Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-27
JOSEPH S. SMITHS CAPTURE.
Story Of that Exciting Event Of 1872 by the
Leader Of the Capturers.

Waterville, July 26.-(SpeciaD.-One OF
the men who arrested Joseph s. Smith,
who is now in Thomaston serving life
sentence for the murder Of S. c.. Josselyn
in 1872. lives in this city, He was the first
remembers the crime so distinctly and
the brutal nature of the nc; that he is
lncensed that any attempt should be
made 10 have Smith pardoned.
In 1872 Jesse StinSon. now the Water
Vile agent of the American Express Co.,
was stage driver from Bangor to Ellis
worth. He well remembers that when the
brother of the murdered man and n con-
stable had followed Smith after the
crime had been committed and then had
lost sight of him. they went To Bangor
TO enlist the services Of the city marshal
of that city. one day. soon after the
crime was committed. Mr.. Stinson started
out ON his return trip to Ellsworth from
the city of Bangor and had for a passen-
ger an old soldier, who wore Il blue uni
form with brass buttons The city mar
shall of Bangor had told Mr.. Stnson to
look out for Smith and if he saw the
mueh-wanted man anywhere on the route
to arrest him " hen the stage hauled up
in front of the hotel at Holden. Smith.
who was sitting in the office, saw the
man with brass buttons on the stage and
he went out the back door of the house
and made break for the woods. Mr..
but was satisfied that he answered the
description given of the man wanted for
the crime of murder and he at once gave
chase, calling on all whom he saw to join
him in the hunt. The man hunters fol-
lowed the hunted man for four miles. In
the meantime only three of the men who
had joined Stnson remained in the chase.
Smith became exhausted and finally sat
down to wait for his pursuers to come up
with him. Mr.. Stinson tells the story of
the capture as follows:
II started after him from Holden, call
ing on all | saw to help me, telling them
who ! was after. | got quite a crowd
after a while and we scattered over con-
course we expected to meet with Il des-
perate resistance from man who could
commit such a cold-blooded crime but
We subsequently found out that Smith
was an arrant coward. We followed him
for four miles and finally ran him down
in a piece of woods at the head of Reeds
pond. now called Green lake, in the town
of Dedham. He had stopped and was sit
ting down when we arrived. The first to
get to him was man who worked for
John Phillips. | do not recall his name
now. Wien we got to him he asked what
We wanted him for. but it never occurred
to us to ask him if he did not know what
We wanted him for why he ran. l can
tell you that that man came out of those
woods pretty lively. 1t was nearly half
mile to the road. AS | said before, we
expected TO run against a desperate man.
but he did not offer the slightest resist
ance. We took him to town and turned
him over to the proper authorities. |
don't see how anybody. even a sister, can
expect TO get pardon for him. His
crime was a most horrible one He crept
up behind the old man Josselyn and
struck him with club three times over
the head. Smith was young man when
he was sent down to Thomaston. He
cannot be over 80 years old now and he
has been there % years. Perhaps if they
kept him there about 25 years longer and
then let him out it will not be so bad,
but to let him out now after committing
such a crime, l do not think it should be
done. / don't want to write any letters
and am not going to, but that man is a
bad one and should not be allowed his
liberty at his age. 1t don't seem among |
the possibilities that he can receive a |
pardon. In spite of the fact that he is an |
arrant coward, he is a bad man to have |
around in any community.
Mr.. Stinson says that there never was |
any doubt as to Smiths guilt; the proof |
was most positive.