The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-20
A MURDERER AT SEVENTY.
Aged John MI. Dow Killed His Next
Door Neighbor.
A Sequel to CarouseI in q New Hamp-
shire Town-Another Murder Added
to the States Long List.

|
to the States Long List.
Seabrook, N. H., Julyss1s.-This little town,
which stands on the border line of New
Hampshire and Massachusetts,, was thrown
into a turmoil this afternoon over the fact
that brutal murder had been added to its
already long list of crimes.
The scene of the murder was in the por-
ton of the town known as South Seabrook
very near to where Mrs. Hattie Beckman
killed her husband some six or seven years
ago.
This time the slayer is an old man over 70
years old and his victim is his next door
| neighbor The circumstances of the crime
are as follows:
Last evening party of young men, among
| whom were Josiah Brown and his nephew,
Joseph b. Brown congregated at the house
of Wyman Eaton where carousal was held
until about midnight. Eaton's house is sit
uated at the end of small lane leading
from the main street.
| On this lane are the houses occupied by
John Nj. Dow and Brown, the latter having
to pass the formers in order to reach home.
Shortly after midnight Josiah Brown and
his nephew left the party at Eatons house
and started for home. AS they passed the
Dow house he sat at the open wtnow and
according to Joseph Browns story he said:
'iIs that you Josiah?" When Brown
answered in the affirmative Dow said:
'sCome up here a.minute,I want to see you?"
Brown walked up to the open window
whereupon Dow reached out and dealt him
powerful blow which felled him to the
gro Ind On his arising from where he had
fallen Brown struck back and as he did so
/
fist of Brown went through the glass.
Hearing the trouble the crowd that had
been at Eaton's came out and after waiting
a minute went to their homes with the ex-
ception of the two Browns and Frank Fow-
Ter who walked back to the end of the lane
where they left Fowler and again started for
home.
AS they were passing BOWS house he
sprang from behind the fence and ran into
the middle of the road and plunged knife
into the elder Brown twice and into the
younger one once.
| Young Brown picked up a rock and dealt
Dow blow ON the head which caused him
to fall back for a moment AS he did so
both men started on the run and Dow seeing
they were fleeing pursued them to the house
of Joseph Brown who went in and brought
| his gun out and threatened to shoot Dow if
he did not go home.
| Dow said "You can't frighten me with a
gum whereupon Brown discharged it in the
cir and Dow left for his home. Up to this
time neither one of the Browns knew that
| he wa stabbed. The elder one was the first
to discover it and the younger one soon
| found that he had shared a similar fate
| the hands of Dow.
| After discovering that he was wounded the
elder Brown started for his home but only
| got as far as the house of George P Eaton
/ where he fell and was found dead few
minutes later by some of the people who
had been aroused by the ring of the gun.
The news soon spread of the murder and
large crowd OF people FROM that section
congregated but Dow defied them.to arrest
him threatening to kill the first man who
attempted it.
| 1t was nearly this morning when Deputy
Sheriff Brown and jeremiah Chase placed
| Dow under arrest.
Pleaded Not Guilty.
| Exter N. H., July 1s.-John M. Dow was
this afternoon arraigned here for the murder
| of Jos. E. Brown of Seabrook last night,
| pleaded not guilty and was remanded to
jail. The case will be heard next Wednes-
Later in the afternoon Dow admitted
| to Jailer Scott that he killed Brown and
expressed the wish to be hanged at once,
rather than be sent to prison. He is very
reticent, and on the ride from Seabrook
would tell Sheriff Weston next TO moth
ing. The breaking of his windows he
said, was the nanse, and when asked why
he used knife he "didn't remember"
Though 70 years old, he is quite hale
and vigorous Today, however, he is
somewhat used up by last nights ARRAY.
He says he was struck by a club or a
knotted rope, and complains OF soreness
about the ribs. There 10 also a flesh |
wound over one ear and he Is quite lame |
Tomorrow DR.. Mack will mako a physi-
col examina ion.
Mrs. Brown, vito of the murdered man
has lived in Exeter few years, and is |
an operative in the Gale shoe factory. |
She has not lived with her husband for |
some years.
Dow, it seems, has always been since !
his youth a tough character. His towns |
men say he had rather fight than eat. In |
1862 he made an attempt to kill his wife
by QUITTING her throat with bread knife. |
He vas sentenced for five years in state |
prison, but was pardoned after serving |
three years for good behavior.
He returned to Seabrook and for q |
number of years led straight life until |
his firstwife eied. Since then he has worked |
at shoemakinG, taking his goods to New
buryport and always coming to New
buryport, and always coming home full |
of liquor.
This is the third killing In Seabrook
within three yaers. Mrs. Beokman, q few
years ago killed her husband with a
butcher knife. The other was the Staying
of an Italian, dubbed to death BY |
Francis Beckman, but this was in self |
defence.