Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-20
HARVEY SHOOTING.
County Attorney Leigh Begins
Investigation of Case.
In Doing So He Acts Under Law by
the Last Legislature.
story of Affair by John W. Harvey
and w. S. Butler.

Ever since the death of the late
George A. Harvey, as the result of an
unfortunate shooting accident, County
Attorney Thomas Leigh. has been
quietly conducting a systematic inves-
tSatlon of the events which led up to
the shooting of Harvey by his friend
and fellow hunter, William S. Butler.
ana TINS morning the Journal is able
10 present to it's readers the result of
the Investigations thus far made
1t viii be remembered that on Thurs
day, Oct. 30, George II. Harvey. his
cousin, John w. Harvey, and their
friend, William S. Butler, all of them
| residing at Pettingilrs Corner in this
city, went into the woods east of the
Church Hill road for the purpose of
hunting deer. That afternoon George
| IL. Harvey was brought home suffering
| from a rifIe-shot wound in the right
leg below the knee, caused by a bullet
from Cutters rifle. who, mistaking him
for deer. had fired two shots at him,
! one of which took effect. as stated
! above.
| Mr.. Harvey was attended by Drs. w.
| Scott Hill, G. X. Campbell and c. j.
| Lincoln. The wound was pronounced
a very dangerous one by the physi-
| clans. The bone had been terribly
| shattered and splintered and besides
| the wounded man had lost considerab BILE
| blood. As consequence, Mr.. Harvey
| only lived through Friday and Satur-
day, dying early Sunday forenoon.
Immediately following Harvey's
| death Mr.. Leigh took steps to investi-
| gate the matter. He consulted with
| Capt. Il. F.. Hartnett of Portland, the
| Well-knOwn investigator connected
with the office of the Attorney General,
| Hon. Geo. NJ. Soldiers, but two impOr-
| tant murder cases in the northern part
| of the State demanded his attention
| and he could not come to Augusta I'M
| til this week. He arrived here on Mon
| day and at once began his work
| Tuesday morning, in company with
John w. Harvey and a Journal repre-
| sentative, he visited the scene of the
accident. explored the woods where the
shooting took place, followed the track
| taken by the three men when they were
| coming home. and examined with care
| full attention to detail every feature of
| the locality.
| The party went by team up the river
! road as far as the North Parish church,
| thence across to the Church Hill road
and up that highway until just this
| side of the residence of Amos Cunning
| ham, and thence over n rough road
| used for wood hauling until Pouln's
| camp was reached. Here the team was
| left in charge of the driver ana the
| three mep started across on foot to the
I place where the accident occurred.
| They crossed a brook where formerly a
dam existed. for some of the timbers
| are still there and one of them was uti-
| lied N making the crossing. Then
through the pasture to Il Barbed wire
fence separating the same from a
meadow adJourning. After managing
to get through the barbed wires with
| ont damage to clothes or person the
party struck out across the dark and
swampy meadow land until another
brook was reached A friendly log
aided the passage of this brook, al
Though Capt. Hartnett made miscal-
| culation as To the depth of the water,
for he stepped into the brook and went
in above the tops Of his high rubber
| boots. This brook is the outlet of Lit
tie Mud pond, so-called, which was but
Il few rods distant. From the brook
the party went forward. John Harvey
leading the way. Through the swampy
mea dow land and thence into a growth
of woods, i'm which birch predomnat ted
they made their way until. when not
more than 100 yards from the edge of
the woods, young Harvey located the
| rock near which George Harvey stood
when the shooting took place. On this
| rock was found the remnants of But
ler's Jacket which he tore up TO use in
| binding the wounds i'm Harvey's leg.
All around this rock the woods are
quite thick and how it was possible for
Il bullet to pass between the trees viii
| always be a mystery.
After locating this rock. young Har-
vey said he would try and find the
other rock beside which he and Butler
stood together when the latter fired.
/ All three then began making their way
through the woods in different direct
ions. Capt Hartnett took an eaSterly
direction. the Journal man branched
toward the south, while Harvey struck
off toward the west. His remembrance
If the pOssible location of this rock
was well founded, because in short
time his shouts notified the others that
he had been successful in his search.
Then began a series of experiments.
The level of the ground where the last
rock is located is at least dozen 1eet
higher than the level of the land III
The vicinity Of the rock where Harvey
was shot. Capt. Hartnett sought I"
las,ertain if it was possible to see III,
lobiect from rock to rock. After con-
summing much time in this attempt
was found that white handkerchiei
waved back and forth could De seen
Inv crouching down close to the Srouho'
bu. the view was not by any menus
distinct or positive in STANDING po-
lsi.ion. The growth of trees between
the two rocks is quite dense IN SOM
narts Of the course. although tnere =
M underbrush whatever. Inc ois'ai'oe
between the rock where Butter Ma'
when he fired and the one where M
WOW was is about 100 yards. IL was
,ditricult pacing the distance. as ~ VI
der to pass from one to the o'ner :
aay;ous course had to be followed y"
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