Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-08-27
AN AWFUL DEED.
Mrs. Beard of Old Orchard,
While Temporarily Insane,
Tries to Murder Her Daughter, Who
Is Horribly Cut about Head.
A Friend Sleeping with Her also Cut
Daughter May Recover.


Beard Of Andoyer, Mass, an alumnus of
Obcrlin college, Ohio, and who for a year
} has been teaching in grammar school in
Bos ton, was murderously assaulted early
this morning with Ratchet In the hands
Of her mother, who was suffering at the
time from temporary insanity.
The assault on Miss Beard was COM
mitted about o'clock, while she was
asleep. Rooming with her was Miss
Winona f. GRAHAM Of Andovcr, a college
| friend, who has been spending a week at
rhe Beard cottage. Sue too received a
| cruel blow from the hatchet but her in
juries are not serious, while Miss Beard, it
Is feared, is mortally wounded.
From interviews with the two injured
young ladies and neighbors who We're
summoned to their assistance, it was
learned that Mrs. Beard has been out of
| health for some months and that her i'll
ness has caused the mental derangcment
that is accountable for her acts.
Very early this morning, she came into
the chamber of the young ladies' and was
looking toward the bed when Miss Graf
fam awoke. They exchanged cordial
"Gcod morning greetings and Mrs.
Beard departed. There was nothing in
her appearance to arouse the suspicion of
the young ladies, who resumed their
slumbers.
The next thing they realized, Mrs Beard
was standing over them with an uplifted
hatchet with which she piled blow after
blow on the heads of her unsuspeoting
victims, who, bleeding and bewildered
succeeded in staying her hands and escap-
ing from her presence.
When they seized hold of her wrists
Mrs. Beard seemed to partially recover her
self-conscousness, but not sufficiently to
realize what she had done
Miss GRAHAM, with the blood flowing
from severed artery and staining her
nigh. dress, crowded past Mrs. Beard and
ran out of doors, calling for help.
Ira b. Deunett the Boston a Maine sta
tion agent at the campground, heard her
cries and went to her assistance, accom-
panying her to Nicholas Robinson's cot
tage, where she was kindly administered
to.
AS soon as DR.. Boynton of S'mers-
worth, N H., had stopped the flow of
blood from Miss Graffams wound, he
assisted DIR. Randall in dressing Miss
Beard wounds.
Meanwhile Messrs bennett and Robin
son had reached the cottage, being met at
the door by Mrs. Beard, who with in
comprehensive GOODNESS greeted them
with: "You had better come in 1 guess
am crazy. l have been cutting them
with hatchet. -
l,.I
enough to assist in administering to the
daughter, but did not appear TO compre
hcpd the awfulness of her deed.
OF the three wounds on Miss Boards
head, the most serious was a three-in
cut between the left ear and the temple
so deep that when the physicians were
cleansing the wound the artery pulsations
could be seen. Internal bleeding, it is
feared, may bring about fatal results.
Miss Beard was taken to the Maine
General hospital, and, at her wish and her
mother S, was accompanied there by Mrs.
Beard. AZ o'clock, this afternoon, it
was learned at the hospital that the
patient had passed through successful
operation, and that while her skull was
fractured and her wound considered very
dangerous, the surgeons have strong
hope OF her recovery.
Chief Of Police j. c.. Cousens, this after
Don, swore out before Trial Justice f. M.
Yates, warrant against Mrs K. +.
Beard of Apdover, Mass, the cottager,
who early this morning, during period
of temporary insanity, used hatchet on
the head of her sleeping daughter, Miss
Josephine Beard, Boston school teacher,
and the lattcr's college friend, Miss
Winona f., Graffam of Andover.
The warrant charges assault with in
tent to kill. 1t was served on Mrs Beard,
this evening by the deputy sheriff at the
home of friend in Portland, where she
had gone to accompany her daughter on
the trip to the Maine General hospital
The deputy sheriff brought Mrs. Beard
here on this evenings train and she is
spending the night in his custody at his
home at the campground.
Her demeanor has changed very little.
though she seems to more fully realize the
seriousness of the case She declares that
she was not In her right mind when she
committed the assault, and she speaks
with tenderness of her daughter and Miss
Graffam. Everybody who has seen Mrs
Beard, today, is convinced that her strange
act was due to an attack of insanity
The hearing is assigned for tomorrow.
but final action will not te taken till the
outcome of Miss Boards injuries is
reached
A dispatch received, tonight, from the
hospital is little more encouraging, but
her wounds are still considered critical
The fractured skull was successfully
operated on. this afternoon.
Miss Graffam's injuries were confined
to two flesh wounds from which no serious
results are feared