Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-30
FULL OF INTEREST.
How Did Mark BatcheIder
Meet His Death /?
Many Theories Put Forward Regard
ing the Mans Demise.
Lots Of People Think Batchelder's Existence
Was Cut Short by Accident.

Portland, Dec. 29.-Two conferences
were held Tuesday forenoon. by Sheriff
Plummer, County Attorney True,
County Attorney elect Charles Libby
and Coroner Perry, to consider course
of action in investigating the death of
Mark Batchelder of North Sebago. the
guide and farmer, who was found dying
beside the road on the shore of Perley
pond, Sunday morning.
After a brief interview with inter-
ested parties near the scene of the
affair. Monday, both the coroner and
sheriff voiced the opinion that Batch
elder. While intoxicated. had fallen
from his sleigh, striking his head on
stone or on the frozen ground. causing
wounds which. together with the long
exposure. caused his death, but most
of the residents in that vicinity firmly
adhere to the murder theory and de-
mand a thorough investigation.
Their opinion was that there had
been a brawl at Levi kennison's. where
| Batchelder put in part of the day. and
| that a club was used on Batchelder's
head. after which he was loaded into
/
home
| DR.. Lorenzo Norton of East Baldwin.
who was summoned and arrived just
after Batchelder died. informed the
after Batchelder died. informed
a reporter that the nature of
the mans injuries strengthened
the theory that death was ac
| cidentaI. DR.. Norton examined the
cuts on top of his head and cheek,
and could find no evidence of a fracture
| of the bone. The cut on the head was
not as clean as would have been caused
| by blow With a club or any blunt
| instrument. At either extremity of the
| wound the scalp was not cut. These
| indicated to DR.. Norton that the wound
was made by contact with "a jagged
stone or the frozen ground. The cut on
| the cheek might have been made by the
| toe calk of a horse shoe, While the
scratches on that side of the face gave
| evidence that he had been dragged on
| the ground.
| Though DIR. Norton takes this view
| of it, he says he faVors a thorough Off
cial investigation of the case to satisfy
| the townspeople who regard Batchel
ler's death as the result of foul play.
A singular aspect of the case is that
| when Batchelder's horse came home
about 10 O'Clock Saturday night, with
| the harness broken. no sleigh and no
driver none of the members of the
| family. of whom there were six, the
| oldest boy being Is years old, took the
| trouble To go out in quest of their
missing parent. They put up the horse
| and went back to bed
| The next morning. after finding the
dying man. spots of blood were found
on the harness.
| The supposton is that Mr.. Batchel-
der's sprees had become of such fire.
auent occurrence that nothing strange
was thought of this one.
| 1t is Dr. Norton's opinion that the
wounds were not sufficient to have
caused death had they been promptly
attended to.
Il am willing 60 SATISFY the Sebago
people by holding an inquest, said
Coroner Perry, Tuesday afternoon,
| though it seems to me that the theory
of accidental death is entirely plausi-
BILE and probable. l have left the mat
ter in the hands of the county attorney
and sheriff until Friday. when the in
quest will be continued
There's nothing really new in the
i case today" said Sheriff -dmmer. Il
shall go to Sebago tomorrow to look
further into it. l don't look for any
| sensational development. but it is right
that the request of the people for
thorough investigation should be
needed.
County Attorney True's term expires
Thursday, and he is more than VIII
ling to let his successor, Mr.. LIBBY,
have the experience and glory of in
yestigating this Cumberland county
sensation of the departing year.