Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-12

Associated Press that the state had
made no concessions. but that the pris-
oner plead guilty on his own response
bility, and that way takes his chances
! on the verdict.
| The hearing as now going on is sim
ply to determine in what degree Kelley
| is to be convicted, or whether he is to
be sent to the insane asylum.
Michael Kelley, the father of the
| prisoner. was the first witness sworn.
Mr. Kelley testified that his son, when
a boy. met with an accident. He fell
on board. A nail pierced his head.
a Physician was called and he said
that portion of the nail still remained
in the head. But that it would per-
| haps come out in time. The child had
fits and commissions lasting three days
at time, until he was IA years old.
His conduct was very annoying to
the family while he was growing up.
He would steal anything he put his
hands on. Once ne stole his fathers
gold watch and traded it for a news
paper He was then 8 years old. He
was sent TO a reformatory for stealing
a tent The boys head was examined
by physician and reported that there
was something wrong about him. He
wrote several queer letters to men,
bers of the family.
Mrs. Mary Kelley, the mother of joe,
testified that she was present when
Joe's head was dressed at the time OF
his accident She had always noticed
him To be queer boy. She corrobo-
rated the fathers testimony in refer
ence to Joe's habit of stealing.
Miss Annie Kelley. a sister. aged 2s.
said she remembered Joe's accident.
Saw him have fits of commissions Said
| she knew about him walking in his
sleep.
w nile the Witnesses We're teStifying
Kelley was engaged in drawing a pencil
| picture of Chief Justice Carpenter and
| he did not take any interest in the
evidence as given by his relatives.
| Frank Kelley, aged q years, a brother
of the prisoner. said Joe when he was
| growing up. did not care to be with
other boys. He always had light in
his room and it was frequently eXtin-
| guisned by members of the family. He
always had a sword in his room. He
would get up in his sleep and walk
| about the house. At one time he took
| a rifle and went out to the street AMI
| fired at a man who was in the vicinity.
The witness also testified to the
| strange actions of Joe when he was
| boy and he constantly had fear. He
| saw him at the Dover Jail and he APP
| peared Indifferent. When he visited
him the last time they had quite an ex-
tended conversation and during the in
| teresting part Joe held out his hand
| and said goodbye. long before the wit
ness had an idea of leaving the Jail.
| Lizzie Kelley. aged IS years. a sister
| of Joe, said that he walked in his sleep
when boy, and he would draw pic
| lures for her when she was a little girl,
and he always drew picture of the
devil. He told her at one time that he
had received a letter signed by the five
devils. On cross examination by Mr..
Eastman the witness said it was about
eight years ago he said he received the
letter from the five devils. She pro-
duced letter she received from him
last July. it being as follows:
Dover. N. H., July IL. 1S97.-Dear
Sister: You say 1 am the only one who
don't dread September. Why should
1? OF course there will be some things
said that will not be pleasant to hear
There may be 500 people watching me-
but on the last day of judgment all
things will be known to God, that we
have ever done.
l never liked to talk of these things
to anybody but once or twice said
something to mother about it.
l always kept fathers sword in my
room because l was afraid
If l have been bad it was not be-
cause l wanted to.
AS far as living goes. it makes no
difference whether l ever see the out
side world again.
OF course l love you all and if l
should have to stay in prison all the
time it would be. very bad.
You might as we'll destroy my in
surance policy as it would be no good.
as it only pays in case of accident or
sickness.
1 am not as bad in the sight of God
as l am in the sight of people. 1t may
be some years before the judgment day.
but then people will say that am not
as bad as they say l am. Love to all.
(SigneO JOE.
P. s. Look out for Lizzie, "a fools
advice is not always to be scorned." l
wish had been sent to war with Chill.
After testimony by other witnesses,
a recess was taken.
The first witness at the afternoon ses-
sion was Frank s. Plummer of North
Conway. He said he had known Kelley
for three or four years anu ne came to
his hotel to work in September. 1896. with
the idea of becoming clerk He was there
two months. For several days on ac-
count of dreamy spells. Plummer said he
did not know what to do with him. KEEL
ley told him he guessed the devil made
him act queer The witness said he was
afraid of him on account of his strange
actions, and let him go in few weeks. |
He would write letters and go away from |
his work and was back and forth from
the post office. and write another letter |
and go back again. He would rest his |
head on his arm at times when there was |
work for him to do. He did not consider |
Kelley of much value around a hotel. On |
by Mr.. Mason. the wit |
ness said he first saw him in hotel at |
where he was working as a |
chore boy. When he went away he was |
paid about $50 He would make trips to I
Boston without asking Mr.. Plummers /
permission.
Gilbert II. johnson Of Portland, said he
had been in the employ of the last wit
ness when Kelley was there, and that he
noticed Kelley was out a good deal on the /
street and wrote many letters. He had