Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-16
THE FREEMAN CASE.
Autopsy and Coroner's Inquest
Fails to Locate the Cause
OF Death Of Aged Henry H. Freeman
Of Weeks Mills, Sunday.
Brain and Other Organs to Be Sent TO Bow
doin College for Analysis.

The death of Henry Homer Freeman
of this town, has attracted widespread
interest. The condition of the remains
when found, Sunday morning. suggest
ing the possibility if not the probability
Of foul play, led up to an investiga-
ton which was completed, yesterday
morning, conducted by Coroner Joshua
T. Bean of Augusta, in the presence Of
jury as follows: j. F. Plummer.
foreman; A. r. BuIrill, Frank Sprori,
Hiram H. Stetson, Elisha Hanson and
William Harmon. They were sum-
moned at the coroner's instructions By
Constable F. A. Bonney.
The verdict CT the jury was that the
deceased -came to his death from
causes to us unknown
Previous to the conclusion of the
hearing, yesterday, an autopsy was
held. The body was carefully ex
amined. as far as circumstances per-
mitted. by Drs. G.. ]. Nelson. c. j. Lin
coin, H. II. Croker and d. A. Ridley.
They examined the heart ard found 1t
in normal condition. This precladed
the probability Of death by heart
disease, which had been given as the
cause. The scalp was carefully re-
moved for the purpose of examining
the mark on the neck, upon which had
been based the reports of foul play.
The bruise. or confusion, so called, was
about the left temporal region, near the
ear. Their report, signed by all of the
examining physicians, covers this point
as follows:
I'VE. the undersigned, physicians and
surgeons in active practice. do hereby
certify that we have made a thorough
post mortem examination Of Henry
Homer Freeman of the town of China.
and that we found a confusion OF the
left temporal region, but, have found
no absolute cause OF DEATH
1t is understood that the confusion
might or might not have caused the
death, ana that, for further inycstiga
ton it was decided that the brain be
sent To Bowdoin college, 10 undergo
microscopic examination. The heart
and stomach were also removed. the
latter TO he submitted to examination
as to the presence of any poison. All
will he taken to Brunswick, tomorrow
-tlEllF.Elsp, BN ApfpnEH laG1n.
The report of the jury ana attending
physicians. failing to locate the cause
If the death. has subsidized to some eX-
tent the suspicion Ct foul play. People
say this ana people say that: and they
think all sorts of things about this
death. from suppos;tions founded on
whispered suspicious.
The fact that loud talking had been
heard on 3undry occasions of'an even
ing coming from the Freeman house,
coupled with the indisputed statement
thaI Mr.. Freeman was a hard drinser
at times, of hard cider. was enough to
arouse the liveliest suspicious Of foul
play, when combined with the refusal
Of the two physicians first called 10
grant a burial permit, ON account of
alleged bruises on the person Of the
old man.
The disappearance, on Friday night,
Of Annie. the granddaughter OF MIR
Freeman. increased the suspicion that
there WAS something wrong. When
the latter returned. today, ana her ties
after that Of the others had
been taken, the jury failed to find any
suspicion. at least definite suspicion,
ana reported it's verdict of cause I'm
known
Mr.. Freeman was ~ years old and
lived with his wife and the grand
daughter. For the past year he lived
in the house in which he was found |
dead. 1t is On the road from Weeks
Mills north to the little settlement |
still called Dhigo, from the former To- |
ion lf eff hot it,l
its center. The house is unpretentious, |
to say the least, on farm of about 80 |
acres. The house has the appearance /
Of having been well kept. ana as MI. |
Freeman is known in the neigh borhood |
As a quiet man, a good neighbor and n |
man who minded mis- own business"
so is Mrs. Freeman called a nice
with an eye for neatness.
The loud talking heard coming from
he house, of nights. has not been
clearly defined in the evidence The
characterized come of
he scenes as 'fare-ups," between
Grandfather and Grandmother Free
nan.
1t was regularly reported that Mr..
freeman had kicked men from his
house" This was the foundation for
'umors that grew with circulations,
hat bt was during some of this kick
ng' that a fracas resulted. in which
he old gentleman was fatally injured.
The testimony at the hearing positive
y denies this. Further investigation
Promises to substanti3te these denials,
It least as far as any violence TO the
deceased was concerned.