Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-19
--.-.. -. q. -
BRUTAL MURDER
Of Nellie Donohue Of OId|
Town, Last Night.
Shot Through the Heart, It Is Supposed
by Lewis Bushey.
He is Arrested Witness Of Deed Strona
Circumstantial Evidence.


Treat and Webster's island, which is
the French settlement of this city. was
the scene, Wednesday night of brutal
murder. The affair happened about
$50 O'Clock, and the alleged murderer
is Lewis Bushey, aged rs years. The
victim is Nellie Donohue, aged "a years.
shooting took place before 1t was
known in uhis city. Deputy Sheriff
Gould and City Marshal Gates were no
titled CT the murder and hurried to the
scene. The Donohue woman lived in a
house on Hayes street, together with
her two sons, Allie and Floyd, aged II
and IA years respectively. When the
officers arrived at the house they found
the woman lying dead on the floor in
the kitchen.
They left orders ITO have the body
guarded and then went in search of
Bushey. He was found at the house of
Jasper Coda, a few rods from the Don
ohue house. and was arrested and tax
en- to the police station.
No one saw the shooting, the only
other person in the house when the Of
fair occurred being Allie Donohue. and
he was in bed and asleep. In an inter
view with the Journal reporter he said:
Il went to bed about 1.45 o'clock, and
left mother down stairs. She was
preparing to go to bed and had locked
the outside door for the night. 1t must
have been nearly $50 o'clock when |
was awakened by hearing the reports
of revolver.
Il knew the sound came from down
stairs and l rushed out of my room.
When / reached the top of the stairs,
mother was nearly to the top and was
IN her night dress. AS l looked at her
she realed and fell over backwards.
Il went down stairs and Bushey was
in the kitchen. He was just in the act
of putting box of cartridges back into
his pocket. l ran out in my bare feet
10 the next house, which is occupied by
Richard Martin, got some shoes and
then started for Old Town after the
officers.
when | went to bed there was no
one down stairs except mother. and l
| think that she must have opened the
door and let Bushey in. ! don't know
What caused him to kill mother. My
brother has not been stopping at homo
for three days
Bushey was drunk when he went to
the Donohue house and his condition
was such when arrested by the officers
that it took considerable force to ham
die him. When he Went into Coda's
house he told Coda, so that latter says,
that he had shot woman down there
and he showed Coda the revolver.
An i'm, If hn III
that the man fired five shots ~ the
woman. only one of which took effect
and that shot was directly over tne
heart.
The revolver was weapon of 3S-
calibre and carried six cartridges. FIVE
empty shells were found in the bed
room but the officers We're unable. to-
night, to locate where the other bullets
struck. The bed clothing SNOW ed
marks that looked like bullet holes but
the boy says that he does not think
they are, because he thinks he remem-
bers that when sleeping in the bed
one night it accidentally caught fire.
BuslIey is in no condition, tonight. to
talk about the affair. He is very deaf
and does not talk plainly anyway when
sober and it is almost impossible to
understand what he says.
Bushey has been living in Old Town
fer many years. He has a brother T.
T.. Bushey of Bangor, and his parents
live on the Island, but he has not been
staying at home for some time on ac-
count of having had trouble in the
family, it is said.
He has not been hard drinking man
occasionally having extended sprees at
which time he is always very ugly.
He told some of his friends, a few days
ago about something that the Dona-
hue woman did to him, several years
ago, and it is said that he has always
had grudge against her Whether or
not he had a quarrel with the woman
Just as she was going to bed is not
known.
The Donahue woman has several
times. before figured in episodes of
somewhat exciting nature. She NOV
ed to Treat and Webster island, three
wears ago. from NeaZie. While living
there her house was wrecked one night
by the use of explosives and this mat
ter has never been fully cleared up.
She was the widow Of Hugh Dona-
hue, who died several years ago, soon
after their arrival from California.
where they were married.