Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-11
PLAYING INDIAN.
Charles Foster Tells How He
Killed Little Ray Howe.
The Gun Was Loaded and CareIessIy
Left Where Boys Found Il.
The Lad IearfuIly Relates Story-CIaims Il
Was Purely Accidental.

Houlton. Me. Dec. 10-Much interest
attaches to the case of young Charles
Foster. who is now confined at the
county Jail awaiting a hearing on the
charge of killing 1O-year-old Ray Howe
at Monticello, on Wednesday. There is
considerable question as to just what
will be done with the boy He frankly
owns to the shooting, but asserts with
many tears that it was purely acct
dental.
When he was brought to Houlton.
yesterday, it was at first given out
that the shooting was the result of
boyish quarrel. 1t was stated that
Foster was bad boy and had been
concerned in other acts of a criminal
nature. The truth is, however. that
this boy was at first COMPOUNDED in the
public mind with an older brother
short time ago his brother was de-
tected in the act of placing obstruc-
lions upon the tracks of the B. & A
railroad, and counsel was consulted
with view to bringing action against
him. But as the youth left the State,
the case was not pressed. He is now
confined in the asylum for the insane
at Augusta, having developed a decid-
ed homicidal mania. On account of
this mixing up of the two BOYS, the
case at first had an ugly look
But the boy now at the county Jail has
always been a fairly good boy. as good as
it was possible for a boy with his bring
ing up to be. Fosters father and mother
have separated and the little chap has
been left to shift for himself to a great
extent.
AS he sat in the Jail office. yesterday
and tried to tell the circumstances of the
distressing case. he was to all appear
ances merely Il puny youth half distract
ed by fear and full of remorse for being
the unintentional cause of young Howes
death. He trembled like a leaf as he told
the story, and every few moments broke
down and hid his face in his ragged hat
Men the Howe boy" said he. had
been playing most of the day. At first
other with sticks. Then later we found
gun behind the door and Howe took it
up and snapped the lock few times. 1t
didn't go off and we thought it wasn't
loaded. He pointed it at me several
times and pulled the trigger. Then l took
it and aimed it at him. There were two
barrels to the gun. | didn't know which
trigger he had pulled when he was trying
the gun. but l supposed he had snapped
both of them When l aimed the gun
and pulled the trigger. there was bang
and the room was filled with smoke.
when | could see through it. there
was Ray on the floor l laid the gun on
the table and ran out as fast as | could.
| told the first man | met that Ray had
shot himself | said that because | was
afraid to tell the truth. But when they
asked me to tell about it down to HOultOn
when | wasn't so scared told them just
and played with him. and / wouldn't any
more have shot him on purpose than /
would have snot my mother
The officers who have been concerned
in the case appear to think that the boy
is telling the entire truth about the mat
ter. 1t is not likely that he will be held for
trial but will be released after the hear
ing. next Tuesday