Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-26
MORRIS FOUND GUILTY.
Plea Of Insanity Doesn't Save the Man Who
Shot Collins.

me trlai OF Charies Morris for the
Collins at the house OF Isaiah Pelkey's in
Allagash Plantation July 80, 1895, began
here IN the supreme court Wednesday
P. c. Keegan Of Fort Kent and Judge
Stearns of Caribou. Don Powers assist
ca the county attorney in the prosecu-
ton The defence was insanity. His
wife testified to his melancholy spells and
haunting fear that someone was trying
to kill him. He had always had run
,ihI sore IN ms ear and once was re-
fused employment at Kineo on the
ground of insanity. Drs Cary and Put
nam testified that he appeared rational
IN all things except the shooting CON
corning which he appeared to have hal
ON the, other hand the prosecution
showed that Morris sought out Collins as
John Casey who lives at the mouth OF
day of the shooting Morris came to his
place and asked him if there was a game
warden at Pelkeys house. Witness told
him that he thought there was; Morris
asked his name, and witness told him he
did not know exactly, but thought it was
McCulom or McCuilar. Morris repeated
the name several times ana sac h , was s pe
ing to see the warden and have a good
look at him and see if he had ever seen
him before After some conversation
about other matters. Morris left and
went towards Pelkey's. This CONVERSE
ton occurred between one and two
O'Clock. Between five and six a BOY came
from Pclkeys and told him that that
man had shot the warden, and they
wanted him to come over
The testimony of Collins, was quite re-
markable as showing the mans endur-
ancc and courage. He was at Pelkey's
when Morris arrived there, between two
and three in the afternoon. He was ~
ing on the lounge in the sitting room
with his boots off and partially asleep.
He heard some one step into the Kitchen
and ask some member of the family who
was in the other room he looked out
and saw the respondent standing in the
kitchen. The girl whom he asked re-
piled that she did not know who 1t was;
Morris replied: II will damned soon nnd
out" and stepping along towards the
door of the room where the witness was
lying. Witness sat up and asked him
what difference it made. TO him who it
was anyway. Norris replied, Il Will soon
show you what difference it makes
Morris then entered and sat down on a
trunk at the foot of the lounge
Continuing, the witness said: Il pulled
on my boots. During the operation Nor
ris asked me where 1 was going. l told
him up river, but didn't say which river
whether the Allagash or the St. John.
he followed me and also sat down near
the door. There was more or less con-
versation by all present. Morris seemed
down once or twice; there were none of
the men folks about the premises that
belonged there. Mrs. Pelkey was away
for brother. who soon came in and sat
down. The young man and | soon
stepped out of the door and went around
on to the platform near the door whore
Morris sat. | went N AMI picked up Nor
ris's rifle, looked at I noticed the make
and calibre and lacked the cartridges
out of it and handel them to Morris and
stood his gun behind the door ana said to
him, These people seem to be afraid OF
an accident, and l guess you had better
leave that there until you are ready to
~ Meantime Mrs PpllSpy a yp1
and we sat around till supper time. At
ter supper / got my coat and hat and
started to go out. I said to Morris as,
house; you hear what l say. don't load
it, because these people are afraid of an
accident | went out and started down
stepped out of the path and stopped al
an old graveyard. Morris came out of
the house with his rifle and walked
towards the river. | went back and
joined him and we walked to the landing
together. where the canoe was. 1t had |
commenced to rain. and by the time we
got there it was raining quite hard.
Morris said. II don't believe shall start
up river in this rain; / guess | shall stay
here all night" He took his stuff out OF
the canoe and laid it on the beach and
side case marked gin. After he had ar
ranged the canoe picked up his rifle and
put It under the canoe. surprising he
would leave it there, but he pulled it out.
picked up his case and we started for the
house. When we got part way to the
house he sat his case down and sat on it
to rest and | walked along. / went in.
took off my coat and hat and stepped to
this towel which has been spoken of to
wipe the water from my neck and face.
Morris came in and walked along and
leaned his rifle against the wall near the
window. set down his case and started to
sit down on it. His gun slipped and ne
caught caught 1t and stood it up again. and II
i Will take care of the gun for you until
you are ready to 60, and kind of reached
tor IT, suppoSing he would hand it to me;
tired II without taking any particular
aim. The bullet struck me in the right
breast. lust below the shoulder and came
out at the edge of the shoulder blade on
the other side, / should judge Morris
WAS three or four feet distant when he
fired | started to go into the other room
rifle. hurried in to the bed room and
laid down on my face on the bed. The
second bullet struck the side of the bed
we, went tie lengthwise of it. tore strip out of
the board and went into the wall of the
mouse. ! laid there until the blood
stopped gushing out so freely; my lung
filled up with blood. and l was very
much pressed for breath: considerable
blood ran from my mouth. l laid there
two or three minutes perhaps. and finally
the blood stopped flowing. ! found
and | began to get mad. | got up and
went out into the sitting room, un-
strapped my ValiSe took out my revolver
and started out into the kitchen looking
for Mr.. Morris. | met the young man
and his mother. and they said. Morris is
gone; don't make any more trouble or he
Will come back and shoot us all / think
the young man took the revolver and
Went back into the sitting room, took oft
my shirt and asked Mrs. Pelkey for Il
bandage. She got a large roller towel |
wrapped that around me and laid down
on the lounge"
Witness further testified that Dr. Siros
arrived between ten and eleven the next
forenoon. removed the bandage and eX-
amncd the wound took a piece of bone
from the back. dressed the wound, a bed
WAS made in canoe, and he was taken
away at about noon that day. and con-
Neyed to Fort Kent to the house of A. c.
fenlanon. where he remained until the
18th of August Witness was also treat
ed by Drs. Boon and Upham of Presquc
Isle. where he was residing at the time.
The witness stated that he was I'M
armed at the time of the shooting
1t did not take the jury but two hours
60 ,,I IL.