Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-26

The Lewiston Journal has the following
story of the murderous assault:
Deputy Sheriff Cary of Turner who is
assisting Deputy Sheriff Beal at the
county Jail during Sheriff Hills absence.
went down to the jail office, at the usual
hour Tuesday morning, and opened the
inner door, leading to the sheriff's office.
The prisoners We're around in the corri-
doris as usual and everything was quiet.
Suddenly he heard a man sing out,
oh" He stepped to the prison door to
see what the trouble was, and was there
met by the turnkey, who informed him
that man had been stabbed at the
wash bench. Mr.. Cary looked down on
the bricks and there saw Kelley lying
on the floor the blood squirting from a
wound in his back. just under the right
shoulder blade Mr.. Cary summoned DR..
B. f. Sturgis by telephone In the mean
time the turnkey. assisted by the prison.
ers, had dragged the wounded man into
a cell and We're doing all they could for
his comfort.
The negro. after doing the stabbing.
ran for his cell, with number of prison.
ers close at his heels. He was fleet of
foot and succeeded in getting into cell
and swinging the door to before they
caught UP with him. A few minutes
later he was stripped and searched, but
the only thing they found was a jack
knife with which the stabbing had been
done. being covered with blood. The man.
after dressing. was put into the dog-hole.
He refused to say a word TO the prison
officials.
DIR. Sturgis found the wound under KEEL
iey.s shoulder blade not so serious. He
probed it. cleansed it and sewed 1t up
The other wound was farther up the
back and was of no consequence.
But when they removed kelley's shirt
in order to wash his body and give him
clean underwear, they discovered q tlllru
wound in the region of the kidneys Be
~, Ia
was deep and wide. According to the
prison officials. it was three or four
inches long and two or three inches deep
Before this wound was dressed. two otner
physicians were summoned Dr. w. N.
cakes and DR.. John Sturgis. \ Roman
Catholic priest was also summoned. Inc
wound was carefully dressed, but the
physicians expressed doubt about the re-
covery of the patient.
Stories differ as 10 how the affair
started The turnkey Says that the men
were washing up preparatory Tor Dredh,
fast The men had had some words and
the turnkey had called a hat. ne sup
posed it was all over, but the next thing
he knew Branch was striking kelley on
the back. Kelley was stopped oyer az
the sink. washing his face ana hahds'
and Branch had stepped up behind MN.
The turnkey did not know at the time
that the negro had a knife in his mana,
but he discovered it very soon after
The turnkey saws that SO far as MS OBJ
lion to make an assault of this kind.
Probably 10 men were on the prlchs
when the assault took pace. oeNci a. -
them bear out the turkeys statement
that Branch had no provocation TO max
such a murderous assault. They say lnat
Kelley was minding his own business
when suddenly Branch stepped aions anu
began iabbing at him with the knife,
4 Journal man interviewed Branch at
II 20 4 M. Tuesday. Branch was IN inc
dungeon at the time and he seemed siau
to see the door open ana ne was "h-ii7
to talk. o., ,,.,e .,s,,ad
81 suppose it's for cutting man, ne
replied with a smile.
For cutting man?
WHAT did you do that for.
because he hurted me and wahtea u
get back at him. ,.,
Did you use a knife on him!
And Won intended to finish him!
NO sir. | didn't want to Kill him. oilig y
wanted to hurt him because ne hufee'
me. ,h rumnuso''
.Sva1 sir he commenced it. lie was
nicking on me all the time Ioot my
comb and was trying TO ma oiiS CIV
when | asked him about lt, ne iii FL knock
I'm out of you. Then he knocked me
down and jumped on me- he useu iiG
awful rough and when got ehance l
e9 pra pa said that his home was in Vicks-
,,,,rn Miss but he had not been nome IoI |
"a long time He has been doifs ho'oi
work. he says. 49, ,.,grancv and
. ~ and this was his second Of
~ Tic seems intelligent. All oile "
Nc arrests he made quite a Sent rSs
;,a mo officer and resisting 10 lhe uti,u u.s.
At $50 p Nj k %as again eH sent for to
worse ~. az Ia him. Kelley was suffering