Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-08
GUILTY OF MURDER.
Jury Takes But Little Time in
the Hurd Case.
Hurd Laughs When Judge Sentences
to State Prison for Life.
Story Of One oil Most Cold Blooded Murders
Of the Age.

been found guilty of murder in the first
degree for causing the death of his
father. James NJ. Hurd, at Biddeford. on
Dec. Z. 1895. This verdict was reached
by the jury in the case after a consulta-
ton of only So minutes duration Satur-
day morning.
The court opened promptly at 9 O'Clock
n Senator Frank NJ. Higgins, counsel
for the prisoner, addressed the jury for
about an hour. He urged that the jury
consider carefully the tendency to in
sanity shown by the prisoner and point
ed out testimony given by DR.. Sanbcrn
and others bearing on this matter.
Attorney General Powers for the state
spoke strongly for about 10 minutes. re-
viewing the evidence in the case point by
point, but dwelling chiefly upon the dam
aging testimony given by the prisoner
at the inquest. During the at
torney generals address Hurd seemed to
be moved more thar at any previous time
during the trial. Several times he made
CHASTITY efforts to smile and actually
laughed as the states attorney described
the horrible scene attending the murder
of his father.
When Attorney General Powers had fin
ished the judge proceeded to deliver the
charge to the jury. occupying about an
hours time. The jury then retired and
in less than an hour returned their YER
dict. Sentence will be pronounced later.
The crime of which Hurd has been
guilty is one Of the most cold blooded
murders in the history of the state. On
the morning of Dec. {. 1895. young Hurd
came down stairs to breakfast at the
| usual hour, and as his father had failed
to put in appearance by the time break
fast was quite ready, Alfred's mother
sent him up stairs to find out what was
the matter. When the son returned a few
minutes later, he told his mother that
his father had committed suicide. and
he Immediately started to notify the cor
oner, to whom he told the same story.
The police were also notified.
When they reached the house the body
Of the old gentleman was found with a
cash in the head. inflicted with a carpen-
ter's Ratchet n with the throat cut
from ear to ear with a razor. Both OF
these implements smeared with blood.
were found later. and through the ind
ing of them. as well as on account of con-
fiicting stories told by Alfred Hurd. sus-
picion fell on him as the one who had
committed the deed. He was placed
under arrest, a jury was summoned
and an inquest vas held, the verdict of
the jury being to the effect that James
NJ. Hurd came to his death by means of
blows dealt with an axe and with a
razor in the hands of Alfred J. Hurd, his
son."
At a preliminary hearing which fol-
lowed, and at which Judge Charles Ham
ilton. then mayor of Biddeford acted as
counsel for the prisoner, more evidence
vas brought out. apparently sufficient
to fasten the crime upon the son beyond
the shadow of the doubt.
Hurd'S own statement, as we'll as his
conduct early in the hearing, contribu-
| ted to this result. At close of the hear
ing he was brought to Alfred, and while
confined in the county Jail awaiting trial.
he was alleged to a made partial con-
LESSONS, following them almost imlne-
| diately with contradictory statements.
| From these proceedings and peculiar re-
| marks made by the prisoner, h theory
of insanity arose. This was advanced.
/ as has been previously stated. as a de-
Il lStSt dl lLlC IN lldS JbSt -
Hurd was a telegraph operator, former
~ employed at Somersworth, N. II. For
| some time previous to the murder he had
been idle, and it is stated that his fathers
| censure of his shiftlessnesS was the mo-
tive for the crime. lie is a good look
/ Ing fellow, of ordinary height n build,
and about "a years of age.
The exact time at which the murder
was committed has never been fixed. 1t
is the opinion of the officers who inves-
tigated the ease that it was just before
: O'Clock in the morning, and that Eurd
killed his father when he went down
from his chamber. In the judgment of
the medical examiner a blow of the axe
was sufficient to cause almost instant
death, but it is supposed that the muir
1erer heard his father groan or saw some
movement of the muscle and drew the
cazor across the throat in order to COM
plete his work. The latter action was
probably made in sheer desperation, as
the razor came in such violent contact
with the bones of the throat that its
edge was turned. 1t is also though that
when Hurd went to call his father to
breakfast. in response to his mothers
request, it was only to divert suspicion
from himself.
nAaino 0one;ore