The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-09
A Much Wanted Man in York
County.
LICKED HIS BROTHER AND TRIED
TO SHOOT HIS NEICE.
An Exceedingly Lively Episode in Sanford
Tuesday-Which Was All But a Trag-
edy-Hard Cider Cause of Quarrel
Between Brothers.
ESPECIAL TC THE FREss.l

ESPECIAL TC THE FREss.!
Sanford, July S.-If any one who hap.
pens to be travelling through the woods
comes across man with unclothed feet
and wearing pair of handouts, he is
Eugene Hersom of Centre Lebanon, and
he is very much wanted by the officers of
16-year old Ethel Hersom, his niece, on
Tuesday evening.
Orrin Hersom, the father of the girl,
was seen by PRESS representative to-
day, but he was very close -mouthed and
did not propose to lend the. reporter much
assistance. He admitted when questioned
that the things did occur as the neighbors
had previously stated. He claimed that
he and his brother were on good terms
and said that he had not had trouble with
his brother before, but the neighbors say
that Eugene Hersom was naturally of an
ugly disposition and that the brothers
have had several encounters, once with
p1tchforks and at another time with
more formidable weapons, double-bar-
relied shot guns being used.
Amos Webber, the nearest neighbors.
| tells the following story of what occurred
at the home of Orrin Hersom Tuesday
evening. Mr.. Webber says that for good
while it has been common talk that
Eugene Hersom was on very intimate
terms with Orrin Hersom's wife. Eugene
Hersom lives with his mother on a
farm but short distance from that of
his brother. Tuesday evening at about
supper time Eugene, who had not entire
ly recovered from his Fourth of July cele-
bration, came down to Orrins home 1t
was not known at the time, but it has
been learned since that he came prepared
to kick up row for he had his pockets
filled with stones. Mrs. Hersom and her
daughter Ethel were alone in the house
at the time, the boys having just started
for the hay field with their father. He
at once began abusing both and Mrs.
Hersom, becoming alarmed, shouted for
her husband to return
This only served to anger Eugene and
he told Mrs. Hersom that if she was look
ing for trouble she could easily find it.
She replied that she did not desire to have
any trouble. While Mrs. Hersom and her
daughter were out of the house for
moment, Eugene took the double-bar-
relied, shot gun, a crow bar and club
and secreted them in the cellar When
Orrin came in he asked him to go down
stairs and get some cider. Orrin refused
and told Eugene to go home about his
business. Maddened by this Eugene
rushed for the cellar to secure his weap-
ons and while he was there Orrin closed
and bolted the cellar door, Finding the
door bolted, Eugene broke the panels
with the bar and rushed into the room,
He struck Mrs. Hersom terrible blow
on the back of the neck with the bar and
inflicted another wound on the oldest boy
Allie. Then he picked up hammer and
hurled it at Orrin's head, missing by a
hairs breadth. Orrin then grappled with
him and in the terrific struggle that fol-
lowed both rolled down the cellar stairs.
Eugene fought like demon, but his
brother soon had him overcome and while
he held him his wife secured rope and
bound both his hands and feet.
During the struggle between the broth
er Orrin and Eugene Hersom in the cell
lar, Ethel, the 16year old daughter of
Orrin Hersom, attempted to lend her
father what assistance she could, and
Eugene, wrenching himself free secured
the double-barrelled shot gun, and aim
ing it directly at the girl just below the
heart, pulled the trigger and it is ex-
tremely fortunate for her that one of her
brothers had used the gun the day pre-
vious ami had discharged that particular
barrel, else there would have been a
tragedy.
Before the maddened man couldgpull the
other trigger his brother had grappled
with him again and had him down, but
not wholly subdued. The next move was.
to send for a sheriff and several hours
later Officer Alvin Kicker of East Leban-
on arrived and he placed Ransom Rob-
erts, who is one Of the selectmen, and
Leroy Lord, in charge of the fellow as
keepers while he went to get a warrant.
He returned at o'clock in the MORN
ing and placed Eugene Hersom under ar
rest, but again left him in charge of his
keepers, saying that he would return for
him in a couple of hours. 1t was four
hours later when he did return and then
the bird had flown, taking with him a
very good pair of handouts, the property
of Deputy Sheriff Kicker.
1t seems that along towards morning
one of the keepers went home to milk his
cows, leaving Ransom Roberts in charge
of the prisoner. Hersom frequently asked
for water and Roberts left him in charge
of Mrs. Hersom, and what took place
then nobody but she and Eugene Hersom
know, but it is believed that during
these intervals she loosened his cords,
for it is known that she pulled OIL his
boots and loosened the cords that bound
the man while she did this, saying that
she wanted his feet to be cleanly clothed
when he went to jail.
Anyway the last time that Hersom
Dcl-, IL. :,