Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-26
JEALOUSY AND RUM
Probably Caused the Death Of
Joseph Socalexis, indian.
Francis and Socialism Both Plead
Not Guilty Of His Murder.
But Evidence Causes Their Detention
They're Now in Jail.

PASSPORT, Me-, Nov. 25.-The first step
in the move to determine the murderer
or mur1erers of Joseph Socalexis, a
J,assarlaquoddy Indian, the handsome
ail-round athletic, cousin Of the we'll
known bail player, admired by the
women ard envied by the men of the
settlement, was taken, today.
After hearing u witnesses, Judge ].
II. McFaul found probable cause and
held Newell =. Francis and Everett
Socialism for trial at the January
term of the supreme court. The
prisoners We're committed to the Jail
at Machias. both men pleaded not
guilty.
Sccalexis met death on the night OF
the goth inst. and the last men known
to have been in his company were the
two Indians under arrest. Socialism,
is member of the Micmac tribe OF
Canada. Francis belongs at Old Town,
as did the murdered man. The prison.
ers watched today's court proceedings
with Enthusiastically stOlid indiffer
ence. While at the police station Soc
abasin entertained the curious with
harmonica selections. The men agreed
upon a story as to their companions
death, but their story was injured by
tOday's evidence.
Witness told of the finding of Soca-
lexis body beneath a railroad trestie
near Carlow's Island. There We're evil
denoes Of injury that could hardly have
been received in a fall. A physician,
who examined the body, told Of wounds
found on the head evidently made by n
blunt instrument. or possibly by q bot
tie or the heel of a boot.
Two members of the Passamaquoddy
tribe told of the account of THE muir
dered mans death as given blythe pris-
oners. They said that the prisonerssre-
ported that the dead man and a COM
panion had fallen through the bridge
ana that they immediately went for as
sistancc without going near the body.
The witnesses said his clothing bore
blood stains.
Other testimony brought out that the
prisoners and the murdered man has
been at Campellton. N. b.. during the
day, where they drank to excess. They
returned to this city, late i'm the day, in
tending to take the train to the Indian
settlement at Pleasant Point. They
missed their train and started to walk
along the track The evidence showed
that the men quarrelled frequently.
From this point the story of the tragedy
was taken up with Socialism as a witness.
lie testified that he and his companions
were crossing the trestIc near Carrow's
island when n train approached. Francis
and he stepped TO one side. standing close
TO n telegraph pole. and told SocaIeXis, to.
do the same. The latter replied that De
would make an attempt to reach the next
pole before the train was upon them,
Trey watched him go forward q short dis
lance. when he pitched forward and felh
to the ground Is feet below Supposing
his companion to have been killed. he
with the other man hurried to notify mu-
tual friends. H
The engineer of the train which is sup
posed to have crowded the man from the
track OH the trestle was called ana told
of running his train over treStlc on the
night in question ut Il speed of about four
miles an hour. He says he could see
plainly $50 feet ahead of the engine. but
saw no one on or near the treStle. Other
testimony went to show that the men
were not on the trcStle together and that
although the prisoners said that they did
not go near the body after the accident.
their clothing bore several biooGStains.
The only theory as to the motive of the
murder OF SocaleXis vet suggested is the
known jealousy which existed among his
companions O! the dead mans popularity
among the women of the settlement and
the admiration which he invariably at
tractcd when he took Fart in athletic con-
tests He was II clever ball player and in
many sports outclassed all other members
OF his tribe.