Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-18

OF mind. First noticed this last Christ.
mas. He complained they were living
extensively. The next day gave her s25
and wanted her to take s25 more to ex-
pend upon herself, to get cloak, some
boots and whatever she needed and 70
throw the boots she was wearing into the
river. That evening gave her SEQ to buy
things for niece. Bought many Christ
mas presents. He had frequently given
her parents. The morning after Christ
mas he asked her if she had sent Christ
mas presents to her parents, and upon her
saying she had not he wanted her to do
So That Christmas he got presents for
Annie Sullivan, gave $40 to Mrs. Sulli-
van, and IS to Mrs. Hopkins, all this after
he had complained of extravaganza.
Instances showing Burns forgetfulness
after this time were seen at the table
when he would forget to eat certain
things Before this he had been hearty
eater. Eatables that he formerly was
very fond of he now neglected to eat and
he was always finding fault At those
times of forgetfulness, he would forget to
sweeten his coffee and would not eat his
orange and oatmeal beside his plate until
she called his attention to them although
1t had been his practice to eat these in the
morning. This condition continued up
to the Thursday before the shooting when
she went away to Winslow. Previous to
this change he was not in the habit Of
finding fault at the table. Now he would
declare that he never liked the very
things he formerly was very fond Of pud-
dings and boiled eggs for instance. Could
seldom find anything he liked but what
no RpJ o., a. 1
would get up from the table without
eating anything at all. At one time he
declared shirts of his, marked with dark
thread, the mark he knew belonged to his
linen, were not his. He insisted after she
called his attention to the mark. He said
perhaps some one else had the same mark.
She promised to take the shirts back to
the laundry but didn't and she heard
nothing more about 1t. One morning he
put on clean shirt. At noon he put on
another declaring he had worn the first
one q week. This occurred month or
three weeks before the shooting. At one
time when she took out q suit for him to
wear saying that he better wear 1t as he
hadn't worn them for some time he de-
clared they were not his clothes The
suit had been laid away since their mar
rage when he wore 1t at the wedding
Had also noticed early in the spring that
he sat up late nights and when he went
to bed could not sleep. Would say his
head ached and she got up many nights
to rub his head. He was troubled with
sleeplessness right along. One night
asked her to battle his head in vinegar
When she came back to the bed to do so
he appeared asleep and declared his head
was all right and didn't ask for vinegar
Didn't think he would average an hours
sleep a night.
First noticed change In his treatment
of her very early in the spring. He be-
came cross and fault finding. One Sun
day he was reading his paper and when
she spoke to him he exclaimed Cant
you let me alone. If you don't I'll break
your jaw" Then she burst out crying and
he did and said I'm brute and ought
to be shot. Of course I didn't mean
what l said" Before this he had been
very kind to her and would not deny Ter
anything. One hot June night he COM
planned of being cold and wanted her to
sweat him. All the time when she was
putting on blankets and hot water bottles
he was perspiring profusely. Didn't
appear tc have any cold. The Sunday be-
fore she went away on her visit to Wins
low, the week before the shooting, she
looked into the bedroom and saw him
shaking his finger at himself in the glass,
his face was very red and his lips were
moving as if he were scolding himself
Had spent considerable time in the jail
with him. He had delusion that he had
two pieces of cabbages and wanted her to
go out of the cell and cover them up and
when she would go out and come back
and tell him they we're all right he would
appear easy. One time few days after
his arrest when he heard the whistle of a
train he asked where 1t was going. She
told him it was the train to Winslow. He
jumped out of bed greatly excited and
said they were going up to turn those
poor old people Cher parents out doors
The third day after his arrest he was
Lying on the cot and she sat beside him.
He took her by the sleeve and pulling her
toward him and said in low tone, I'm
going to kill you tonight" She told him
she guessed not and he said no more
about it, A few days before the shooting
he complained to her that his head had
got twisted around and wanted her to
turn 1t back again. After she pretended
had been asleep At one time in the Jail
he said he was going to preach and could
get 5000 night. She would agree with
him as that was the best way she could
manage him. Soon after he was put in
jail she told him she didn't think he was
right and he said he knew that he WASH t
and he was trying to hide it from her.
He thought he ought to go to the insane
hospital and have his head treated be-
cause it ached so badly. Another time
be begged her not to lot them put him in
the insane hospital. At one time speak
ing of going to the Maine insane hospital
he said If he went there he would have
gone crazy altogether. Had said the same
thing since.
Cross examination-After she came
home from Winslow and went TO the Jail
she asked him what be had done. Didn't
tell her right away but during the night
said that he had fired at Hopkins. Gave
no reason for firing Didn't say it was in
self defense. Said Mrs. Hopkins had
sassed and provoked him. Didn't say
why he shot him. Said he didn't know
why he shot him. He always carried a
revolver when going away. Said in Jail
he was going away that morning of the
shooting. Said he never saw Freddie at