The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-05-07
Suspected Murder in Winterport.
Son Accuses His Father of the Crime and is
Himself Arrested.

| Ldst rrludy SnerlH norton went to WIN
port and arrested Benjamin Vinal for the
murder of his brother, Robert A. Vinal, who
died suddenly Sept 16, 1895. The prisoner
was brought to Belfast and lodged in Jail to
await a hearing before the Police Court.
Shortly after Mr.. Ninal's death suspicious
OF foul play We're aroused and coroners in
| quest was held, but the jury decided that
! his death was from natural causes, and the
/ body was not disinterred
| Last Thursday Horace E. Ninal nephew
of the deceased, appeared before S. A. Lit
tletield, Justice of the Peace at Winterport,
and swore that his father, Benjamin Vinal
! poisoned Robert by putting strychnine into
his medicine. Mr.. Littlefield and County
! Attorney Bowden came to Belfast and after
consultation with Chief Justice Peters, de-
cided to arrest Benjamin Ninal and further
! investigate the case. When Sheriff Norton
made the arrest, Ninal expressed surprise at
the charge aud declared his innocence. He
is man about 81 years Old, and appears to
! be quite feeble. The son Horace is about 19
| years Old.
The story of the case, is, in brief as fol-
| lcNS Isbutlb A. Y 1IlHi was d Udtn6lOE, nv
i ing in Winterpogt, and possessed of consid-
cradle property. He had been slightly i'll,
| but Sept 10th as well, apparently, as
usual eating heartily and feeling in good
| spirits. Sunday night he was taken i'll and
| died in commissions about o'clock Monday
morning. Young Ninal was at first suspect
ed, as he was known to have bought strych-
in pap e., Z,
death. He says that he bought it to kill
rats and used it about the barn, leaving the
part unused IN paper on a beam. His
| father, he says, took this and put some in
the medicine given to Robert.
Horace explains the trouble between his
father and uncle as follows: Ben iamin had
bought lot of Robert, giving his note for
the same, amounting to between 5000 and
| $500. A deed had been made, but Robert
would not give it to Benjamin until the notes
were paid. There was a mortgage which
| Benjamin wanted his brother to clear up
and on his refusal Benjamin. said, "you will
be sorry man if you don't" Three months
| before Robert died the boy says his father
| remarked, "If l knew how to put him (Rob-
|
] would do it"
The next day after the funeral the boy
says his father went to his uncles house and
demanded from his aunt his uncle's trunk
| The aunt gave it to him, saying, 'Take it
and do what is right" Father took the
trunk home, carried it up stairs and told no
one to follow him. Father took ont the notes
/ and lpstrpVpn them q also tool- bo
| of the property from the trunk and had it
recorded, When the administrator came he
| could not find the notes, and father told him
lie had destroyed them. Mr. Atwood then
made father, under threat to take him to
Belfast, give him quit claim deed.
Arrangements We're made Saturday to
| have the body exhu1ned, and the contents of
the stomach analyzed Monday morning,
I Drs. S. w. johnson and E. l.. Stevens. ac-
companied by Deputy Sheriff n G. Norton
went to Winterport. The body was taken
up and the stomach removed. DR.. Stevens
and Mr.. Norton started at once for Bruns-
wick, to met Prof Robinson, who is To per-
| form the analysis. and DR.. Johnson returned
| home.
! THE POLICE COURT HEARING.
| Benjamin A. Nina was arraigned in the
| Belfast Police Court Tuesday morning and
/ pleaded not guilty in a clear, firm tone
! County Attorney Bowden, IN opening, gave
| d brief history of the case, substantially as
| related above, and stated that since the be-
! ginning of proceedings there has been "a
! marked change in one of the witnesses for
the State. Horace E. Ninal the son of the
accused now retracts his former statements
and says he was acting under fear when he
! made them.
The first witness for the State was Jere-
miah A Holmes, aged 81 years Witness
said he had known the Ninal family from
childhood, but had not been a near neighbor
| for or s wears Did not see Robert the last
| fortnight before his death. He was around
the house then, but was poorly Saw him
the next morning after death. He was laid
| out. Saw Mr.. Fish take checkerberry for a
| pain. His wife mixed it for him. and Horace
| said, "Whos going to take that?'' She said,
Ben" Horace said THAT is not good y
! and went and got some more. Fish grew
worse He had cramps. Fish said the
checkerberry tasted bitter. Witness tasted
it and it was bitter and puckery. Fish said
he wanted to go home. Horace got his team
and he went home. Witness called at Fish's
house on his way home. He was better then.
Miss Emma Vina, Roberts sister, got Mrs.
Fish the checkerberry. Witness knew
| of the business relations between Ben
jamin and Robert. Benjamin told him
| about 1T. Benjamin bought the back not of
Robert for $500, and was to pay $50 per
year. Heard Benjamin say at one time
"Robert has mortgaged the old farm and
that will keep me out of the whole thing
There was a mortgage on the back lot VIII en-
Robert sold it to him. Ben iamln said, "He
had no right to do it and L could imprison
him for it, Saw Horace at my house a
week ago to-day, Tuesday He asked me
to come into she barn. He spoke about my
pigs and the term of court in Belfast and
about Mr.. Bowden coming home. We then
went into the house. He said "They are
going to take Robert up. Father is the
guilty one. Father told me if W orst comes
to worst he would clear He told Inc
what to get to poison rats and got it, Put
it in the barn W Wednesday. Thursday morn
ing found dead rat. Thursday afternoon
father went up, and when | was there Sat
urday part of the poison l left in the bot
tie gone. Father was with Robert Sun,
day forenoon. I'd like to know if it doesn't
look as though father was the one?'' 81 (the
witnessl said "No." Horace then told me that
after the funeral Benjamin demanded the
trunk of Emma and she gave it to him. He
took the trunk up stairs and told us not tC
follow him. Horace said he wished | would
go to Belfast with HIM He wanted to tel
the County Attorney. He said eve bought
the land together. If anything should hap
pen to father couldn't | go right on with the
business?' | said "Why don't you tell
Josh DOWneS?'' A few dayS later Horace