Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-10-02
PLEA OF INSANITY
Made for Murderer Geo. H.
Brainerd at Portland.
thrilling Story Of Fatal Day in April
Told on Stand.
"ads"orth, Wounded Twice by Braincrd.
Among the Witnesses.

case of Geo. III. Brainerd who was mt
on trial in the Cumberland county SILL
perior court, Tuesday, charged with
murder, will be that of the mental re-
sponsibility of the respondent. The
defence makes no denial of the charge
that Brainerd fired the shots which
wounded five men, two of them fatally
at the office of the New England Tele-
phone and Telegraph Co here, April
"a last, but claim the man was insane
and not responsible for his act Brain
erd has been under observation at the
Insane hospital at Augusta for several
months. and the principal witnesses at
the trial will probably be the insanity
experts who have studied his case dur
ing that time.
The shooting occurred shortly after
o'clock on the afternoon of April "A
last. Brainerd. who had charge of "a
crew of men installing a new and COM
plicated switchboard at the Portland
exchange of the New England Tcle
phone & Telegraph company, was con-
Nersing with Isaiah II. Farnham of
Wellesley. Mass. head electrician for
IL
revolver and shot Mr. Farnham dead.
He then turned the weapon on the
other men in the room and three of
them We're shot before they could es-
cape. Later Deputy Marshal Firth
was slightly wounded by arresting the
murderer. Earl NJ. Buxton of Spring
field. Mass. one of the wounded men.
died that evening at the hospital. Ell
mer Lane of Lisbon Falls. and James
Wadsworth of Maiden. Mass. were in
the hospital several months before they
were discharged.
Brainerd was brought into court
shortly before II o'clock. \ few min
utes later Judge Percival Bonney ap-
peared and the proceedings We're be-
gun. When Clerk Thompson was
about to arraisn the prisoner, Judge
Foster announced that as counsel for
the respondent he would waive the
reading of the indictment and enter a
plea of not guilty by reason of in
sanity This plea was accepted by
the court and the choosing of a jury
was begun.
Within 40 minutes Of the formal
opening of the court. the last man had
SNtsN
taleSmen We're examined.
The jury was made as follows: David
L. Blanchard. foreman) farmer. Cum
berland: Frank Cummings. mechanic
New Gloucester: VIM. f. Nanner, pa
per manufacturer. West Bethel; Glenn
ent p. Riggs. farmer. Bridston: George
w. Leighton. paper manufacturer,
Westbrook; Sargent G. Emery. farmer
Standish: Mansfield F. Holmon. farm
er Otisfield; Charles +. Eastman.
farmer. Cape Elizabeth; Augustus d.
Swetsir farmer, Pownal; Ira G. Otis,
farmer. Gorham; Lawrence l.. Rams
dell. building contractor, Falmouth
When the court opened, this afternoon
at O'Clock, County Attorney Robert T.
Whitehouse began the opening for the
State. He spoke about one hour He
outlined the law relating to murder and
went on to state that there is n" dispute
as to the killing of Mr.. Farnham. The
issue comes on the state of mind the
prisoner was in when he did the shoot
ing: He said:
presumed to be sane until cOntrarily
shown The respondents counsel. having
filed a plea of insanity. confess the kill
ing and seek to avoid its consequences
on the ground of mental irresponsibitity.
They have advanced and set up new
affirmative proposition in defence, they
must prove 1t.
nevertheless it was proper and necessary
for the purpose of this trial for the State
to introduce evidence to show the CIR
cumstances clearly and fully, ana ne told
at length the story of the tragedy. claim
ing that Brainerd was sane when the
shooting occurred: that he had special
dislike for Mr.. Farnham; that he had
grievance against Mr.. Farnham for not
.ui Si salary. that he cOmDlalnpd OF
good deal of his treatment by tne nome
office: that the Friday before the shooting
he had dispute with Mr- FarnnaHi III
regard to his failure and refusal TO FUR
niSh proper vouchers for his personal ex-
penses: that only few days before the
ira Cedy he had trouble with one or MS
employees. Reynolds, and t4lat ne .suspeeo- &C..
ing in sympathy with reynolds, VINO had
been sent to the home Office ..,r
In closing. Mr. Whtehguse aid: the
time he killed Isaiah H. tFarnham was
not insane. but that the allPwed his tIou-
bic with Mr. Farnham aifgi his Jealous
suspicious of the other mdl 70 trrl.aas ,
recklessness. ugliness and pa sslon Wn'ch
was brought to a climax by something IN
his conversation with Mr.. Farnham
moment before. .,
Flister of Boston. IJe is a draughtsman
and at the time of the shooting was az
work in the New England telephone Tx r
change here, a meIhber OF tie cie" VI
which Braincrd had charge.
Early after noon 0f April "a Mr. farno arm,
were at work and Wandered around the
room for a time Just before o'clock
witness saw Mr.. FaInham talking Win
Brainerd and heard tim say somt,ninSS iiS
no! "a "ffs few 10 minutes sDi an {erwards heard
shot continued the witneTs tbs anf ,;rnt shot saW
there came another and heard Brainard
say: ss i Ito told You / Would kill YOU Then
another shot followed and d., heard ard lisd Hra'n
mo, Wadsworth replied: No, George. l
didn't. t1idi / heard in aS six pistol shots
Cross-examined wit mess explained that
at the time of the shSptng ne eva; was :; stana faa,
from the men. There was an aperture