is years ago, he
had resided alone, living much the life of a
hermit. His farm is an excellent one of
about $50 acres, and he had been for some-
time quite largely interested in sheep rais-
ing. He owned some other land besides
his farm and was generally believed to have
accumulated a snug sum of money. He was
man, however, VII, male little if any talk
Of his private affairs and no one knows
how much he saved or where he kept it.
He had only o1e horse and rarely drove
him, preferring to walk on most of the rare
occasions hen he visited Monmouth Cen
ter. While he was not man of social in
stincts, he was we'll disposed and on good
terms with his fellow-townsmen. So far SIS
is known he had not an enemy in the world
The report, therefore, Monday afternoon,
that he had been found in his barn under a
pile of hay, with bullet hole in his head,
created no little excitement.
1t was late in the afternoon when the
news of the tragedy reached Augusta, and
two reporters of the KENNEBEC Journal
were soon on their way to the scene
They reached the farm about dnsk and found
the yard in front of the old-fashioned two
story white honse crowded with the teams
of anxious citizens who hsd come to learn
the particulars of the crime ,and of witnesses
summoned to appear before the coroner's
jury. A dump cart, partially filled with
sharpened fence stakes, showed what was,
probably, the last work performed by the
murdered man.
In response to rap the door was opened
by Detective Ira M. True, and the reporters
we're admitted to what was known as the
"iving room" of the house. Here, stretched
upon wide board upon two rough tables,
was the body of the deceased. 1t was
clothed in a rough suit of overalls, just as
it had been found.
The victim was a man who had borne his
years lightly. His black hair was only par
TALLY streaked with gray. A straggly beard
covered bis chin and was quite white. The
remains were in good condition and had
evidently not lain long before being dlscov-
cred.
Drs. II. M. Blake, M @. E1wards and
f P. Marston, all of Monmouth Center,
we're busily engaged in conducting an au-
topsy. A dark hole in the upper lip, inst
below the nostrils, showed where the bullet
rad entered upon its deadly mission. The
physicians had removed the top of the skull
and were searching for the ball in the brain
1t was finally found in the back part of the
skull. 1t was of 32 calibre and but slightly
dattened. S,me p,eces of bone adhered to
a rsgyed scratch near its base.
From the house JOURNAL reporter, ac-
companied by Detective True, visited the
barn to view the scene of the shoo'irg.
Entering the tie-np door the rep ,rter and
Mr.. True passed near the center of the
osrn, where, facing the cattle stsncliors,
were several horse stalls. 1t was b, hind
the first of these. under some loose hay,
that the body of MIR. Sawyer was discov-
cred, lying face dnwn upon his right side
A small pool of blood at The end of the par
tition showed where his head had rested.
There were also blood stains upon the par
tition and upon rough stake which lay
near by.
AT the time the body was discovered all
the doors were fastened upon the outside.
If there were any tracks about the building
the rail of Saturday night llad completely
obliterstt d them. 1t it said to have bee n
the frequent custom of Mr.. Sawyer to 20
to the barn without lantern. He WA.
never known to carry firearms. AMI an old
gun, s'iil in the house, is believed to have
been the only weapon of this character in
his possession.
Coroner C. F. Kilbreth of Hallowell was
on the ground, and had been busiy en-
ployed IN empanelliDg a jury End summon
ing witnesses for an admirably conducted
inquest.
e. II. Pease was the first witness called.
He stated that he was returning home from
a trip to Monmouth Center, anI when oppo-
site the Sawyer homestead was hailed by
Ethan Little, who said that Mr.. SAWYER
was missing and he feared " stmtthing was
wrong. +. S. Rideout was with him. We
went to the barn. | found the door propped
upon the out.ide. / enttrtd it and looked
it over carefully, but ci,coyer,d nothing
wrong, save the condition of the cattle.
htdIlCd w SpnC Vut anu iuet l<lttlt Huu
Rideout. We returned and IL oked over the
barn walked near the horse stall and
" ent in and lookt where could see both
stalls. l made the re mark, "lIe isn't here"
and we then left the barn. My feet must
have almost touched his lead but still
did not discover him
Af'eiward we three went into the house
We first noticed the bed in the living room
1t was torn t. pieces and the clothes piled
on the floor. Mr.. Little felt Of th. m to see
if Mr.. S4~yer WAS covered up in them
We found nothing unurlsl in the
other parts Of the house until we came to
the other sleeping room in The southeast
corner of the bouse. Here We found the
red clothes piled of on the fl,or in Whist
to be an unusual n amer. We
then went out and decided to 10 home and
return to renew the search after dinner. 1t
was then sb ,ut 12 80 In the afternoon 1
returned here. then heard Of
Of the finding of the body
but was not with the party that discovered
it. have seen no suspicious characters
around Lere and do not know that Mr.. Saw
yer had any enemies. Have known Mr..
Sawyer as long as l can remember. l