Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-04

Coroner's Jury at Work on
Frederick Farnham's Death.
Voluntary Statements to Journal bv
f. A. McCIench and Chas. Payson.
No malicious Attempt 10 Harm Farnham Mas
As Yet Appeared.

The second day OF the investigation
which is being held at the aldermen'3
room in the City building, for the pur-
pose of clearing up the mystery which
the death of Frederick
Farnham, who was found in a dying
in Coughs field. Middle
street. early Tuesday morning. closed
at 5 o'clock this afternoon. without any
conclusion being coached. and was con-
tinued until o'clock Friday morning.
AS the examination Of witnesses was
conducted with the most profound Sc
crecy. and the officials in charge are
absolutely dumb regarding the case.
the general public are still as much
in the dark as ever. unless they derive
small degree of satisfaction from
what they can learn from hearsay.
TOday's session opened soon after
o'clock. and continued. with two
hour recess at noon. until ) o'clock,
during which time 10 witnesses were
examined.
\ new topic of talk upon the street
was created during the forenoon, by
the intelligence leaking out from City
hall that a second autopsy had been
performed by DIR. H. ]. Fredericks of
Augusta. assisted by DIR. H. A. MILL
ken of this city. but as this feature.
like the others, was shielded from the
public ears. the why's and wherefores
of it are as yet a matter Of conjecture.
There We're not as many people lin
gering about the corridors of the
save for the presence of the witnesses
who were waiting to go before the
tribunal, the halls were deserted.
AS might be expected. the stories
afioat on the street are many and
varied, but when one Attempts to veri-
fy the truth of any of them, ne finds
at once that he has a most difficult
task before him. One of these stories
which went abroad, Tuesday. was that
one of the men who had helped carry
Farnham to the field where he was
found. was Smith Gilley, who lives in
the third house below the railroad
bridge.
With n view to ascertaining the
facts Of the case. Journal reporter
called upon Mr.. Gilley. and in response
W questions ny tiiV ACp'' tN' :.
Gilley said that he had nothing to do
with the affair-that he was at home
from supper time until about $50 in the
evening. at which time he went down
to Joe Lougee's pool room. There he
drank a glass of water and then re-
turned home and did not so out again.
that night.
Further inquiry regarding Farnham
brings out the fact that he was not
only mentally weak. but physically al
so. Boys with whom he had played ball
at Garrity's grounds. state that he had
scarcely more strength than child
and that his ludicrOus attempts at ball
playing created lots of fun for the
crowd.
To a Journal reporter. this after
noon, F. A. McClench. the proprietor
of the saloon at which Farnham drank
the liquor, made voluntary state
ment, in which he said Farnham and
Chas. Payson came into his place.
Monday evening, about 9.15 O'Clock.
having been down at Garrity's ball
ground. That they had four or five
drinks and stayed around until 10
o'clock, when he sent them out. as he
wanted to close up for the night.
After they went out. he heard Pay
son making quarrelsome talk, and he
then heard a crash. On going out to
see what was up, he found that a pane
of glass had been broken in the win
dow. He then ordered the boys to go
away from the place and go home.
That Farnham would have done so and
started Off but Payson called him
back.
After this McClench closed up his
place and had started for home, when
Frank Godfrey came down and told
him that Farnham was lying on the
bank. near the High School building.
This was about 1920 McClench said
that the man ought to be gotten to
some out-of- the-way place where he
could sleep off the effects Of what he
had drank On the way to where the
intoxicated man lay, they met Chester
Benner and Chas. Baker.
The four men then took Farnham
up between them and carried him to
the Clough field. where he was found.
next morning. They made sort OF
he'd of grass near a fruit tree and laid
the intoxicated man upon it. and. as
he had no coat on to protect him from
the dew. they covered him with grass.
and also cut some small branches from
bushes nearby His face was not COW
cred.
Mr.. McClench further stated that ne
cared for the man as tenderly as ne
would a friend, and that he offered
Benner 81 if he would stay with Farm
no ~, until morning but Rennor did not
care to do so. ,hhat he (McClench
then expressed a twish that Farnham
were at his place and that II he were.
he would sit up With him.
Charles L. Payson, the young man VINO
went into McClench's saloon with Farm
ham, was seen by Journal man, this
afternoon. He also voluntarily told
short but interesting story. He said that
he was going down the street. and that
in front of McClench's saloon he met
Farnham and invited him In to nave a
drink.
,r,,, ,yo,t fn ard had five or six drinks