Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-26
SHOT BY HER SON,
Mrs. Everett Bickford of Oak
land Seriously Wounded.
Her Young Son First Accuses Stran-
ger and Then Confesses.
~
Boy, Now in Custody Of Father, Will Be
Arraisned, Today.

Oakland. Me-, May 25.-(SpeciaD.-
Mrs. Everett Bickford was shot and Sc
riously wounded at her home, about a
mile out on the Belgrade road, this
evening. The bullet lodged in her back,
just over the kidney, and could not be
located. 1t could not be determined,
tonight, what the result will be, but it
is feared it will be fatal.
Mrs. Bickford's 10-year-old son,
Everett. first gave an account of the at
fair to Deputy Sheriff Hersom, saying
that a strange man had shot his mother
from the kitchen door, describing him
as being tall and about 60 years old.
The boy said that after firing the shot
the man disappeared in the rear of the
house. running across the field.
MI. Hersom did not wholly believe
this story and getting the boy alone,
says that he succeeded in securing a
confessions from the boy in which the
lad admitted that he did the shooting.
The boy took the officer through the
field to where he had hidden the revol-
Yer. which was secured by the officer.
Mr.. Hersom learned that someone had
entered the house of Mr.. Fisher, next
door neighbor, and, going to an upper
room, broke into an old fashioned
bureau with an AK and carried away a
revolver which had been kept there.
The weapon pointed out by the boy
proved to be the same one taken from
Mr.. Fishers house.
Mrs. BickforG told the officers that
she did not see the person who shot her.
After being shot, she went a cOnsid-
cradle distance across the fields to
where her husband was working and
told him the story.
Deputy Sheriff Hersom and Dr.
Holmes were called from this village
the former getting the story of the af-
fair as given above and the latter at
tending to Mrs. Bickford.
The doctor probed the wound for the
bullet but was unable to locate or re-
cover it.
In his investigation, Mr.. Hersom
learned that the boy had been unruly
for some time. 1t is said that, a short
time ago, he ran away to Leeds or some
place in that vicinity, stealing his way
on the train.
His parents had considerable difficult
ty in keeping him at home and had re-
sorted to dressing him in girls clothes
for this purpose.
The family came to Oakland from
Massachusetts a short time ago and the
boy had caused his parents so much
trouble that they had decided to put
him in a school in that state and We're
planning to leave with him, Tuesday
morning.
This is supposed to have been the
lads motive for the deed.
The boy is unusually bright and
smart for his age, but according to the
stories told about him, is very strong
Willed and rebellious
Mr. Hcrsom says that he is one of
the shrewdest boys of his age that he
| ever saw
After making the confession and get
| ting out Of doors for the search for the
revolver, h. did not seem to experience
| any remorsc nor realize the cnormity
of the deed he said he had committed
The boy was left in the custody of his
| father, who made himself responsible
for him for the night, and the lad will
be given Il hearing, today.
Mr. and Mrs. Bickford have been res
| idents of the town but a comparatively
short time but have made many friends
and have the sympathy of everyone in
the sad affair. They have one other
| child, Il daughter, older than Everett.