Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-12
ROUGHLY USED.
Henry Bushby, North VassaI-
boro, in Low Condition.
Dragged Eighth Of Mile Over Frozen
Ground and Badly Injured.
Officers Working on Case But as Yet Have
Made No Arrests.


Half dead from cold and bruised
and battered by being dragged over
the ground, the body of Henry Bushby
was discovered by his sister, Mrs.
Charles Axon, at his own door step,
Saturday about midnight The man is
now in dangerous condition and at
times, Sunday. it was thought death
was but short distance away. Depu-
ty Sheriff Colby Getchell, in whose
hands the case has been placed, had
located the alleged assailants. Sunday
night. Up to 10 o'clock he had made
no arrests but was awaiting the devel-
opments in the case before proceeding
further
Bushy left his home in the early
part CT the evening, Saturday, telling
his sister that he was going to Mer-
fill S Barber shop to be shaved. That
was the last seen of him by her until
nearly midnight when she was called
TO the door by violent ringing of the
front door bell. Before she reached
the door she heard the sound of foot
steps as though men were running and
at once went to the door. There she
saw the body of her brother lying On
the steps in a semi-conscious condi-
ton with his body badly bruised the
skin scraped from one ankle and one
ear badly torn. Dr. Menzies was at
once summoned and found it necessary
to inject morphine to ease the mans
pain.
The story as told by the officers who
were at. work ON the case, yesterday.
is that the man on leaving his home
went at once to the barber shop to be
shaved. Bushby was seen in the barber
shop by several. The next time the
man was seen. it is thought, was when
three men We're dragging the body Of
man through the street, shortly be-
fore midnight.
Near the barber shop is a club room
and in this several young men We're
spending the evening. One of the
young men while on the street that
evening heard men talking and over
heard one of the men say. John. what
in shall we dowith him" The
young man did not interfere and the
three men continued to drag the body
through the street.
Bushby was under the influence of
opiates, yesterday, and was not able
To tell his version of the affair. II is
said, however. that he had been in the
barber shop but Z short time before the
men began to tease him. There We're
at that time in the shop. it is said.
John Merrill, the proprietor of the
shop, Bert Priest and Homer Hart
shorn. All had been drinking and as
Bushby is not balanced mentally the
three began to tease him. They had
been teasing him bur a short time. the
story goes, before some kind of trouble
arose and finally the three men start
ed to carry Bushby to his home, nearly
an eighth of a mile away. Finding
their load to heavy for them they drop
ped him on the ground, it is said, and
began to drag him over the frozen
ground which in some places was COW
cred with ice.
AS a result of the treatment he is al |
legged to have received, Bushby was badly
used UP. One ear was torn, the side of
his head bruised and the skin so scraped
from one of his ankles that it was almost
raw. Besides these bruises there were
bruises on his body and one on his leg as
though he had been jumped on while |
down, and a bump on his head as though
he had been struck. On account Of the
had been subjected while lying in the |
cold on the doorstep he was in a preca-
rious condition, and it was thought at one |
time that he would not recover from the |
effects of the injuries he had received.
On account of the condition the man |
was in, DIR. MenZies, the attending phySi- |
to work the case up. Word was sent to
City Marshal Call of this city, but as 1t !
was case for the county officers to |
work on, Deputy Sheriff Colby Getchell |
y for w or 70, Nnrtb
Nassalboro to LOOK the matter up. While |
there he received an inkling who was IN |
the shop at the time the affair took place |
and took Bert Priest in charge.
When Priest was questioned about the !
matter he said that Bushby was in the
shop during the evening, and as he was
Priest and Herbert Hartshorn. undertook |
to take him home. He denied all know
ledge Of the man s being roughly handled. |
DIR. MenZies when seen about the mat |
ter stated that the man was not drunk
and that as soon as he arrived at the /
mans home he looked a once for traces |
of liquor but failed to find them. He |
then went on to explain the difference be-
tween the appearance of an injury re- |
ceived by a man who has been drunk and |
one who is sober. The injuries Bushby
had he stated, presented the Appearance |
of one who was sober at the time they |
We're received.
Among the townspeople Bushby bears
the best possible reputation. He is nos |
considered quite bright, but aside from
this has the reputation of being all right ,
in every way. His habits are not ques-
toned.
Merrill left town soon after the affair
took place. and driving to Watervlle
took the train for Newport where he is
of moving his place of business.
1t was decided, yesterday afternoon, to
see the turn Bushby's condition took be- !,
fore making a decided move in the mat
ter. During the afternoon, Bushby
aroused sufficiently to say he had been
in Merrill's barber shop, but that is all
he could tell of the affair.
A good part of the story told of the af-
fair is supposition. but it is believed that I
the old man, goaded to desperation by be
ing tormented, took a decided stand and
was handled more roughly than was at
first intended.
The story is told by one woman that as
she WIS passing Axon's house she saw
three men there. a few moments later
she heard one of them say: Ring the
bell again. John
1t is said that Merrill has the reputa-
ton of running A disreputable place and
ii is said ne has been ordered to vacate
by his landlord.
Arthur w. Peckham u wears book.