The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-27
Terrible Deed Of Drunken Fiend in
Gerham, N. II.
KILLS TWO MEN AND BADLY IN
JURES A THIRD.
Seicctman of the Town One of the Victims
Murderer Captured aud Held for the
Grand Jury-Was Known as Village
Loafer

Loafer
Gorham, N. H., October 90. Thomas
Monahan, a dissolute railroad man, Wnlle
crazed with drink, shot and killed joseph
uauthler, coal man, employed by tne
Grand Trunk railroad, early this morn
ing, and inflicted probably fatal injuries
upon Selectman Woodbury. Gates. who at
| tenn pied to arrest him.
The murderer, who, after being taken
into custody, boasted that he had three
| bloods" on his hands, also possibly had
killed William Thoits of Shelburne,
whose body was found beside the Grand
Trunk railroad track by searchers, who
started to find thesthird victim on hearing
| Monahan' statement.
Monahan also, between the time of his
killing Gauthier and his arrest, upon be-
ing accosted by a laborer, had compelled
him to walk around the village cemetery
with his hands up before the muzzle of
a gun, but this man was not hurt beyond
being badly frightened
The different exciting episodes occurred
| between four O'Clock and 7.3O this morn.
| ing.
| Monahan's arrest was accomplished by
Selectman Fogg, who disarmed the
murderer after he had shot Mr.. Crates
and Sheriff Hamlin.
He was given hearing and removed to
Jail at once. The murder of Gauthier it
| is believed was the result of slight dis
~ saI
Monahan and the coal man at about mid
night.
| Monahan, who was formerly an en-
| ploye of the Grand Trunk, has been in
| the habit of wandering about tho freight
yards. He was there last night and meet
| ing Gauthier, had some words with him.
| The other employees say the affair could
hardly be called a quarrel as there was
no distinct clash between the men,
| Monahan lefJ the yard soon afterwards,
and Gauthier together with fellow en-
| ploye named Bryant, went to their hunks
| in shanty beside the tracks. The men
| slept quietly for about four hours.
Mr. Bryant states that he was awakened
at 2.40 a. M, by the opening of the door
of the shanty and the next instant Mona
han stepped into the place armed with a
doubled barreled shot gun.
Paying apparently no attention to
Bryant. Monahan raised the gun and
aiming it at Gauthier as he lay in his
BUNK, commanded him to get up. The
| coal man, awakened by the sharp voice,
opened his eyes and sat up.
Sect up and dress, ordered Monahan,
levelling the gun full at Gauthier's
breast. Gauthier obeyed, and as he com
pleted the hasty operation of putting on
his clothes he had taken off, he was met
with the command Hold up your
hands. -
Gauthier did as he was told.
At this point, Bryant, who admits that
he was frightened almost out of his wits,
declared that Monahan was going too far,
but even as Bryant uttered these words,
Monahan discharged the gun and Gau-
thier fell.
Bryant saw the blood squirt from his
comrades breast and without waiting an
instant lodged behind Monahans and out
of the door. et
Thinking the murderer was after him,
Bryant fed through the town and found
lsshelter under barn until daylight,
when he gave the alarm, notifying Select
man Woodbury. Gates and Irving Fogg,
who at once started on Monahan's trail.
No one can be found who saw the
murderer leave the coal mans shanty or
who came in contact with him until
about seven o'clock, when Iallyrand
Goodenough, a laborer, who lives near the
Grand Trunk track, about one-sixth Of a
mile from the freight yard, met the man
walking ON the track.
Monahan, still carrying his gun, came
wildly towards Goodenough, waving his
arm. Goodenough stood still. Monahan
came up with a rush and raising his gun
shouted that he had already killed two
men, and ordered Goodeuough to throw
I'D his hands The workman put his
arms up quickly. Monahan ordered him
to move long in front of him. With the
gun pointed at his back. Goodenough
started and with arms still extended in
obedience to Monahan's command, he
marched down nearby street and around
the village cemetery, which is not far
from the Grand Trunk tracks at this
point. There was, apparently no other
purpose in the murderer's mind than to
friahten the victim and when he had &C
oomplished this, he suddenly turned
away, leaving Goodenough by the ceme-
terry fence, and went up Church street,
which crosses the railroad not far away.
just as Monahan reached the crossing
Selectman Gates and Fogg, who had come
up the track, met him. Mr.. Gates stepped
up quickly towards Msnahan who, with
out word, leyelled the gun which he
still carried, and fired the contents OF los
second barrel almost in the seleotman
face.
The shots pierced the neck in many
places, some of them severing the jugular
vein. AS the gun flashed, Mr.. Fogg who
was close beside his associate, attempted
to seize Monahan.
The murderer took his gun and aimed
a heavy blow at Mr.. Fogg's head. The
latter warded off the blow with his arm,
receiving a severe bruise, and grappled
with Mopahan. Both men went to the
ground but Mr.. Fogg gained the upper
hand and disarmed Monahan.
A crowd which had collected, assisted
in securing the desperate man and ne
was soon in the custody Of Sheriff Ham
lin, by whom he was locked up to awal1
a hearing.
AS he was being led away Monahan re-
newed the boasts of his murderous
achievements saying this time that ne
had s'three bloods'' on his hands.
The officials knew that he had killed
Gauthier and nearly ended the life OF
SeIectman Gates, but they could not IN
derstand where there were grounds for
claiming third victim.
Search was begun at once and party
started along the Grand Trunk track to.
wards the freight yard. At a point about
three hundred yards from place the dead
body of man was found. It was lying
face down with traces of blood about.
When they turned If Ovar III was dis