Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-09-16

had ended the examination, on the day
of the tragedy, the selectmen tool
| charge of the bodies, and in the eve-
| ming conveyed them to the meeting
house. placing the corpse of burlington
| in the porch with the fatal axe and
razor on the coffin; the others We're
| laid in the body of the house. The
next day "a vast concourse Of people
from the surrounding country attend
ed the funeral. So great was the
throng that the street and adjoining
houses were filed, and many were on
the house tops. A stage was erected
in Market square in front of the meet
ing house, from which, after a prayer
by the Rev. Daniel Stone, a sermon
was preached by the Rev. Joshua Tay-
lor, Methodist minister. A process
sion was then formed in which the re-
mains of the mother and her children
supported by bearers and attended bv
pail holders We're preceded by the
coroner and jury of inquest and fol-
lowed by the surviving son and other
relations with the citizens. The body
OF burlington, drawn upon a cart,
closed the procession, which crossed
Kennebec bridge and returned. then
moved by way of Bridge and State
streets to the Burnt hill burying
ground, in the northeast corner Of
which the mother and children were
buried. Services We're performed at
the graves by the Rev Samuel Has
kell. an Episcopal clergyman from
Gardiner.
The body of the homicide was fur
ther distinguished from the others by
being buried with the axe and razor.
without ceremony. in the highway
near the southeast corner of the bury
ing ground. at the corner of Winthrop
and High streets. The procession then
returned to the meeting house. where
the assembled multitude were dis
missed after prayer by the Rev.
Eliphalet Gillet." Until a very recent
date Purringtons grave outside the
fence was pointed out and was dis
cernble.
1t was in this same year that it was
determined to build a new meeting
house. which was erected during 1907
on the site Of the present South
church. The old building had now
been standing some % years. and. un-
painted as it was and without under
pinning. had already begun to show
signs of the wear and tear of time
After the occupancy Of the new church
il had fallen into entire disuse. become
badly out of repair and ruinous in ap-
pearance. Its porch extended into
Winthrop street, and had been except
ed by the court sessions when laying
out that street from being nuisance.
and from liability to be indicted as
such so long as it shall be made use
of and considered a public building"
The parish voted unanimously in 1910,
that they would not use the old
meeting house for public worship or
for any other public purpose, and that
they no longer considered ii a public
building. This was a finishing blow to
the fate of the old structure, which
was taken down by Jason Livermore.
highway surveyor. and the materials
sold to Lewis Hamlen. TO pay the ex-
pense Of its removal. The town now
voted to purchase the materials of
Hamlen for SIG. and with them erect
town house on lot on Winthrop
road. near the pound purchased of
Joseph North for $50. Direction was
given to have the house erected in as
cheap manner as can be done. The
house was erected on the lot now
owned by the estate of the late Mrs.
Joseph Anthony, at the corner of Elm
and Winthrop streets. A floor was put