Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-11-18


relative is not known at this time, ex-
cept to that relative and himself
Mr. Coffin was a man OF about AZ
years, of fine personality, to see him
would impress one with the belief that
ne was as clean cut and dignitied
business man as one would want :.
meet. His home life has been pleasant
ana happy, it is generally supposed.
HIS Wife is one of the brightest young
women in town and the little prattliny
Dorothy, is one of the sweetest babes.
Ihe only reason that anyone can as
cribe for the fall of this bright young
man is that in his attempt to make
money he began in a small way, from
his own purse, to dabble in stocks, am
led on by success until failure took It,
place he went deeper, when he knew.
the end must be near. in order TO
sSraishten out his affairs at one sweep
and-failed again.
In politics Mr. Coffin was an ardent
Republican and was a brillan. and
logical speaker He started in life with
the brightest prospects, mounted up
ward and went down. just as many
man had done before him and as many
man will probably do in the future
How long his speculation in stocks may
have Continued, no one knows.
Mr.. Coffin was by no means dissi-
pated man. as has been reported since
this affair has occurred. He was the
author of Coftin's Diges. of Maine Re-
ports. generally used by lawyers.
Edward p. Coffin's life was an eventful
one. He was the son of a highly respect
able family. He was born on a farm in
the lower part of the town and was gen.
orally considered fine young man. Com
ing to town. he eLtered the Office of the
then law firm of Folsom & Merrill as a
student. When ne was admitted to the
practice of law. ne formed a copartner-
ship with T.. n. Merrill. Esq. and was ac-
counted a bright and rising attorney.
He was for several years a member of the
Skowhegan school board and took Il deep
interest in all things that We're for the
best interest of the schools.
His partnership with Mr. Merrill con-
tinued until 1891. when he suddenly dis
appearea from town and the sensation of
the towns $ history came out in the fact
that he had been married to one of the
young women of the town for seven years
which fact he and she had kept a secret
In the Journal at the time was pub
lished Il full account of the case, and it
Will only be necessary to say here that
the young people believed themselves to
be very much in love with each other
ard during the vacation season. one year.
they vert to New Hampshire and were
married. The young people agreed to
keep the matter a secret because it was
known to them that the mother of Coffin
objected to the young woman. who was
MISS Belle Lawton. daughter of one of
- h,Js inAc
of wealth.
1t appears that the reason that young
Coffin desired the marriage to be kept a
secret was because of the frail health of
his mother. 1t was also planned that the
marriage should be kept a secret until
the death of the young husbands S mother.
Thus matters vert on for seven years.
the husband rising in the world. consid-
cred a man of honor and the strictest in
tegrity.
board he visited the schools a great deal.
and in fact the business of the board was
left almost entirely in his hands. He be-
came acquainted with Miss Florence
Lord. one of the teachers in the High
school. They became firm friends and
later that friendship developed into
deep affection for each other.
Coffin took the young lady around. to
the concert, the reception and other
places of amusement, until it began to be
cepted lover This coming to the ears of
the wife of seven years, who had all the
time lived in town. made things develop
faster than young Coffin cared to have
them. "A storm arose. the wife was firm
in her dec,aratio TO tell the truth and
the young lover was too much in love to
give in, ard so he took the only way out
of the matter by skipping town on q
freight train. Then it was that the whole
story came out and the sensation was
Miss Lord. iraocent of the fraud that
lad been perpetrated upon her, was
crushed. but fond friends gathered about
her and cheered her. Later the wife went
10 Auburn and appeared before Judge
Whitehouse. then holding court in Andros-
coggin county, her counsel being Mr.. Cof-
fms former law partner Mr.. Merrill. and
applied for divorce. 1t was granted and
young Coffin returned to his home in
Skowhegan. He opened am office for the
practice of law and started to live down"
the incident.
Miss Lord true to the affection that
had been awakened in her heart. finding
him free. and loving him still. forgave.
and the courtship SO rude!y broken was
renewed and in short time they were
married. The fruit of tflis union is the
bright. heaMEful little Dorothy aged 3
years.
1t was supposed by those who knew
Mr.. Coffin best that he was doing well.
as he appeared to have good bar prac-
tice. He was high secretary of the Order
of Foresters and had in his possession
from time to time large sums of the or
der's money. Morday. DIR. Meserve of
Portland. DR.. Dickinson of Houlton. and
Clarence Scott. ESQ.,. of Orono. came to
this place. called on Mr.. Coffin and he
went with them to hotel, where they
were c,oseted all day. Mr.. Coffin admit
ted that he was short some $4,000 of the
ForeSters' money and said that he had
lost it in stock speculations. He said thai
he had no money to pay 1t with. he had
lost all. The above named gentlemen be- |
ing high officers of the order, told him |
that he must make some arrangement to
pay the amount due the order, or take |
his chances with the court.
As last resort, he begged for time and |
said there was but one man in the world |
to whom he could go for assistance, and |
that was his cousin. Charles Coffin. man. |
ager of the General Electric CO. OF BOs- |
ton. The gentlemen gave him the oppor- |
tunfty to go see his cousin. and, Tuesday |
afternoon. he went to Boston, having in |
view the application to his cousin for as |
sistance. Coffin said that IL he could not |
get the money of his cousin he would |
commit suicide, SO his act of this morning /
clearly Indicates the result of that inter-
view with his cousin.
1t is reported on the street that one |
member of the Order of Foresters and
client of Coffn's is a loser by $500 Other
t,.1.. ~,