The Portland daily press., 1896-05-22

dress 1t.
| AS he snatched it, the little one, think
ing its father was playing with 1T, looked
back at the mother with gurgle of de-
light and then tur ming smiled up at the
father. At that moment even, while the
smile was on Its face, he drove the knife
| into lis throat.
| Whether Mrs. Holt saw him out his
own throat or whether he made an at
tempt on her life, no questioning has yet
elicited from her.
"He has threatened to do tn is before, :"
sobbed the sister-in-law.
| Last Sunday he showed me loaded
revolver and said that he should use 1T on
some one. I had been staying with my
sister for little while, but he seemed so
grouty and mad about it that I left the
first of this week.
He told my sister several times dur
ing the past few weeks that unless she
would consent to leave Mechanic Falls
with him and move to some other place
he would kill himself and the baby. He
seemed to grow worse and to have
brooding spells.
"He didn't speak to me all the time I
was there at the house and as thought
was making trouble for my sister I
went away.
| "My sister was good, little woman
and faithful and long enduring wife,
Poor thing She never gave him cause
| fo, lon thnuoht Ru4 ho ouv1pk
willing she should put her head out of
doors. He particularly objected to hav.
ing her go to see her Uncle James Grady,
who lives in the village, near here. He
was good friend to her and Joe had no
reason at all to have such grudge
against him. but he threatened to shoot
him time and again.
"My sister partly packed her trunk last
night and intended to go to her uncle's,
Mr.. Grady, today, and leave Joe for q
while, for he got so violent and abusive
| th at she feared for herself and the baby.
"She didn't tell her husband she was
going. She may have told him this morn
ing when she went upstairs to dress the
baby"
| An employe at the paper mill says that
Holt did know that his wife was going
to leave and made various threa is about
her. But as he had always been man
OF violent temper and eonsidega bly, giyelA
to making threats that he never carried
out, not much notice WAS taken sof his
TRADES. Holt was rs years old and had
been married one year and eight months.
So far as the neighbors knew thers had
been no serious trouble in the family.
Some of the citizens who have known
Holt for many years have of late noticed
some sign Of moodiness and of alteration
but took no particular stock In anything
he said.
His wife was generally regarded as an
estimable woman, and no one believes
that she has given him any reason for
his doubt or charges. The mans brother,
Will Holt, took charge Of the premises.
Mr.. Holt believes that his brother was
suffering from temporary insanity,
brought on by real or fanoied troubles.
The suicide evidently had planned
something. for he had given notice at
| the paper mill of his intentions to leave
and had not been at work for day or
SO.
Yesterday he sharpened the butcher
knife with which he did the terrible
deed. The knife was found at about
noon in closet where Holt had hid it
during Mr.. Mason's second absence from
| the room.
Mrs. Holt was widow by the name Of
Somerset when he married her, and has
one child, which ia still living.
At p. m. Holt was still alive and con-
soious but is growing weaker, icing un-
able to take any nourishment whatever,
and breathing entirely through the gap
ing wound in the throat, which fills with
clotted blood every few minutes.
| r ather Dangerous Fun.
| Providence, May 21.-A locomotive
| of tho Oakland hoo oh troip o,x &bo NoU