Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-02
INQUEST At ROCHESTER.
Mrs. Provencher Often Threatened to Xiii
Husband Interest in Affair Wanna.

Rochester. N. H.. Feb. AFTER a
search through Dover and southwest
ern Maine. Police Officers Hanscom and
Cate notified the local authorities that
Mrs. Lizzie Provencher, charged with
the murder of Annie Cox, her hus-
bands housekeeper, had been arrested
in Portland, Me, and was held to
await requisition papers from Gov
Rollins of this state. The arrest of the
woman in Portland was not unexpected
and the local authorities are very glad
that the capture has been made in 80
short time.
Coroner Burnham decided to hold an
inquest, this afternoon, and appointed
the following jury: DIR. j. II. Neal. Dr..
Guy Chesley and City Clerk c. w
Barrow After the usual preliminaries
the following witnesses We're examined:
DR.. l.. j. Stokes, DR. Annis, Joseph
Zimmerman, Miss Sargent, Henry Prov
encher and Mrs. Sadie Fuse. The jury
did not report, tonight, and it is believ-
ed the inquest will be continued, to-
morrow.
Henry Provencher, husband of the
alleged murderess, testified that it was
his intention to break up housekeeping
in two weeks for the reason that his
wife wanted the boy. He said that the
only reason he continued keeping house
after he and his wife separated was TO
provide a home for the boy. He further
testified that his wife had threatened
to kill him on several occasions.
After it had been learned that Mrs.
Provencher had been arrested in
II; 81 -,
were made for Deputy Sheriff Walker
to go to that city. tomorrow, for the
purpose of bringing her to Rochester
1t is not known when she will be ar
raigned. as the officers have not been
informed whether or not she will re-
turn to New Hampshire without requi-
sition papers. Attorney General East
man OF Exeter. is expected here, to-
morrow. to conduct the case for the
state, on account of the absence of
County Solicitor Mason.
Miss Agnes Provencher. a sister of
Henry PrOVencher. who is held as
witness. is in Rochester. today. Miss
Provencher was with her sister-in-law
when the latter went to the home of
her husband, where she had not been
living for two years, to do the shoot
ing.
In an interview, this morning, the
young woman denied that she and her
sister-inlaw had been drinking just
before the murder. They had had
nothing to drink since early in the
morning. She went to the house with
Mrs. Provencher because the woman
requested her to on the plea that she
Iac tn in of bp,
which was at the house. AS they were
entering. Mrs. Provencher drew a re-
volver from one of her stockings and
assumed a threatening attitude.
Miss Provencher says she was con-
siderably frightened and ran out of
doors. The woman then began shoot
ing. causing injuries to her husband
housekeeper which resulted in almost
instant death. Miss Provencher speaks
English very poorly and the police hal
some difficulty in understanding her.
She is French Canadian.
The police have learned that Mrs.
Provencher told her mother and sister
that she came to Rochester to murder
Miss Cox. The authorities are inves-
the report that the murderess
induced a Somersworth official to drink
a large quantity of whiskey on the
night before the murder. and after
wards secured his watch. money re-
volver and other belongings.
The body of Miss Cox is still at the
local undertaker's rooms, awaiting the
arrival of relatives from Maine.
The interest in the murder is rapidly
dying out. although there was some
excitement manifested when it was an
nounced. this afternoon, that Mrs. |
Provencher had been arrested.